Study title

This data collection consists of 16 interview transcripts from semi-structured interviews with the staff of two international organizations - the United Nations (specifically the Department of Peacekeeping Operations) and NATO. Interviews were aimed at gaining an understanding of how the staff of international organizations create and maintain legitimacy internally for themselves, rather than for external audiences, like the public, member states, or beneficiaries. Interviewees consist of staff (or former staff) familiar with the substantive mission and policies of the organizations and represent a range of ranks and functions. These files have been redacted to remove identifying or sensitive/classified information. For this project, a total of 87 interviews were conducted across three international organizations – the United Nations, NATO, and the World Bank – but 71 refused permission for deposit of interview transcripts, even if redacted, including the entire cohort of interviewees from the World Bank. The interviews archived here took place during five separate rounds of fieldwork in Geneva, New York, and Brussels between January 2017 and February 2018. However, due to the risk of identification, files do not specify the date or location of the interview. These interview data were combined with analysis of primary and secondary documents and written materials and observation of spaces and objects in the project's analysis. Recent crises in Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine, as well as the current refugee crisis in Europe have highlighted the difficulties national governments have in working collaboratively with international organizations (IOs). Governments and other policymakers often view IOs as inefficient and overly bureaucratic, and therefore engage with them only selectively and superficially (Malloch-Brown 2015, Gowan 2008). However, these interactions are partly unproductive because of a misunderstanding of the conflicting obligations IOs face, how they take...