Different IR Perspectives and Feminist Approaches in IR

Question 1

What is the Constructivist Approach?

Answer 1

The world is socially constructed

Question 2

What are the key concepts of the Constructivist Approach?

Answer 2

Identity, Ideas, Norms

Question 3

What role do country identities play?

Answer 3

Country identities affect behavior & how they act towards others differently based on their identities (much like SIT)

Question 4

What is the Marxist Approach?

Answer 4

The world can be divided into two main classes: Capital (Global North) vs. Labor (Global South) with Northern countries exploiting those in the South
Key concept is socio-economic class: Capital (Bourgeoisie) vs. Labor (Proletariat)

Question 5

What do optimistic views of IR include?

Answer 5

Institutionalism, Free Trade Theory, and the Democratic Peace

Question 6

What is Difference Feminism?

Answer 6

Women are different than men, although differences may be more culturally determined than biologically determined

Question 7

What reasoning does Difference Feminism provide?

Answer 7

Women tend to be less competitive / confrontational (e.g. Malala)

Question 8

What is Liberal Feminism?

Answer 8

Differences between men and women are trivial, even non-existent (e.g. Angela Merkel)

Question 9

What is Post-Modern Feminism?

Answer 9

Sex and gender are not the same thing with sex referring to the biological / physiological characteristics that define men and women while gender refers to the socially constructed roles