David J. Whittaker 
United Nations in the Contemporary World [PDF ebook] 

Fifty years after the creation of the United Nations, there exists a vigorous debate as to its limitations and possibilities. In United Nations in the Contemporary World, David J. Whittaker examines how the UN works and assesses its position as a world organisation.
The author explores the nature of the UN as a regime in contemporary international relations. He considers the changing terms of reference of the UN and includes discussion of:
* UN organisational procedures and principles;
* recent historical case studies, including studies on peacekeeping
* the role of the UN in global urbanisation, arms control and in supplying aid for refugees
* past and future internal reform, goals, achievements
With an annotated bibliography and a helpful glossary United Nations in the Contemporary World provides an interdisciplinary history of the UN and debates the key issues for its future. David J Whittaker gives a cogent analysis of how the UN addresses today”s world problems and how it can adapt for the future.