International Studies: Chapter 1 - The Past in the Present

Question 1

Globalization (p. 1)

Answer 1

The increasing interconnectedness around the world through economic, political and social change. Driven esp. by global communication and market connections, growth of socio-political interdependencies and global vs national self-identification.

Question 2

Culture (p. 5)

Answer 2

A learned system of meanings by which people orient themselves in the world so that they can act in it. Relies heavily on a universal human capacity to differentiate and to categorize experiences.

Question 3

Political & Diplomatic History (p. 13)

Answer 3

Historical study concerned with the study of power and power relations. The oldest of which is often characterized by the biographies of “great people.”

ex. politics, law and foreign policy.

Question 4

Economic History (p. 13)

Answer 4

The study of the exchange of goods and services. Economic historians seek insight into economic trends that might inform future economic and business decisions.

Question 5

Labor History (p. 14)

Answer 5

Sub-field of economic history that focuses on the development of working-class solidarity and worker relations with management and the government.

Question 6

Cultural & Social History (p. 14)

Answer 6

The study of the history of music, food, sports, language, religion, family, gender and other elements of culture and society.

Question 7

Intellectual History (p. 14)

Answer 7

Historical study of the development and influence of ideologies such as religion, nationalism liberalism Marxism and feminism. Follows current trends of ethic principles and logical foundations.

Question 8

Nationalism (p. 14)

Answer 8

The constructed bond between people of similar language, religion, history and cultural. It breeds a sense of being different from another nationalistic group may lead to the perpetuation of ideologies derived from “us vs them” logical determination and thus a sense of superiority and chauvinism.

Question 9

Liberalism (p. 14)

Answer 9

Tenets of Liberalism:

1. ) Humans have a capacity for good.
2. ) Selfish and violent behaviors come not from human nature but from institutions that promote such behavior.
   3) The primary public institution leading to war is the state because it promotes nationalism and selfishness over global welfare.
3. ) Multilateral action and institutions are needed to prevent war.

Question 10

Marxism (p. 14)

Answer 10

In the mid-nineteenth century, Karl Marx theorized that historical development was not a clash of ideas, but a struggle between classes based on their material possessions. Marx advocated for a violent overthrow by the working class.

Question 11

Environmental History (p 14)

Answer 11

Devoted to people’s interaction with their natural surroundings such as climate change, water usage, agricultural practices, food distribution and marine and forest preservation.`

Question 12

Revisionist History (p. 17)

Answer 12

Historical accounts that use new evidence to revise generally accepted or traditional versions of the past.

Question 13

Postmodernist History (p. 18)

Answer 13

Postmodernists argue that all history reveals as much about the motives of the author as it does about what happened in the past. Emphasize the subjectivity of the historical record.

Question 14

Primary Sources (p. 19)

Answer 14

Artifacts, diaries, letters, memoirs, official documents, video recordings and other direct evidence from the past.

Question 15

Secondary Sources (p. 19)

Answer 15

Newspaper articles, journal articles, books and other oral or written narratives derived from primary sources.

Question 16

Historiography (p. 19)

Answer 16

Summary critiques of other historians’ work on a particular subject.

Question 17

Nationalist Histories (p. 22)

Answer 17

Often glorified histories of a nation’s past that serve as a unifier based on a common mission, culture, religion, language and shared territory. They tend to elevate their nation’s achievement and denigrate others.

Question 18

Muslims (p. 24)

Answer 18

“One who submits to God.” Anyone who practices some form of Islam ; Followers of Islam.

Question 19

Nakba (p. 24)

Answer 19

“The Catastrophe.” Common Palestinian–Arabic term used to refer to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

Question 20

Janjaweed (p. 24)

Answer 20

Militia groups in Darfur primarily made up of Arabians and used by the Sudanese government to massacre and intimidate the African tribes in the region.

Question 21

Cold War (p. 22)

Answer 21

Battle of liberal democratic and communist ideologies and geo-strategy between the US and the Soviet Union after World War II until the 1980s.

Question 22

Popular Histories (p. 28)

Answer 22

Histories written for mass consumption that compromise veracity for dramatic effect.

Question 23

Providential History (p. 29)

Answer 23

The belief that meaning in life derives from the belief that a higher power is operating in the world, if not always in explicable ways.

Question 24

Balance of Power (p. 29)

Answer 24

An important concept in realist theory by which self-interested powerful states achieve a stable global system through actions that offset one another’s power.

Question 25

Progressive History (p. 29)

Answer 25

The belief that as new ideas challenge the old traditions, a new synthesis would result to develop better political, economic and social structures ; through education and rising standards of living, people can rid society of past wrongs such as slavery, war and inequality and learn to live in peace & harmony.

Question 26

Theories of History (p. 29)

Answer 26

Frameworks that historians use to understand the factor that cause historical change.

Question 27

Rationality (p. 30)

Answer 27

In economics, the assumption that human beings and the intuitions they create (organization, corporation, state, etc.) will always act in such a way as to maximize rewards and minimize losses.