Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2021, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is routinely heralded as one of the leading organs of global governance, yet it remains one of the least written about and least well understood of our major global institutions. This fully revised and updated second edition builds a well-rounded understanding of this crucial, though often neglected, institution. A range of clearly written chapters chart the origins and evolution of the organization, comprehend its influence, examine its current agenda, and evaluate its future prospects. Rather than the simplified characterizations of the OECD as a rich-country s club or think tank, this book suggests that truly understanding the OECD and its significance to global governance requires it to be conceived as the entity it truly is: an international organization. New to this edition:Outlines the OECD s origins and evolution, bringing its story fully up to dateConsiders the OECD way of working, including the peer review processExamines competing views of the OECD s influence over global governanceEvaluates the OECD reform and the organization s future prospectsThis concise introduction continues to be vital reading for all students of international relations, politics and world history and affairs.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2021, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is routinely heralded as one of the leading organs of global governance, yet it remains one of the least written about and least well understood of our major global institutions. This fully revised and updated second edition builds a well-rounded understanding of this crucial, though often neglected, institution. A range of clearly written chapters chart the origins and evolution of the organization, comprehend its influence, examine its current agenda, and evaluate its future prospects. Rather than the simplified characterizations of the OECD as a rich-country s club or think tank, this book suggests that truly understanding the OECD and its significance to global governance requires it to be conceived as the entity it truly is: an international organization. New to this edition:Outlines the OECD s origins and evolution, bringing its story fully up to dateConsiders the OECD way of working, including the peer review processExamines competing views of the OECD s influence over global governanceEvaluates the OECD reform and the organization s future prospectsThis concise introduction continues to be vital reading for all students of international relations, politics and world history and affairs.