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Intro to IR > Midterm 1 > Flashcards

Midterm 1 Flashcards

1
Q

international relations (lower case)

A

Relations between states and between the international system

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2
Q

International Relations (upper case)

A

the study of international relations (lower case)

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3
Q

Comparative Politics

A

How states internal affairs compare to one another

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4
Q

League of Nations

A

Created by idealists during the interwar period to settle disputes, encourage disarmament and to encourage collective security

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5
Q

Woodrow Wilson

A

American President who was a big advocate for the League of Nations (despite the fact that the US was not a part of said League)

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6
Q

Idealists

A

People who believed (particularly during the inter war period) that war/conflict are not inevitable and are preventable

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7
Q

Realists

A

Anarchy is key to the structure of the international system and because of this conflict is inevitable

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8
Q

E. H Carr

A

First IR professor in the Woodrow Wilson Chair at what is now the Uni of Wales. Big realist

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9
Q

Twenty Years’ Crisis 1919-1939

A

Carr’s book about failures of the interwar period – rise of dictatorships with foreign policy ambitions

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10
Q

Balance of Power

A

Stability can be maintained by counterbalancing powerful countries

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11
Q

Treaty of Westphalia

A

Considered the start of international relations as it was the first international treaty that established modern day sovereign states

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12
Q

Thirty Years War

A

War between Catholics and Protestants in Europe ended by 4 years of negotiations used to create the Treaty of Westphalia

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13
Q

Sumerian City States

A

3.500 BCE near the fertile crescent .. their claim to fame is perhaps have the first international relations / treaties

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14
Q

City States

A

Established territory but no clear authorities

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15
Q

City Leagues

A

Coalitions with little clear established territorial boundaries OR clear authorities

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16
Q

Sovereign State

A

A state which has both territorial boundaries and a clear centralized authority

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17
Q

Polity

A

Political Unit that is not a state

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18
Q

Nation

A

Internally recognized as a community through shared culture, language or identity

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19
Q

State

A

Externally recognized

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20
Q

Nation State

A

Both internally and externally recognized

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21
Q

Anarchy

A

in IR refers to the absence of a supra authority. Emerges from Hobbes’s Leviathan

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22
Q

Counter balancing

A

States working in unison to counter the coercive power of another state

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23
Q

Self Help Principle

A

Essentially under anarchy, states will make decisions in their own self interests

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24
Q

Rational State

A

A state that knows what it want and that what it wants is in its best interest

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25
Q

Peloponessian War

A

War between Spartans and Athens due to Spartan’s fear of Athens increasing importance

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26
Q

International System

A

Structure of interacting units characterized by anarchy and the self help principle

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27
Q

Structural/NeoRealism

A

Combination of anarchy and the self help principle to explain international relations - especially after the strength of the post WW2 structure

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28
Q

Power

A

The ability of one state to make another state do what they would otherwise not do

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29
Q

Polarity

A

Distribution of power

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30
Q

Pole

A

Commands an especially large share of resources and capabilities

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31
Q

Bipolarity

A

When two states have a preponderance of power

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32
Q

Unipolarity

A

When one state has a preponderance of power AND counterbalancing is not possible

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33
Q

Multipolarity

A

when 2+ states hold power

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34
Q

Hegemon Stability Theory

A

Instability under a hegemony only occurs with emergence of a rising competitive power

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35
Q

Defensive Realism

A

States seek power in order to maintain security and the status quo - maintain positions within a structure

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36
Q

Offensive Realism

A

Structural positioning is a means to obtaining more power .. goal is power maximization

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37
Q

Institutional Power

A

power to indirectly influence based on placement in the structure

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38
Q

Compulsory Power

A

Classic perception of power.. ability of one state to directly force another state to do what that state does not want to do

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39
Q

Productive Power

A

Power over social relations can influence indirectly

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40
Q

Structural Power

A

Direct power over another utilizing social pressure

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41
Q

Status Quo States

A

States seeking to mantain the status quo

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42
Q

Offensive Defensive Balance

A

Dependent on technology on geography but generally is it cheaper to attack a place or to defend that place

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43
Q

Security Dilemma

A

Refers to the fact that one states actions to expand their own security may be perceived/ be a threat to the security of another nation

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44
Q

Scleiffen Plan

A

German plan to attack france than Russia

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45
Q

Allied Powers WW1

A

UK, France, Russia, US, Japan, italy

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46
Q

Central Powers WW1

A

Germany, Turkey, Austria-Hungary,Bulgaria

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47
Q

Allied Powers WW2

A

US, USSR, UK, France, China, Canada

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48
Q

Axis Power WW2

A

Germany, Italy, Japan

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49
Q

Trustworthy

A

A state which would rather cooperate than exploit

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50
Q

Mistrust

A

The belief that a state is likely to not cooperate

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51
Q

Prisoner’s Dilemma

A

Two untrustworthy states both prefer to defect when the other cooperates which leads them both to defect despite the fact that cooperation might be more beneficial

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52
Q

First big debate

A

Idealists vs Realists during the interwar period

53
Q

Second big debate

A

Traditionalists vs Scientists

54
Q

Presentism

A

Connecting a lineage of historical thought to the fairly new field of IR

55
Q

Contextualism

A

Exogenous events have shaped the development of IR as a field

56
Q

Anachronism

A

Event/Person/Idea placed in the improper chronology

57
Q

Misinterpretation

A

Incorrect portrayal of an event

58
Q

Neglecting Context

A

Changing meaning by neglecting key detail

59
Q

Distortion

A

Purposely manipulating data to fit a specific narrative

60
Q

The Chanyuan System (1004)

A

Treaty establishing territorial boundaries between two dynasties

61
Q

Chinggisid Sovereignty Model

A

Peace within Mongolian empire when Genghis Khan centralized power

62
Q

Hobbes Leviathan

A

Argues that man exists in a “state of nature” in which glory, greed and mistrust run rampant and exit can only be facilitated by some sort of supra authority

63
Q

Revisionist State

A

Competitive, Offensive and Expansionist

64
Q

Alliance

A

Formal agreement: If you go to war, I’ll go to war with you

65
Q

Collective Security

A

Formal Agreement:We only work together when we are at war

66
Q

Balance of Power

A

Multipower is stable because these nations can serve as eachothers checks and balances

67
Q

Liberalist

A

Focusses on social relations and institution

68
Q

Constructionist

A

It’s all how things are perceived

69
Q

Age of Enlightenment

A

18th century period of liberty, progress, and constitutional governments - where Kant emerges - predecessor to Liberalism

70
Q

Peace under realism

A
  1. Defensive Advantage
  2. Posturing is distinguishable which removes the security dilemma
71
Q

Relative Gains Concerns

A

The power ratio –> even if we both are gaining power, I will be insecure if the difference is increasing

72
Q

Cooperation under realism

A

Inhibited by cheating and relative gains concerns

73
Q

Horizontal Accountability

A

Refers to how republics separate executive and legislative powers and in doing so slows mobilization

74
Q

Democratic Peace Theory

A

Theory that democracies are less likely to go to war with one another because of informational effects and institutional constraints

75
Q

Frontline State

A

A state that borders your adversary

76
Q

Kant’s Perpetual Peace

A

Ideological base for league of nations - argues peace is more likely under conditions where (1) republic state (2) Law of nations (3) Universal Hospitality

77
Q

Rosato 2003: Counter Argument to Democratic Peace Theory

A
  1. Democracies don’t externalize internal norms - Liberal Democracies fight imperial wars
  2. Democracy is perception
  3. Autocrats can face extreme political pushback
  4. Publics are not inherently anti war!!
78
Q

Institutional Constraint (DPT)

A
  1. Democratic States are more likely to abide to International law
  2. Democratic States are more likely to have guard rail institutions
79
Q

Informational Efficiency (DPT)

A

Democracies tend to be more transparent - which means less of the private information issue

80
Q

Schulz: Democratic Institutions constrain or inform

A

Because democratic institutions are more transparent, their threats in disputes are seen as more genuine

81
Q

International Regimes

A

Systems of norms, principles and procedures which leads to expectations (NOT agreement) - think climate change, trade

82
Q

Tectonic Plate Model

A

Alternative to billiard ball model in which interactions between states restructure the international environment - states are tectonic plates

83
Q

Hegemonic Stability Theory

A

Hegemons are the only state with the resources in order to maintain a stable, open regime

84
Q

Hearts and Minds Fallacy

A

Can’t force democracy

85
Q

Keohane

A

Argues cooperation is possible post hegemony with the presence of institutions (Mearshiemer disagrees because this argument disregards relative gains concerns)

86
Q

Transaction Costs

A

The costs of cooperation, enforcement and coordination solved by institutions

87
Q

Cooperation under Liberal Institutionalism

A

Regime type matters and cooperation is possible and sustainable

88
Q

Barrnet and Finnemore 1999: The Politics, Power and Pathologies of International Organizations

A

International Organizations are dysfunctional because they are more than just reflections up power dynamics they are beaurocracies

89
Q

Mearshiemer 1994: The false promise of International Institutions

A

Institutions are simply reflections of existing power dynamics and do nothing to address relative gains concerns and for this reason are not forums for cooperation

90
Q

Globalization Elephant Curve

A

Refers to the fact that the poorest and the richest of the rich have seen the greatest increase in income

91
Q

Five Predictors of Cross Border Exchange

A
  1. Trade Policy
  2. War / Peace (Security)
  3. Technology
  4. Liquidity of Capital Markets
  5. Economic Organization
92
Q

Protectionism

A

Tariffs and taxes

93
Q

Liberalism

A

Free trade woo

94
Q

Liquidity

A

How much money and how fast the money moves: Low inflation, stable exchange rates, low interest rates

95
Q

Economic Organizations

A

Legal protections for traders, insurance, systems for dispute settlement

96
Q

Rationalism (Methodology)

A

You can put a “price” on everything

97
Q

Constructivism (Methodology)

A

Meaning is socially constructed - not because of facts or testable things. Constructivists do not buy the anarchy premise

98
Q

Liberals

A

We live in anarchy which is why states cooperate because

99
Q

Farell and Newman: Weaponized Interdependence

A

Global economic networks have security consequences, because they increase interdependence between states that were previously relatively autonomous. The networks are reflections of existing power structures - they do NOT redistribute power

100
Q

Gartzke: Capitalist Peace

A

Revised theory of capitalist peace - economic development leads to less territory disputes, more overseas war and financial integration reduces war

101
Q

Soviet Invasion in 1979

A

Communist party is elected in 1978 and faces enormous discontent from Islamists (Muhajideen). Soviets invade and fight 9 year war and lose to CIA backed Muhajideen

102
Q

Operation Cyclone

A

CIA operation to fund the Muhajideen (which later becomes the Taliban) - side effect turns Karchi dangerous

103
Q

Glastnost and Perestroika

A

Restructuring and openness by reformer Gorbachev ending Cold War

104
Q

Why does the US lose in Afghanistan?

A
  1. Airstrikes were ineffective because there was an incentive to invest in reputation
  2. Asymmetrical Home team discount for the Taliban
105
Q

Doha Agreement

A

US handing back control of the Taliban to Afghanistan

106
Q

Montiero 2014: The Sources of Competition under Unipolarity

A

Unipolarity can be durable if the costs of war are high enough (nuclear revolution does this AND reduces need for counter balancimg) and when the unipole engages in defensive accommodation (letting the other countries grow economically to prevent counterbalancing)

107
Q

Debs and Montiero 2014: Known Unknowns: Power Shifts and Wars

A

Preventative wars like the war in Iraq only exist when there are information issues because there is always a way to peace

108
Q

Fearon on rationalist explanations for war

A

War happens rationally for three reasons
(1) Private Information / Incentives to misrepresent
(2)Commitment Problems
(3) Issue Indivisibility

109
Q

Information Asymmetry

A

Like Saddam! Break down in information sharing within country

110
Q

Private Information

A

Diff countries have diff information

111
Q

Bargaining Model of War

A

Idea that war is the worst option!

112
Q

Confucianism Political Philosophy

A

Hierarchical society based on loyalty
and filial piety

113
Q

Mandate of Heaven

A

Right to rule is bestowed upon a leader – when the country is successful they are justified rulers - CCP is justified leader as long as China is stable

114
Q

Century of Humiliation

A

A century where China is humiliated mainly by Britain and Japan, loses its political and economic stability (1839-1945)

115
Q

Authoritarian Power Dilemmas

A
  1. Power Sharing (yay or nay - accountability v stability)
  2. Control (
116
Q

Integrated Power Structures

A

Bearocracies talk to eachother and leader (Most successful Mao’s early period)

117
Q

Fragmented Power Structure

A

Buearocracies talk to each other and then present one front to leader

118
Q

Siloed Power Structure

A

Talk to leader but not to eachother

119
Q

Material Structure

A

Material itself

120
Q

Ideational Structure

A

Meaning we attach ourselves

121
Q

Fravel 2005: Regime Insecurity and International Cooperation

A

China compromised through 2010 because of regime insecurity

122
Q

Shirk 2014: Domestic Context of Chinese Foreign Security Policies

A

China has become more aggressive/struggled to reassure it’s neighbors because of (1) political insecurity (2) nationalism (3) bureaucracy (feeding itself inaccurate information + ppl within trying to gain more power for their mini institution)

123
Q

Christenson 1997: Perceptions and Alliances in Europe: 1865- 1940

A

Offensive advantage: More alliances
Defensive Advantage: Buck Passing
Differences between front line states and second line

124
Q

Mearshiemer (2010): China’s Challenge to US power

A

China’s rise will not be peaceful because it struggles to reassure it’s neighbors, because China sees the US as aggressive towards China…

125
Q

China and the Future of World Politics (Weiss 2007)

A

War is not inevitable - domestic politics and minor crosses will have a big impact

126
Q

Finemore and Skikkink 1998: International Norm Dynamics and Political Change

A

Norms are important and have a life cycle – emergence, cascade and internalization

127
Q

Goddard 2008: When right makes might

A

Prussia used norms in order to trick European states to not counterbalance

128
Q

Wendt 1999: Anarchy is what states make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics

A

Identity and what is in a states best interest is entirely constructed!

Intro to IR (3 decks)

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