Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...

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Behavioralist assumes that the activities of IGOs and political institutions are based on
fundamental social forces so that the study of IGOs and institutions should commence with study
of society, culture, and human key actors. In this regard empirical and quantitative research
methodologies are applied to study the cause and their effect. The empirical data on member
states of an IGO may include the weight of the vote of a state, status in the world economy, level
of technological development, military power etc. The Behvioralism theory helps to find
systematic explanations about political phenomena and outcomes of IGOs. Behavioralism seeks
to examine the behavior, actions, and acts of individuals and groups in different social settings
(Walton, 1985) to understand the behavior of political institutions that they form.
3.4.5.5 Functionalism
The formation of tow intergovernmental organization (IGOs) in Europe, International Telegraph
Union (1865) and the Universal Postal Union (1874) gave birth to the doctrine of functionalism
in the field of international relations. According to this doctrine, IGOs can provide a practical
solution to international problems faced by the member states. The very early experiment of
IGOs development was successful and functional so this doctrine strengthened the idea of
internationalism and inter-governmentalism that drove its force form functionalism. According
to functionalists, common interests, mutual needs and shadow of future lead sovereign state and
other actors to enter into a bonding that results into the formation of intergovernmental
organizations, whereas according to realists, states enter into IGO bonding only to protect and
maximize self-interests. Fit for purpose is the corner stone of functionalism: an IGO designed to
achieve specific goals must help to materialize the set objectives, only then it can be considered
as a fully functional body. An IGO can be single purpose or multipurpose in its design, for
example World Food Program (WFP) is a single purpose while UNESCO is a multipurpose IGO.
Functionalism theory upholds that states form IGOs and these IGOs drive authority from the
participating actors and then this authority, in a fully functional IGO, is obeyed by members and
in some case non-members are also pushed to do so i.e. applying economic embargo, fight
against terrorism etc. The theory of functionalism is based on few assumptions: states or actors
can enter or leave IGO, the integration of state does not affect the state sovereignty or human
freedom, the collective governance derives/ distributes power and resources according preset
formula. In 21 st century settings, the expansion of knowledge economy is pushing functionalists
to integrate modern knowledge in IGOs setting so that international bodies could meet the