Post-civic institutions are institutions that mirror civic institutions but are different from them in the way that they are structured and organised. Intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) like the United Nations, International Criminal Court, Europol are examples of post-civic institutions. They are being formed in increasing numbers to grasp the complexities of a highly interconnected global system. These organisations are powerful political agents and they play an important role in influencing international policy. As they share an ambiguous relationship with national governments, their architecture and urban design is structured around concerns of security.
The research is situated in The Hague in the Netherlands, where 160 non-governmental and 10 intergovernmental organisations are located that specialise in security and justice.