In this impressive book, the authors Tatiana Carayannis and Thomas G. Weiss remind us that the UN system cannot survive without the input and ideas of an array of independent thinkers and players and actors, including research centers, human rights experts, economists, consultants, digital networks, and specialists of all sorts who daily help the UN carry out its Charter obligations. Indeed, in many ways, the unheralded 'Third UN' serves as one of the great strengths of the world's most indispensable security body. * Dr Stephen Schlesinger, Author of Act of Creation: The Founding of the United Nations *
From scholars to think-tanks, NGOs to foundations, all of us working on global governance owe the authors a great debt of gratitude. Without their seminal work on the Third UN, we simply would not have the language or evidence to demonstrate that civil society inclusion is not just 'nice to have' but essential to securing peace, sustainable development and human rights for all. * Natalie Samarasinghe, Global Director, Advocacy, Open Society Foundations *
Carayannis and Weiss pithily anatomize the intellectual community that 'helps the UN think.' This is an excellent handbook for researchers wondering how to get the world organization to listen to their big ideas and a must-read for anyone who wants to get into the UN advocacy business. * Richard Gowan, UN Director, International Crisis Group *
The examples presented by the authors demonstrate how important the development of new ideas and their transmission into the ''first'' and ''second'' UN is for the reform processes of the United Nations. * Helmut Volger, German Review of the United Nations no1. 2022 *
The book presents the most comprehensive overview to date of external actors contribution to the formulation of ideas for decision-making in the UNs policy processes... the authors have given UN scholars many opportunities to connect the book to scholarship on international organizations and non-state actors and advance research in this area in a more fruitful and systematic manner...Tatiana Carayannis and Thomas G. Weiss have written a fascinating book of immense value to every student and scholar researching the UN, that will also give UN experts and global policymakers fresh insights, thanks to the original data the authors were able to assemble because of their unique expertise. * Nina Reiners, Global Policy Journal *
