Informal Practice as a Driver of Change: the UN Security Council and Darfur

In recent years the UN Security Council has come under increasing criticism, particularly in light of its failure to address the most pressing threats to international peace and security. As tensions between major powers have grown the relative paralysis of the Council has led to growing calls for significant change and reform. Yet much of the discourse surrounding the Council’s current status has predominantly focused on the overall legitimacy of the institution itself in regard to its rules and functions. In notable contrast to this literature, Jess Gifkins in her book Inside the UN Security Council takes us deeper into the inner workings of the Council, to address how decisions get made and the techniques utilised by member states to build legitimacy for their actions.