13. The Fuzzy Borders of Intergovernmentalism

This chapter looks at some organizations that lie at the border of our definition of intergovernmental institutions. These organizations are either hybrids of international organizations (IOs) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or are NGOs that play some official role in the international system. The examples discussed in the chapter include the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO, or Interpol), the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (ITSO, formerly INTELSAT), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).