IR key definitions

Question 1

ontology.

Answer 1

A branch of science theory concerned with the nature and relations of being, or things which exist.

Question 2

epistomology

Answer 2

A branch of science theory concerned with knowledge or ways of knowing, particularly in the context of the limits or
validity of the various ways of knowing.

Question 3

The science of interpretation and explanation

Answer 3

hermeneutics

Question 4

Realism

Answer 4

• dominant theory of IR:
  states will always act in self-interest especially at international levels, the belief that world politics ultimately is always and necessarily a field of conflict among actors pursuing power.

Question 5

• Neorealism

Answer 5

power is the most important factor in international relations
ditches theory on human nature because they don’t think you can prove anything about human nature in a scientific sense, focus on the power of structure to do this instead.  it’s a theory of superpower development eg US and Soviet Union

Question 6

are IR theories compatible

Answer 6

at their core, each IR theory isn’t since they have fundamentally different assumption about units of analysis, nature of the system and the motivation of actors.

Question 7

whilst IR theories are incompatible at their core, what can each theory do?

Answer 7

point to examples to support their existence and successfully explain some part of the system. In this way, there is some compatibility as when all theories are taken into consideration, different components of each one explain certain events and occurrences leading to an amalgamation of understanding.

Question 8

post colonialism is a theory based on

Answer 8

understanding colonialism and its consequences for the world

Question 9

post-structuralism strongly influenes

Answer 9

post colonialism

Question 10

Within post-structuralism the world, both social relations a

Answer 10

nd the objective world, is assumed to be constructed through linguistic practices.