IR 3

Question 1

Conflict

Answer 1

Conflict: A difference in preferred outcomes in a bargaining situation that can arise over ideas
(ethnic, religious, ideological) or interests (territorial, government, economics)

Question 2

Leverage

Answer 2

Leverage: Using power capabilities to influence an actor to reach a more favorable agreement,
types of which include nonmilitary means (e.g., trade, economic sanctions, foreign aid,
diplomats) and military means (e.g., conventional forces, irregular forces, weapons of mass
destruction)

Question 3

Secessionism

Answer 3

Secessionism: A form of territorial conflict where a group wants to withdraw from an existing
state and form its own state

Question 4

Societal Cleavages

Answer 4

Societal Cleavages: Divisions within a society, which can be based on socio-economic status,
ethnicity, religion, national identity, and ideology etc.

Question 5

Cross-Cutting Cleavages

Answer 5

Cross-Cutting Cleavages: Social divisions where the salient cleavage lines cut across society,
meaning individuals fall into multiple categories. Nationalism is harder to foster in this
environment.

Question 6

Parallel Cleavages

Answer 6

Parallel Cleavages: Societal divisions where the salient cleavage lines run parallel to each other.
In these cases, it is easier to foster nationalism but also easier to cause civil war by mobilizing
along relevant cleavages

Question 7

Kimberley Process

Answer 7

Kimberley Process: UN-sponsored process since 2000 to monitor trade in rough diamonds. It
attempts to regulate cross-state trade in rough diamonds

Question 8

Attrition

Answer 8

Attrition: A strategy whereby a party in a conflict or terrorist group inflicts pain to
undermine opponent’s willingness to fight

Question 9

Compellence

Answer 9

Compellence: Attempting to change opponent’s behavior; e.g. ceasing a military
action, withdrawing from territory, or changing a policy

Question 10

Deterrence

Answer 10

Deterrence: Attempting to prevent aggressive actions (e.g. invasion, military
attack) by threatening a strong response.

Question 11

Brinkmanship

Answer 11

Brinkmanship: Use of a threat that leaves something to chance.

Question 12

Cyberwarfare

Answer 12

Cyberwarfare: state actions taken to penetrate another state’s computer or
networks for the purpose of causing damage or disruption. Nonstate actors can
engage in such attacks either on their own or in conjunction with state
governments.

Question 13

Cyberspace

Answer 13

Cyberspace: Cyberspace: more than just the Internet; “the entire spectrum of
networked information and communication systems and devices”

Question 14

Decapitation

Answer 14

Decapitation: cyber attacks that target command/control centers, leadership, or
key weapons systems

Question 15

NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty)

Answer 15

NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty): A multilateral treaty signed in 1968.
According to the NPT, only the P-5 (i.e., the US, the Soviet Union –now Russia-,
Britain, France, China) can have nuclear weapons. However, these countries have
also agreed to draw down their existing nuclear stockpiles and assist non-nuclear
countries in developing peaceful nuclear energy

Question 16

Persuasion

Answer 16

Persuasion: A counter-proliferation strategy used to persuade another party to not
acquire or give up WMDs usually by offering material incentives.

Question 17

Pre-emption

Answer 17

Pre-emption: A counter-proliferation strategy used to repel another party from
acquiring/using WMDs when their acquisition/use by that party is (perceived to be)
imminent.

Question 18

Prevention

Answer 18

Prevention: A counter-proliferation strategy used to prevent another party from
acquiring/using WMDs when their acquisition/use by that party is not imminent or
known to be planned.

Question 19

Chapter 7 of the UN Charter

Answer 19

Chapter 7 of the UN Charter: It sets out the UN Security Council’s powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to “determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression” and to take military and nonmilitary action to “restore international peace and security”. Although Chapter 7 does not formally set out the provision of peacekeeping forces, the practice of providing peacekeeping forces evolved from this chapter.

Question 20

International Court of Justice (World Court)

Answer 20

International Court of Justice (World Court): A UN body of 15 judges elected to
9-year terms by a majority of both the Security Council and the General Assembly.
Its main use is to arbitrate issues between countries with friendly relations overall.
Only states can sue/be sued.

Question 21

International institutions

Answer 21

International institutions: International structures that guide relations between
states

Question 22

international regimes

Answer 22

International regimes: Principles, rules, norms, and decision-making procedures
around which international actors’ expectations converge in a given issue area.

Question 23

UN (United Nations)

Answer 23

UN (United Nations): An umbrella IO with 193 member states, founded as in 1945
to maintain international peace and security.

Question 24

IOs/IGOs

Answer 24

IOs/IGOs: Formal international institutions that have (a) state members and (b) a
secretariat (a physical location with staff).

Question 25

UN General Assembly

Answer 25

UN General Assembly: The UN parliament, symbolically important but weak
because their resolutions are non-binding

Question 26

UN Peacekeeping

Answer 26

UN Peacekeeping: Armed UN forces forming a barrier to keep warring sides apart;
customarily, they do not fight unless fired upon.

Question 27

UN Secretariat

Answer 27

UN Secretariat:
One of the five principal organs of the UN.
It is led by the UN Secretary General.
It implements resolutions and tasks directed by the UNSC and UN General Assembly.
One of its main duties includes helping resolve international disputes and administering peacekeeping operations

Question 28

UN Security Council

Answer 28

UN Security Council: The enforcement arm of the UN, whose members include 5
permanent countries with veto power (US, UK, France, Russia, China), commonly
called the P-5, and 10 rotating, non- permanent members without vetoes.