Normative influence of international bureaucracies on conflict prevention policies

The influence of international bureaucracies has risen considerably in some policy dimensions, especially when accordingly expanded mandates is in place. At this point, the variety of (formal and informal) decisions on conflict prevention in international organizations (IOs) seem to be in hands of its bureaucratic units. Which information to consider, whom to warn of the upcoming threats, with which actor collaboration might be effective are among the questions, which highly skilled and experienced personnel of international bureaucracies seem to know answers to. In addition, in the framework of and beyond their mandate, the international bureaucracies produce information and (strive to) shape approaches in the IOs, among its members, and beyond. The paper will look at the ‘global’ models on conflict prevention that international bureaucracies promote, as well as the role this process plays in raising importance of international bureaucracies in the context of conflict prevention agenda-setting and policies. This factor will be analysed along with their respective official mandates, scope of their ‘freedom of action’, and in line with the role of international bureaucracies as places where “the rationalized others” – highly skilled professionals – are concentrated. For this purpose, I will examine the variety of primary sources - documents originating from the international bureaucracies (e.g., statements, agendas, recommendations, etc.) and international organizations in their wider sense (e.g., results of the summits and meetings that include member-states) – as well as secondary sources on the work of IOs in conflict prevention. The findings will help shed the light on the normative influence of international bureaucracies in IOs (such as the United Nations, the European Union, and the African Union) regarding their conflict prevention policy choices.