More recent literature on international relations has begun to accept the idea that decision-making in the global arena is no longer just a responsibility and a prerogative of states. Traditional state-centric theories have been challenged and increasingly, researchers have gained an interest in the role of non-state actors in a new global governance system. Multilateral organizations have long been the subject of study of scholars who are interested in the relationships between states and supranational, overarching institutions. The United Nations (UN) is one of the most studied multilateral organizations, and it would seem as though this is just another book attempting to understand the complexities of the UN.

This volume attempts to examine the UN using an analytical lens that tries to bridge traditional and newer theories of international relations. Trent’s overall argument is that there is a pressing need to reform the UN, and that the best solution to this urgent and much needed reform is “for citizens to band together to press corporations and politicians to work on the reforms” (p. xvi).

Although weak empirically, there are positive elements to the book. It is written in a style that appears to be like a personal account of the author’s ideas on how the UN should be reformed. Admittedly, the book does provide an extensive literature review on international relations theory and provides an overview of the works that have emphasized the new role of civil society in the global governance system. Chapter 1 in particular sets the analytical framework.

As the book moves forward, there is an increasing emphasis on a descriptive account of the history of international institutions (Chapter 2). Chapter 3 argues that we are moving from domestic operations (transactions) to international/global policy arenas. The bulk of the book’s analysis is presented in Chapter 4, where Trent makes numerous criticisms and offers suggestions as to how the UN’s shortcomings should be tackled. Chapter 5 speaks to the global issues that require institutional development, including peace and security, sustainable development, and democracy; and it is here that the author robustly develops the idea that civil society can be a key actor in the complex issue of UN reform. Chapters 6 and 7 describe the main areas of reform, as well as who should play the major role in reforming the UN. Chapter 7 brings the book to a close with a description of the lessons learned.

The title of the book naturally leads the reader to expect an in-depth theoretical and empirical discussion of civil society. It is perplexing that this is not so in a book among whose self-declared objectives are an extended discussion of the role of civil society organizations in modernizing the United Nations system. A quick scan of the table of contents emphasizes the theoretical tenets of the United Nations as a multilateral organization, while civil society receives short shrift. As a result, Trent’s book reads in part like a textbook on international relations.

Yet, we should not be too harsh on the author. While the writing sometimes strays into the first person account as mentioned earlier, it is still an interesting examination of the United Nations system. But the author would have written a better book if he had placed more emphasis on the role of civil society throughout the book. A more scholarly approach to the writing (rather than a somewhat personal account) would also have been preferable.

That said, Trent’s book remains an interesting contribution to our understanding of the role of non-state actors in the transformation of the global governance system. It brings home the idea that civil society and governments can collaborate in the international policy-making arena. However, one should be cautious of suggesting a radical reform of the UN without having enough empirical data and case studies to offer solid proposals for reform. The proposals that Trent offers are very good, but it is necessary to move forward and take that next step: undertaking an in-depth, insider-view analysis of the UN system. It seems that scholars who wish to build on Trent’s work already have their task cut out for them.