Geography of the centers of international organizations
Abstract
The changing world development paradigm and the transition to a network lifestyle increase the role of new transnational actors, chiefly transnational corporations and international organizations, in the processes of global governance. Based in cities and having an extensive branch network, they produce a powerful impact on both the competitiveness of individual megacities, and the transformation of the global framework of the «centers of power». It seems promising to study the geographical aspects of symbiosis of cities and new transnational actors within the framework of a new problem area, i.e. the geopolitical urbanism.
The article gives reasons for the role of international organizations, especially non-government ones, as a main tool of «soft power». Their long history, high dynamics of quantitative growth and acceleration of spatial diffusion in recent years are discussed. The main features of their headquarters location in the cities during 1900–2016 are analyzed. Quantitative indicators were interpreted to elaborate a hierarchy and identify five principal categories of international organizations nodes, namely super-large, large, great, medium and small, are identified, with Brussels occupying the leading position among them. A large number of emerging centers have been revealed. Russia is represented only by Moscow which ranks within the third dozen of «small centers» of the world.
About the Authors
N. A. Sluka
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Geography of World Economy, Professor, D.Sc. in Geography
E. F. Kolyasev
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Geography of World Economy, post-graduate student
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Geography of World Economy, post-graduate student
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Review
For citations:
Sluka N.A., Kolyasev E.F. Geography of the centers of international organizations. Lomonosov Geography Journal. 2020;(5):114-119. (In Russ.)
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