Exam 1 Flashcards
What is International Relations
Study of interactions among the various actors that participate in international politics
Four foundational questions of international relations
How can human nature be characterized
What is the relationship between the individual and society?
What are the characteristics and role of the state?
How is the international system organized?
What best summarizes the main point of realism?
States act in their national interest
What is the name we give to the type of inquiry that believes that individuals, both alone and in groups, act in patterned ways?
behavioral
What approach to studying international relations is most likely to focus on “the other?”
alternative approaches
Examines individual or multiple cases
History
Develops rationales from core texts and analytical thinking
Philosophy
Finds patterns in human behavior and state behavior using empirical methods, grounded in scientific method
Behavioralism
Uses several methodologies; deconstructs major concepts and uses discourse analysis to build thick description; finds voices of “others”
Alternatives
What was the treaty of Westphalia?
ended the thirty years’ war; marked the end of rule by religious authority in Europe and the emergence of secular authorities
3 major impacts of treaty of Westphalia on international relations
- Concept and practice of sovereignty develops
- Centralized control of institutions to facilitate the creation and maintenance of military; military power grows
- Capitalistic economic system emerges (stable expectations facilitate long-term investment)
International relations scholars trace the origin of the modern state system to:
Treaty of Westphalia
What summarizes Adam Smith’s contribution to economic theory in the 1700s?
Smith was one of the first proponents of free markets and capitalism
What is Sovereignty?
Authority of a state to govern itself, recognized by other states and nonstate actors
What is Imperialism
The annexation of distant territory (most often by force) and its inhabitants to an empire
What is Colonialism
The settling of people from a home country among indigenous peoples of a distant territory
Ex: civilians of Spain -> Mexico
What is Nationalism?
people come to identify with a common past, language, customs, or territory
Key developments in 19th century Europe
- Revolutions-> legitimate rule requires consent of governed, and nationalism
- System managed by balance of power brings peace to Europe. Elites are united in fear of masses, and domestic concerns are more important than foreign policy
- European imperialism in Asia and Africa helps maintain European balance of power
- Balance of power breaks down due to imperial Germany’s too-rapid growth and the increasing rigidity of alliances, resulting in WW1
Key Developments of Interwar Years
- 3 empires collapse: Russian revolution; Austro-Hungarian dismemberments; Ottoman Empire by external wars and internal turmoil. -> Resurgance of nationalism
- German dissatisfaction with Treaty of Versailles (WW1) leads to fascism and allies with Italy and Japan
- Weak League of Nations unable to respond to JIG aggression nor reverse economic depression
Cold War Key Developments
- 2 Superpowers: US and USSR; divided by national interests, ideologies, and mutual misperceptions (geographic)
- Berlin Blockade(1948-49); Korean War(1950–53); Cuban missile crisis(1962); Vietnam War (1965-73); and Soviet military intervention in afghan (1979-89)
- Long peace between superpower rivals is sustained by mutual deterrence
The French people share a common geography, history, and language and thus are considered a:
Nation
What is true about industrialization and political power in Europe in the 1800s?
Industrialization favored the middle classes at the expense of aristocrats
The third Reich was another name for:
Nazi Germany
When did the vast majority of colonial lands gain independence?
during the Cold War
What was the first major international crisis after the end of the Cold War?
Iraq invading Kuwait
As NATO struggled to redefine its mission in the wake of the end of the Cold War, it involved itself heavily in civil war in:
Yugoslavia(Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia)- NATO bombed Serbian nationalists to stop attacks on Albanians
One of most significant changes in post Cold War era?
Emergence of transnational terrorism
What is theory
A set of propositions that combine to explain phenomena by specifying relationships among a set of concepts
What is hypotheses
Specific falsifiable statements that question the proposed relationship between 2 or more concepts
What is national interest?
Interest of the state: the protection of territory and sovereignty; realist-pursuit of power; liberal-many interests; radical-ruling elite
What does “good theories are generalizable” mean?
A strong theory can explain events across different times and in different places
Those with physical presence, such as states, individuals, or international institutions are known as
Material factors or entities
What is anarchy?
no higher superior (government)
What do realists mean when they say the state is a “unitary actor”?
No subnational actors try to overturn the government’s decision once it has been reached
What would be most important to a neorealist in explaining events in international relations
The structure of the international system
Key actors of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
States, nongovernmental groups, international organizations
Characteristics of individuals of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
Basically good; social; capable of cooperating
Characteristics of states of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
Rational states; (enduring friendships and rivals); democratic-liberal, authoritarian-autarkic matters; actors within states can influence state actions
Characteristics of international system of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
Anarchy abridged by interdependence among actors; an international order
Beliefs about change of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
Self-interest managed by structure (institutions) leads to possibility of cooperation and peace
Major theorists of of lib/neoliberal institutionalism?
Montesquieu, Kant, Wilson, Keohane, Moravcsik
A foundation of liberalism:
humans are rational and social beings
Liberalism posits that cooperation between states is:
Possible
Constructivism:
Neither state nor international community interests are fixed; explains very little
Radicalism
Economic class conflict explains state behavior
Dependency theorists attribute primary importance to:
The role of multinational corporations in exerting control over developing states
Some feminist theorists argue that
Women have been absent from international politics
Theoretical perspective of Russia Ukraine conflict in Putin’s Russia:
Constructivism
Coordination among several states is known as
Multilateralism
Neoliberal institutionalists and neorealists agree that:
The international system is anarchic in nature but disagree on the potential for cooperative outcomes
What are the 4 legal criteria under international law for an entity to officially qualify as a state?
- Recognized as a state by other states diplomatically
- Territorial base with geographically defined boundaries
- Stable population within its borders
- Population with allegiance to an effective government
What is a nation?
A group of people sharing a common history, language, or culture
What is a national-state?
Entity formed when people sharing the same historical, cultural, or linguistic roots form their own state with borders, a government, and international recognition; began with French and American revolutions
One of the largest groups of people without their own state:
The Kurds (Turkey, Syria, Iran, and Iraq)
Characteristics of realism/neorealism of the state?
States are autonomous, unitary actors, constrained by anarchy
Behaviors of realism/neorealism of the state?
Consistent set of goals defined by national interest
Characteristics of liberalism/neoliberal institutionalism of the state?
States are sovereign but not autonomous
Behaviors of liberalism/neoliberal institutionalism of the state?
No consistent national interest; governmental and societal interests compete; characteristics of states matter
Characteristics of constructivism of the state?
States are socially constructed; states have multiple identities
Behavioralism of constructivism of the state?
National interests/identites socially constructed and change over time
What is not an aspect of a state?
A state must have a military capable of defense
Liberalism perspectives view states as:
Pluralist arenas that oversee the competition of various governmental and societal interests
An individual is most likely to have an impact on a country
When an individual leader is faced with an economic crisis
Which theoretical perspective places importance on the individual levels of analysis?
Realism
