Politics is often perceived as a significant obstacle to the achievement of the ideals conveyed by International Organisations (IOs). However,  since IOs include essentially political actors and deal with core political issues, they face a paradox. This book explores this ambiguity using empirical case studies, to examine the practices of depoliticization and the logic of action that drive IOs, and argue that their depoliticization is a political act, which can be analysed by political science. Ultimately, it places IOs firmly in the political sphere and part of the democratic debate. ?