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Preferred term

functionalism  

Definition

  • Functionalism is an approach to the formation of international organizations that advocates international cooperation on scientific, humanitarian, social and economic issues. Functionalism argues that discrete public-sector responsibilities, or functions, such as exchanging meteorological data, coordinating international air-traffic control, the prevention of pandemic diseases, and promoting sustainable development, are the issues most likely to encourage mutual trust and habits of cooperation between governments rather than attempts to cooperate on more sensitive issues of sovereignty such as citizenship, monetary union, or national defense. [Source: Encyclopedia of Governance; Functionalism]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/functionalism

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