The preoccupation of the United Nations with Israel: Evidence and theory
We compiled data on all United Nations General Assembly resolutions on which voting took place between January 1990 and June 2013 and find a preoccupation with one country: in 65 % of instances in which a country is criticized in a resolution, the country is Israel, with no other country criticized...
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Published in | Review of International Organizations Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 413 - 437 |
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Main Authors | , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
New York
Springer US
01.12.2015
Springer Nature B.V |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | We compiled data on all United Nations General Assembly resolutions on which voting took place between January 1990 and June 2013 and find a preoccupation with one country: in 65 % of instances in which a country is criticized in a resolution, the country is Israel, with no other country criticized in more than 10 % of resolutions. We use comparative quantitative criteria to confirm that Israel is subject to discrimination. To explain the motives for discrimination, we present a model of behavioral political economy that includes decoy voting, vanity of autocrats, and a Schelling focal point for deflection of criticism. The model includes a role for traditional prejudice. Our conclusions more generally concern political culture in the United Nations. |
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ISSN: | 1559-7431 1559-744X |
DOI: | 10.1007/s11558-014-9207-3 |