Preface

• Author: Alexandre Tavadian
• Pages: 19-20

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PREFACE

One of the most rewarding aspects of my work as a lawyer in the

United Nations was coaching and mentoring interns and young pro-

fessionals. I was fortunate enough to work with students, university

graduates, and young lawyers from dierent continents, legal systems,

and cultures who shared my passion for public international law and

the United Nations. Despite their diverse background, they all asked

me to recommend a book that could provide a holistic overview of

the United Nations as an institution. They were particularly inter-

ested in a textbook that could provide a multidisciplinary approach

to the study of the UN rather than an exclusively legal or political

analysis and survey. My research revealed that there was a need for

a comprehensive yet accessible book on the United Nations appar-

atus, covering the legal, political, and practical aspects of the organ-

ization’s functioning and activities. The main problem I encountered

when looking for suitable books on the UN was that none of them

addressed the topics and issues that I thought were important. Some

excellent books, including the Oxford Handbook on the United

Nations, study the UN from an international relations perspective.

Other great resources, such as Bruno Simma’s Commentary on the

UN Charter and Oppenheim’s International Law are too detailed to be

used as a textbook or a reference manual for the uninitiated. Both

works consist of two large volumes and are accessible mostly to legal

experts conducting research. They also have a prohibitive retail price.