Chapter 3 - Theories of IL

Question 1

What are the 5 main Theoretical Traditions?

Answer 1

1) Realism
2) Liberalism
3) Constructivism
4) Marxism
5) Feminism (Critical Theory)

Question 2

What are 3 main features of Realism?

Answer 2

1) IR is a struggle for power and security amongst states
2) the world is anarchical (no higher authority)
3) Competition and Conflict are inevitable

Question 3

What are 5 Assumptions of Realism?

Answer 3

1) Anarchy breeds struggle
2) States are the primary actors of IR (they offer protection)
3) States are rational agents (and thus predictable)
4) Security is the central problem of international politics
5) Competition and Conflicts are inherent in world politics

Question 4

What are 5 Propositions of Realists?

Answer 4

1) The balance of power is a basic dynamic
2) states form alliances in response to threatening situations
3) states focus on relative gains
4) power transitions are moments of danger
5) states are motivated by nationalism on the international stage

Question 5

What are 2 sorts of Structural Realists?

Answer 5

1) Offensive realists (states are power maximisers)

2) Defensive realists (states are security maximisers)

Question 6

What is neoclassical realism?

Answer 6

Does not see international system as predictable. States are black boxes and internal dynamics will affect the external dynamic

Question 7

What is the English School of IR (3)?

Answer 7

1) built on realist assumptions but contains liberalism and constructivism
2) states are self-interested but also want predictable and rule-based environment (on use of force, international agreements and property rights)
3) Classical proponent: Bull

Question 8

What are 2 features of Liberalism?

Answer 8

1) spread of democracy and market relations soften anarchical power struggle
2) internal features of states are the most important characteristic in IR

Question 9

What are the 3 intellectual branches of Liberalism?

Answer 9

1) focus on trade’s impact on IR
2) focus on democracy’s impact on IR
3) focus on pacifying effect of law and institutions (Doyle)

Question 10

What are 5 Liberal Assumptions?

Answer 10

1) The world constant modernises (tech and science)
2) individuals and groups are the main actors
3) individuals are drawn to joint gains
4) modernisation draws societies towards democracy and capitalism
5) Progress exists

Question 11

What are 5 Propositions of Liberalism?

Answer 11

1) Commercial Liberalism (interdepence pacifies)
2) Democratic peace theory
3) IR is built by states around IL and IOs
4) (private) Transnational relation provide important connections between states
5) Cosmopolitanism is inherent in humans

Question 12

What is Neo-Liberal Institutionalism and who explains it (2)?

Answer 12

1) Although the world is anarchical, institutions facilitate the sharing of information to overcome mistrust and facilitate cooperation
2) Keohane

Question 13

What are 3 main characteristics of Marxist Theory?

Answer 13

1) People act based on material/econ position
2) Focus on equality created by free markets
3) owners of means of production also control politics and society

Question 14

What are 5 Marxist Assumptions?

Answer 14

1) Pol intersts/relationships are determined by economic status
2) socio-economic classes are the main actors
3) The state serves the capitalist class
4) class conflict defines the worker-capitalist relationship
5) revolution is the dominant mode of political change

Question 15

What are 3 Marxist Propositions?

Answer 15

1) States aim to promote capitalism and the capitalist class
2) capitalists contorl the state (structurally and instrumentally)
3) transnational business is a significant feature of world politics

Question 16

What are 2 main features of Constructivism?

Answer 16

1) ideas and beliefs define how actors perceive/pursue interests
2) IR are socially constructed

Question 17

What are 4 Constructivist Assumptions?

Answer 17

1) interests of individuals/groups/states are flexible
2) identities are molded by ideational factors (culture, religion, science, norms)
3) elite individuals in society/state are most important actors
4) communication is instrumental in shaping identities –> guiding behaviour

Question 18

What are 4 Constructivist Propositions?

Answer 18

1) The world is what you believe it is
2) States operate within a global civil society (spreads norms)
3) World politics is primarily changed through normative change
4) Elites exist within and are influenced by strategic culture (assumptions about nature of global system)

Question 19

What are 3 main characteristics of Feminist Theory?

Answer 19

1) states and IR have gendered structures of domination and interactoin
2) the great globalising forces in IR are depicted as driven by men
3) women are depicted and treated as subordinate

Question 20

What is a criticial theory?

Answer 20

A theory questioning the foundations/structures of current society and the categories/concepts that we use in building and evaluating theory (Cox)

Question 21

What are 2 Feminist Propositions?

Answer 21

1) World politics is dominated by male-oriented assumptions

2) women are systemically underrepresented in study and practice of IR

Question 22

What 2 propositions does Waltz make?

Answer 22

1) to understand IR we must look at teh system level and its anarchical nature
2) Bipolar systems are the most stable

Question 23

What does Allison argue (1)?

Answer 23

Fears move from unipolar system to bipolar (seems contrary to Waltz)