IR Concepts Flashcards
Tenets of Offensive Realism
Characterized by the notion that states will opt to guarantee their own survival by developing offensive military capability and, if necessary, exploiting expansionist measures. Mearsheimer: “Best way to guarantee survival is to achive hegemony now.”
Tenets of Liberal Institutionalism
Focuses on the idea that international institutions can create mutually beneficial, “positive sum” outcomes for state actors. Neoliberal institutionalists believe that realists overstate the potential for international
conflict and suggest that there are countervailing forces, such as repeated interactions, that
propel states toward cooperation. Associated with Robert Keohane.
Tenets of Constructivism
Constructivism is a broad school of thought that emphasizes the impact of ideas, identities,
norms, and culture in world politics. Constructivists downplay material variables, such as the
relative distribution of power or levels of trade between states, and instead focus on shared
understandings and norms. For example, instead of taking the “state” for granted and assuming
that it simply seeks to survive, as realists and liberals do, constructivists regard the interests and
identities of states as the highly malleable product of specific historical processes
Tenets of Defensive Realism
Shares the assumption that states are interested in maximizing their relative power, but disagrees with most some realists about how far to carry this logic. In particular, argues that undue aggression may result in self-defeating outcomes, such as arms races or other states bandwagoning against a state. Suggests that, if states can “signal” to one another that their intentions are benign, then a security dilemma may be avoided.
Balancing
Balancing refers to a range of responses that states undertake in response to imbalances of power and/or increasing levels of international threat. Stands in contrast to bandwagoning. Can be divided between external balancing – forming of alliances with other states, and internal balancing – build-up of military arms. Related to “balance of power” theory.
Democratic Peace Theory
The democratic peace thesis is the empirical observation that, since 1815, pairs of democratic states have rarely gone to war with each other. This is not to say that democratic states are less war prone. Rather, the claim is that pairings of democracies enjoy inherently more peaceful relations than other regime pairings (i.e., democracy versus non-democracy and non-democracy
versus non-democracy). The democratic peace literature finds its inspiration in Immanuel Kant’s 1795 essay, “Toward Perpetual Peace.” Strictly speaking, the claim that democracies do not fight democracies is a proposition or hypothesis, not a theory. There is no single theory of the democratic peace. Rather, there are several different theories that claim a causal relationship
between a state’s domestic political system and ideology and its likelihood to go war with states with identical or similar domestic systems. Criticisms: democratic states still likely to go to war with non-democracies, not clear what the explanatory variables would be here, so-called “democratic peace” is actually driven by other factors.
Bandwagoning
According to classical and neorealist balance-of-power theories, bandwagoning refers to the practice of forging an alliance with a more powerful adversary or
joining the stronger of two coalitions. Realists would generally expect that this not take place, given the presence of a global hegemon. Bandwagoning that has taken place post-1945 is important exception to this trend.
Containment
Term coined by George Kennan to describe Truman policy vis-a-vis the Soviet Union. Also applies, to some extent, to current U.S. policy vis a vis Iran and China at the moment. Realizes the states have limited ability to influence power in other states.
Deterrence
“Strategy of dissuading an enemy from taking an action not yet started.” Typically associated with possession of nuclear weapons. Key question is how credible this threat is, particularly with the rise of non-state actors.
Compellence
Opposite of deterrence – threat intended to make an opponent do something, rather than not do something. Typically associated with Schelling. E.g. dropping of atomic bombs.
Soft Power
Most associated with Joseph Nye. Refers to the ability to influence via persuasion and attraction, rather than coercion. Typically associated with culture, diplomacy, strategic communications, institutions, values.
End of History
Associated with Fukuyama – the notion that the world is trending inexorably in the direction of becoming liberal democracies. Became especially en vogue after the end of the Cold War. Critiques: rise of extremist Islam, whither China and Russia
Hegemonic Stability Theory
Notion that world system is likely to be most stable when there is a single hegemon governing it. Tends to undermine realist thought, which would argue that the world system is most unstable when there is not a clear balance of power in play.
Levels of Analysis
The notion that we can arrive at different answers to analytic questions by focus on different levels of decision-making. Typically subdivided between 1) systems-level thinking, state-level analysis (i.e. the processes that comprise state decisionmaking), and individual-level analysis (focus on the peculiarities of behavior individual leaders of states).
Rogue State
A state that conducts its policy in a dangerously unpredictable way, disregarding international law or diplomacy. Different than simply pariah state, in that there is some presumption that these guys actually pose a threat to the international order. E.g. North Korea, Iran.
Collective Action Problem
Associated with tragedy of the commons each individual pursuing self-interest will mean the ruin of everyone involved. Idea that, in case associated with provision of public good, temptation will be for states to freeride on the actions of others.
Power Transition Theory
Notion that war is most likely, of longest duration, and greatest magnitude, when a challenger to the dominant
power enters into approximate parity with the dominant state and is dissatisfied with the existing
system. Similarly, alliances are most stable when the parties to the alliance are satisfied with the
system structure.
Anarchy
Describes the international system. Notion that there is no central world government that can manage the international order effectively.
Prisoners’ Dilemma
Game theoretic approach to describe, in the IR context, why two states may not cooperate, even if it is in their best interest to do so. Typically used to model arms races, as in the case of the Cold War.
Game Theory
Refers to idea that certain situations in the international relations context can be modeled as a set of strategic interactions. In this case, state is trying to maximize its own payoff, given a predicted set of actions on others’ parts. Has important implications for issues such as climate change, arms control, etc.
Tit for Tat
Refers to idea of “equivalent reciprocation” – match your opponent’s action with the same action on your side (i.e. if they cooperate, you cooperate and if they cheat, you cheat). Turned out to be most successful strategy in Cold War context under computer simulations.
Irredentism
Position of a state advocating annexation of another state, land, or territory on the basis of historical/cultural/ethnic/religious claims. Most often associated with Israel + Palestine conflict.
Just War Doctrine
Defines the situation in which wars are morally defensible. Subdivided into 1) why wars begin and 2) how they are conducted. Former category includes right intention, last resort, proportional to expected evils or harms.
Polarity
Describes the way that power is distributed within the international system. Most theorists subscribe to the idea that, post WW-II, we have been in a “unipolar moment” – the United States dominates on the global stage as a global hegemon.
Dependency Theory
Premised on two related notions re: the development literature:
1) Poor nations provide natural resources, cheap labour, a destination for obsolete technology, and markets for developed nations, without which the latter could not have the standard of living they enjoy.
2) Wealthy nations actively perpetuate a state of dependence by various means. This influence may be multifaceted, involving economics, media control, politics, banking and finance, education, culture, and sport.
Failed State
In general, a failed state as is a sovereign political community that has little or no ability to provide basic public goods to its populace. Chief among those public goods are: basic security from external and internal threats (e.g., military defense, control of borders, and the
suppression of insurgencies), law and order, physical infrastructure, education and human services, and economic stability. State failure and state stability are not dichotomous. Instead, one might conceive of the state failure phenomenon as a continuum—failed states, failing states, weak states, and recovering states—depending on their relative ability to provide public goods.
Structural Violence
Refers to societies where some social structure or institution is preventing people from meeting their basic human needs. Forms can included elitism, ageism, classism, racism, heteronormativism.
Perceptual Errors
Idea that states are not comprised of rational actors but instead of humans beings full of cognitive biases and errors. E.g fundamental attribution error – tendency to attribute decision to peoples’ personalities, rather than circumstances, failure to consider multiple points of view, tendency to believe that actions are more coordinated and thought-through than they actually are.
Tenets of Realism
Key assumptions: international system is anarchic, states are key unit of analysis, states are rational and unitary actors acting in their own self-interest. Positive-sum outcomes rarely, if ever, possible, since states are concerned with relative gains. Survival in an anarchic world is paramount.
Security Dilemma
Akin to arms race –> the logical action for a state to take is to continue to build up arms as a consequence of other states doing so, and so on ad infinitum
