This book is the first comprehensive account of the activities of the seventeen specialized agencies in the United Nations system. These agencies perform a number of important tasks within the system including technical assistance functions to developing countries. Most of the agencies are not involved in high-profile world politics; however, a few are well-known players in the world economy such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), and all of these agenices impact significantly on world policy. Each chapter in the volume has been written by an authority in the field. With a brief overview of the activities and accomplishments of each agency, bibliography, and index.


Robert N. Wells, Jr. ( Ph.D., University of Michigan) is Munsil Professor of Government at St. Lawrence University. He regularly publishes articles on the United Nations International Organization, international law, U.S. foreign policy and Native Americans. He has edited bibliographies on the United Nations and on Native Americans.