Introduction to International Relations

Question 1

What is a state?

Answer 1

Political institution that successfully claims sovereign jurisdiction within defined territorial borders

Question 2

what is state-centrism?

Answer 2

An approach to political analysis that takes the state to be the most important actor in the domestic realm and on the world stage

Question 3

What is a state system?

Answer 3

A pattern of relationships between and amongst states that establishes a measure of order and predictability

Question 4

Mixed actor model

Answer 4

The theory that,while not ignoring the role of states and national government ,international politics is shaped by a much broader range of interests and groups

Question 5

Billard Ball Model

Answer 5

A way of seeing global politics,especially among ‘realist’ thinkers,as a set of interactions between territorially bounded,discrete states, it is a state centric model

Question 6

globalisation

Answer 6

The emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by events that occur,and decisions that are made, at a great distance from us

Question 7

Transnationalism

Answer 7

Political,social,economic, or other forms action and interaction that transcend or cut cross national borders

Question 8

Anarchy

Answer 8

Literally,without rule, the absence of a central government or higher authority,sometimes,but not necessarily, is associated with instability and chaos

Question 9

Power politics

Answer 9

An approach to politics based on the assumption that the pursuit of power is the principal human goal,the term sometimes used descriptively

Question 10

Global politics and its scope

Answer 10

1.Global politics encompasses politics at all level-worldwide,regional,national and subnational
2.States interact with each other in conditions of global interconnectedness and interdepence
3.States remain key actors on the world stage

Question 11

Changes in world politics

Answer 11

1.Emergence of new global actors
2.Growth of interdependence and interconnectedness
3.Erosion of the domestic/international divide
4.Rise of global governance

Question 12

The meaning of global in this context

Answer 12

1.Global means comprehensive; it refers to all elements within a system
2.It does not imply that the global level has transcended politics at other levels
3.Global politics does not diminish the importance of international politics

Question 13

The notion of interconnectedness

Answer 13

1.The idea that all parts or units of politics are absorbed into an invisible global whole is difficult to sustain
2.Politics is still relevant at national, local, and other levels
3.Global politics does not eliminate the need for politics at other levels

Question 14

State-centric approach

Answer 14

1.States/countries are considered the key actors on the world stage
2.The conventional approach to world politics is state-centric
3.The international system is often portrayed as a states system
4.Traced back to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648
5. The Peace of Westphalia established sovereignty as the distinguishing feature of the state

Question 15

International politics

Answer 15

1.Although states may have a national character, it is their possession of statehood that allows them to act effectively on the world stage
2.’International’ politics can be more accurately described as ‘interstate’ politics

Question 16

Definition of Sovereignty

Answer 16

Sovereignty is the principle of supreme and unquestionable authority

Question 17

External sovereignty

Answer 17

-Refers to the capacity of the state to act independently and autonomously on the world stage
-Implies that states are legally equal and their territorial integrity and political independence are inviolable

Question 18

Internal sovereignty

Answer 18

Refers to the location of supreme power or authority within the state

Question 19

Challenges to state-centric approach

Answer 19

1.States are no longer the only significant actors on the world stage
2.Transnational corporations (TNCs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other non-state bodies influence world politics
3,Various groups and organizations, from ISIS to #MeToo movement and Black Lives Matter, to Google, contribute to shaping world politics
4.Increased interactions between different actors, non-state and substate channels, and economic primacy challenge the state-centric “Westphalian” order

Question 20

Role of states

Answer 20

1.The state’s coercive power, including enforcing order within its borders and dealing militarily with other states, remains unmatched by TNCs or NGOs
2.States are recognized as important actors in global politics, but not the only ones

Question 21

Definition of interdependence

Answer 21

1.Interdependence refers to a relationship between two parties in which each is affected by decisions made by the other
2.It implies mutual influence and a sense of mutual vulnerability

Question 22

Implications of interdependence

Answer 22

Interdependence often leads to cooperation and integration in world affairs

Question 23

Features of complex interdependence

Answer 23

1.States have lost their autonomy as international actors
2.Economic and other issues have become more prominent in global affairs
3.Military force is seen as a less reliable and less important policy option

Question 24

Implications of approaching study from the perspective of ‘the international’

Answer 24

1.Politics has a distinct spatial or territorial character
2.Borders and boundaries matter in international politics
3.Domestic politics focuses on maintaining order and regulation within state borders
4.International politics focuses on relations between and among states
5.Sovereignty acts as a ‘hard shell’ that separates the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ of politics

Question 25

The ‘inside/outside’ divide(domestic/international)

Answer 25

1.Politics ‘inside’ has orderly and regulated character within domestic sphere
2.Politics ‘outside’ lacks authority and higher power than the sovereign state

Question 26

Importance of territorial divisions

Answer 26

1.Greater emphasis on national or ‘homeland’ security
2.Attempts to constrain international migration through border and immigration controls

Question 27

Challenges to upholding the domestic/international

Answer 27

1.Increased vulnerability of domestic economies to global events
2.Wider use of digital technologies that are difficult for national governments to control
3.Prominent transnational issues in world affairs

Question 28

‘Territorial trap’ and recent trends

Answer 28

1,Emphasis on borders and clear territorial divisions in international relations
2.Globalization has challenged the traditional divide
3.Increased cross-border flows and transactions
4.Phenomenon of transnationalism

Question 29

Defining Globalization

Answer 29

1.It has multiple definitions that may overlap or conflict with each other
2.Some definitions include intensification of worldwide social relations, integration of national economies, criss-crossing of nation states by transnational actors, and transformation of social relations and transactions
3.Globalization is the emergence of interconnectedness that shapes our lives regardless of geographical distance
4.It highlights the deepening and broadening of the political process

Question 30

Interpretations of globalization

Answer 30

1.Economic globalization: absorption of national economies into a global economy
2.Cultural globalization: global flow of information, commodities, and images that reduce cultural differences
3.Political globalization: transfer of policy-making responsibilities from national governments to international organizations

Question 31

Debate on globalization

Answer 31

1.Hyperglobalists: extreme position that globalization makes the state obsolete
2.Sceptics: argue that globalization either does not exist or is not what globalists claim it to be
3.Transformationalists: position that emphasizes the complexity and multifaceted nature of globalization

Question 32

Transformationalist position on globalization

Answer 32

1.Recognizes that there have been profound changes as a result of technological innovation and increased interconnectedness
2.Takes a careful approach to specify these changes instead of generalizing them as ‘globalization’

Question 33

The politics of anti-globalization

Answer 33

Two broad trends in anti-globalization politics: left-wing and right-wing

Question 34

Left-wing anti-globalization

Answer 34

1.Coalesced around mass demonstrations against global governance institutions
2.Precipitated by the Zapatista uprising and facilitated by the rise of the internet
3.Major demonstrations included protests against the World Trade Organization and the Group of Eight (G8)
4.Emphasizes the need for a different model of globalization, promoting open immigration, global cooperation, and cross-racial and working-class solidarities

Question 35

Shared characteristics of right-wing anti-globalization movements

Answer 35

1.Claims that their people have lost out through globalization and liberal, globalist policies
2.Advocacy of racially or ethnically defined concepts of national identity
3.Opposition to mass immigration and demonization of political leaders and marginalized groups

Question 36

Influence of social media on right-wing anti-globalization movements

Answer 36

1.Social media played a crucial role in the rise of the transnational right-wing movement
2.Platforms like Twitter became politicized and enabled communication and organization among right-wing activists
3.Web 2.0, the new social media model, allowed individual users to create internet content and facilitated political organizing and argument

Question 37

The Role of Imagination in Globalization

Answer 37

1.Imagination is considered a key driver of globalization and the emergence of the global as a political space
2.Increased focus on the global is attributed to an imaginative shift in societies worldwide
3.Shift occurs from local and national contexts to more macro-level imaginaries

Question 38

Studying Global Politics

Answer 38

1.Studying global politics involves thinking of international relations differently
2.Shift away from traditional focus on interstate relations
3.The rise of the global is linked to the influence of multinational corporations, business schools, international financial institutions, and politicians advocating market-driven politics

Question 39

Global Politics and Perspectives

Answer 39

1.To think globally is to view the world as a whole, rather than just a collection of states
2.Thinking globally involves adopting a particular worldview or understanding of social relations
3.Thinking globally can be influenced by our local contexts and cultural backgrounds

Question 40

Diverse Cultural Perspectives

Answer 40

1.The global imaginary can vary among different cultures and regions of the world
2.Western globalist theories often overlook or problematize African perspectives on globalization
3.Alternate paradigms, such as postcolonial thinking, challenge the Western globalist vision

Question 41

Alternative Vision: Daoism and Chinese Intellectual Traditions

Answer 41

1.Chinese traditions, including Daoism and philosophies of Confucius and Sun Tzu, offer a different lens to understand the global
2.This alternate vision does not perceive the rise of China as an inherent threat like Western globalist rhetoric suggests

Question 42

Internationalism

Answer 42

The theory or practice of politics based on cooperation or harmony among nations, as opposed to the transcendence of national politics

Answer 43

A theory of ‘multiple worlds’ – the differing global visions that have emerged from the di