Ch. 1 Test Review Flashcards
Autarky
where a country wants complete independence from relations with other states; seen in regions with a pan-regional structure
Zone of Initiation
where coastal areas were more prosperous than interior areas because they were more innovative; hence, they were pull forces to the migrating interior peoples
Relativist vs. Anti-Relativist Views
Liberals: laws and traditions should be kept up-to-date
Conservatives: laws and traditions should be kept original
Monroe Doctrine
A U.S. doctrine where Eurasian countries are not to intervene into Middle America
Consensus
In realism, a stable and peaceful structure where a general trust among countries within the structure is to stay moderate and not revolutionary
Anarchy
no central or effective world government to give protection to countries
Security Dilemma
when one country attempts to improve its security, other countries will do the same, thus creating arms races, more instability and costs, and actually reduce security for all as a result
Functionalism
where countries in regions find they cannot resolve problems individually, so they join with other countries for problem solving, erecting certain agencies to assist regional ties, particularly in the economic/trade areas; eventually, these regional agencies, once successful, will take on functions that make them permanent international organizations; in turn, these organizations will create a regional government
Shatterbelts
two levels of conflict, regional and strategic or outside region; when these come together, alliances between local and outside against opposing local-outside alliances, a shatterbelt forms
Critical Theory
radical and revolutionary changes brought to the existing system; critical theories totally reject the existing societies, contending that reforms and gradual improvements will not be sufficient; they fight for total transformation of what presently exists
Levels of Analysis Problem
because the various levels of international relations are so different, one cannot bring them together into a clear description and theory
Content Analysis
the study of spoken and written words to find meaning, especially to discover authorships, hidden meanings, or even conspiracies of exploitation
Balances of Power
poles=countries
multi-polar, bi-polar, uni-polar
tight/rigid=hostile
loose/flexible=friendly
Unipolar Moment
a balance-of-power configuration where one state/hegemon dominates
many experts believed that the unipolar structure of the U.S. as the dominant hegemon after the end of the Cold War would be temporary and soon shift to a multipolar structure
Dependency Thesis
a structure of two opposing areas, a core and a periphery, the former being wealthy and technologically advanced and the latter being destitute; wealth continues being advanced in the core while the poverty of the periphery increases, too
Democratic Peace Thesis
a liberal idea that democratic countries are peaceful and don’t go to war with each other
New International Economic Order (NIEO)
a solution to the monopoly problem with international capitalism, the in the dependency model; meant to reverse the flow of wealth, away from the core and onto the suffering periphery, done voluntarily and via the bureaucracies of international organizations
Normative Theory
what ought to be as opposed to what is; ethical, moral, philosophical, religious values as opposed to rational and probably theories
Constructivist Theory
humans hold constructs, or images of reality, within their minds; often, these constructs taint their freedom and are given them by power elites with the aim to exploit humans by dominating their images of reality; we must deconstruct these constructs if we desire human freedom
Tamb’s Charcas Heartland
a South-American heartland found in Bolivia’s charcas triangle; whomever controls charcas can dominate South America
Preponderance/Primacy
being the strongest?
