Dr Kseniya Oksamytna wins prestigious International Studies Association book award • City St George's, University of London

Dr Oksamytna’s prize-winning book explores change in international organisations.

By Eve Lacroix (Senior Communications Officer), Published Thursday, 30^th May 2024 (Updated Friday, 31^st May 2024)

Dr Kseniya Oksamytna, Senior Lecturer in International Politics at City, University of London received the prestigious Chadwick F Alger prize for her book Advocacy and Change in International Organizations: Communication, Protection, and Reconstruction in UN Peacekeeping (Oxford University Press, 2023).

The prize is awarded by the International Organisation section of the International Studies Association (ISA).

She is the first ever UK-based scholar to have received this prize.

"Advocacy and Change in International Organizations: Communication, Protection, and Reconstruction in UN Peacekeeping" by Dr Kseniya Oksamytna (Oxford University Press, 2023).

During the Cold War, United Nations (UN) peacekeepers monitored ceasefires and separation lines, helping parties to the conflict uphold their commitments. Now, Blue Helmets have 41 distinct tasks, ranging from organising elections to child protection.

Some believe that Blue Helmets have been overburdened, calling peacekeeping mandates “Christmas Trees” which each actors seeks to adorn with their own goals.

How did their responsibilities expand so much?

Dr Oksamytna's book traces the evolution of three agendas in UN peacekeeping: public information and strategic communications, protection of civilians, and quick impact projects. She argues that advocacy is behind organisational change and the expanding remit of UN Blue Helmets.

Advocacy in international organisations

Advocates can choose between three strategies: persuasion, social pressure, and deployment of authority. Certain favourable conditions (related to characteristics of advocates, targets, issues, and context) make them more effective in pushing for organisational change.

In a blog post for “Multilateralism is Action” by the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, Dr Oksamytna argues:

International organisations are more adaptive than we think. New agendas emerge through bottom-up innovation by international bureaucrats, outside-in advice by experts, and top-down issue construction in intergovernmental forums.
However, the emergence and institutionalisation of new issues requires skilful, sometimes multiyear advocacy by dedicated diplomats, officials, or experts.

Modern peacekeeping

Today, the role of UN peacekeeping remains vital.

There are 11 missions currently being deployed across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

Discussing the importance of her book today, she said:

I hope that my book remains as relevant today as it was when I started writing it more than ten years ago.
As UN peacekeeping – and multilateral cooperation more generally – exits the period of expansion and enters the era of contraction, change through advocacy continues.
However, its proponents may find themselves suggesting improvements on the margins or refocusing activity towards areas where consensus still exists as opposed to proposing sweeping changes.

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