Midterm 3 Flashcards
state
a distinctive political community with its own set of rules and practices, more or less separate from other such communities
IR definition of state
the modern sovereign state, which possesses a “legal personality” and is recognized as possessing certain rights and duties
intervention
in IR, usually refers to direct intervention by one or more states in the internal affairs of another, by either military or nonmilitary means
nation
a named community, often referred to as “a people”, usually occupying a homeland and sharing one or more cultural elements, such as a common history, language, religion or set of customs. Nations may or may not have states of their own
empire
a system in which one country to centre of power directly or indirectly dominates and controls other weaker countries
statecraft
the skilful conduct of state affairs, usually in the context of external relations
arthashastra
sets out the ways and means of acquiring territory, keeping it and reaping prosperity from it
imperialism
the exercise of power by one group over another; from a latin verb meaning literally “to command”. Imperialism is sometimes used as a synonym for colonialism, but is broader because it doesn’t necessarily involve actual physical occupation of the territory in question or direct rule over the subjugated people
interdependence
can largely be traced to the global reach of the modern european empires and the networks and movements of people, technology and financial and economic systems
interdependence
in IR, the primarily liberal notion that states are increasingly interconnected through a web of relations, especially in the economic field, and that this makes warfare less desirable as a foreign policy strategy. The concept of complex interdependence simply introduces more variables, deepening the complexity of interdependence and strengthening the case for a more pluralistic approach to international relations than neorealist thought allows for
modernity
a temporal and cultural phenomenon linked in part to the rise of industrialization in Europe and NA and in part to profound changes in social and political thought associated with the intellectual movement the Enlightenment
human intervention
direct intervention by one country, or a group of countries, in the internal affairs of another country for humanitarian reasons
anarchy
the absence of political rule or sovereign authority. In realist and neorealist international relations theory, the international sphere is considered anarchic because there is no sovereign authority standing above the individual states to make up the sphere. States therefore have no choice but do defend themselves
the Concert of Europe
a largely informal agreement among the major powers of nineteenth-century Europe to act together on matters of mutual concern. It developed following the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte ad generally took the form of diplomatic meetings and conferences aimed at the peaceful resolution of differences
nation-building
the process in which a state is created and then its leaders attempt to mould it’s sometimes quite diverse groups of inhabitants into a coherent, “functional” nation
weak states
states that lack the capacity to organize and regulate their societies and cannot deliver an adequate range of political, social and economic goods to their citizens
quasi-states
overlap with a weak state. Robert Jackson uses it to refer specifically to the developing states that are dependent on the support of the international community and therefore possess what he calls “negative sovereignty”
state failure
a state is weak and reaches a point where factors such as corruption, incompetence, unfair distribution of resources, human rights abuses, favouritism on the basis of ethnicity, and the direct involvement of the military in politics feed into social unrest, persistente violence, economic breakdown and political turmoil
regionalization
a process in which a number of states in a given geographical area come together for mutual benefit, often forming a regional association, some like the EU are highly institutionalized and have myriad economic, social and political interconnections while others have minimal rules and less ambitious purposes
self-determination
the principle (embodying elements of both democracy and nationalism) that “peoples” (nations) have the right to determine their own political future
global governance
an extension of the concept of governance, referring loosely to the “Architecture” constituted by various authoritative political, social and economic structures and actors that interconnect and interact in the absence of actual “government” in the global sphere
idealism
the term has invited numerous interpretations in philosophy, politics and IR. In IR it is usually taken to refer to a particular school of liberal thought that emerged in the wake of WWI and sought positive change in world affairs, including the elimination of warfare. It remains an appropriate designation for any school of thought in IR that envisions a world order in which peace and justice are the norm
internationalism
the belief in the benefits of international political and economic cooperation; may also refer to a movement that advocates practical action in support of cooperation
realism
a school of thought in the human sciences, especially philosophy, sociology, politics and IR. IN the latter, it refers to a general approach that takes concepts such as power politics and national interest to be the foundations of action; realists oppose what they see as the idealism of liberal and critical theories
national interest
the concept that the interests of the state or at least of one’s own state take precedence over any other consideration in the international sphere. Although it is a foundational concept in realist approaches, “national interest” is just as easily used to justify idealist approaches; this suggests that what is actually in the national interest may be highly contested
state of nature
a hypothetical vision of how people lived before the institution of civil government and society; a concept with a long history in political and social thought. There are different versions of the state of nature. Some thinkers emphasizing its dangers and others seeing it in a more positive light
balance of power
a system of relations between states to maintain an equilibrium of power
deterrence effect
a system of relations between states to maintain an equilibrium of power
behaviourlism
an approach to the study of social phenomena based on the methods used in the natural sciences. Objective measurement of the social world was the goal, and values were considered to have no place in social inquiry
positivism
A school of thought that believes it is possible to generate empirical statements without any evaluative or normative connotations. At the extreme, so-called logical positivists argue that only empirical statements and tautologies (Statements true by definition) are meaningful
normative analysis
the basis of political philosophy. Normative analysis is concerned with what “ought to be” as opposed to what “is”. Thus, instead of asking whether democracy, or freedom, or a pluralist state exists, it asks whether these things are desirable
international society
a society of states characterized by peaceful working relations; a concept associated with the English school of IR, which proposed that the anarchic nature of the international sphere did not preclude co-operation
ethnocentrism
an ethic that removes humans from the centre of the moral universe and accords intrinsic value to nonhuman parts of nature
ethnocentricity
the tendency to see and interpret the world primarily from the perspective of one’s own cultural, ethnic or national group; often entails a tendency to regard one’s own culture as superior, or at least preferable to others
solidarism
a branch of thought in English school intl relations theory that promotes solidarity among humans and argues that the obligation to protect human rights can override the right of states to nonintervention in domestic politics
international civil society
broadly, the realm of nonstate actors, including interest groups and voluntary associations, in the international sphere
neorealism/structural realism
concentrates on the structure of the international system, largely ignoring domestic politics. It argues that the logic of the system sends cues that determine the actions of state-based decision makers, rather than the other way around. Thus maintains that leaders should not bow to domestic pressure; nor should they act according to their own private morality
security dilemma
a concept in IR, developed principally in realist thought, in which the anarchy of the system forces the state to engage in self-regarding behaviour to survive. The dilemma arises when efforts by one state to enhance its own security provokes insecurity in another state, which may respond by building up its own military capacity
hegemony
political, social and economic domination, in IR, hegemony may refer to the general dominance of a particular country over others. The concept was developed by Antonio Gramsci and is used to theorize relations of domination and subordination in both domestic and international spheres
bourgeoisie
a term associated with Marxist analysis, referring to the merchant or propertied class that possesses essential economic power and therefore has control over the working class or proletariat
Andre Frank’s dependency theory
decentres Europe as the main agent of historical change
Immanuel Wallerstein
critiques exploitative economic and political relations from a sociological and historical perspective
critical theory (CT)
range of social science theorizing that critiques traditional theories of society and politics, such as liberalism, realism, and conservatism
Gramscian theory of cultural hegemony
combines consent and coercion to explain how the dominated group accepts their subordination by an elite as a part of the “natural” order of things
constructivism
the notion that the “reality” of the world is constructed intersubjectively through social interaction that gives meaning to material objects and practices; thus “reality” is not simply an objective truth detached from a social base
institutions
regular patterns of behaviour that provide stability and regularity in social life: sometimes these patterns are given organizational form with specific rules of membership and behaviour
forms of constructivism
- rationalism
- reflectivist
rationalist constructivism
there are underlying rationality that direct human behaviour, knowledge can be obtained through empirical observation
- like Alexander Wendt
2 typologies of feminism
- three broad overlapping forms of feminism that reflect particular theoretical/methodological orientations
- more traditional IR labels of feminism
three broad overlapping forms of feminism
- empirical feminism
- analytical feminism
- normative feminism
empirical feminism
correcting the denial or misinterpretation as active agents in the intl sphere
analytical feminism
addresses gender bias more directly by addressing socially constructed concepts of masculinity and femininity in traditional theoretical frameworks in IR that favour masculine processes
normative feminism
reflecting on IR theorizing and feminist concerns with a broader, normative gender for global change
traditional IR labels of feminism
- liberal feminism
- critical feminism
- feminist constructivism
- feminist poststructuralism
- postcolonial feminism
liberal feminism
subordination of women in world politics, but doesn’t challenge traditional IR
critical feminism
based on critical theory and examines the relations between domination and subordination, power in world politics, and relationship between material and ideational factors through a gender-sensitive perspective
feminist constructivism
elements of constructivist IR, but has much of the methodological ground of positivism
feminist poststructuralism
like postculturalism or postmodernism, it highlights the construction of meaning through language, especially the relationship between knowledge and power and the extent to which these are reflected in dichotomies/oppositions
postcolonial feminism
(often goes with feminist poststructuralism) exposes relations of domination and subordination, but focuses its critique on how these relations were established through imperialism and colonialism and persist to the present period
ethnic cleansing
term coined during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia to refer to efforts to “cleanse” (get rid of) a particular area of people from a certain ethnic group either by driving them out or murder them
gendercide
explicitly gendered actions committed by perpetrators based on the sex of individual victims (Adam Jones)
postmodernism
array of ideas that challenge the assumptions of modernity
metanarratives
a “grand narrative,” a comprehensive political or historical explanation of the social and political world presented as ultimate truth, given by those in power to further their own goals
genealogical analysis
interrogates claims about what we believe to be true (Michael Foucault)
postcolonialism
interdisciplinary enterprise that uses a set of critical theoretical approaches to study the direct and indirect effects of colonization on subject peoples
orientalism
more than a style of thought, it is an activity to the production and dissemination of knowledge about the Orient and a means of exercising authority over it (Edward Said)
power politics
a realist view of politics, predicated on the notion that “might is right,” that generally takes morality and justice to be irrelevant to the conduct of intl relations (Hans Morgenthau)
bipolarity
in intl politics, where two states possess a preponderance of economic, military, and political power and influence either internationally or in a particular region (ex. Cold War, US & USSR)
liberal institutionalism
focuses attention on the ability of intl institutions to alleviate the negative effects of anarchy in the intl system
treaty
(defined in IR) a written contract or agreement between two or more parties which is considered binding in international law
peacekeeping
using forces from UN member states to defuse conflict
conflict prevention
strategy to intervene early and prevent political disputes from escalating rather to wait for them to reach physical violence (ex. peacekeeping)
peacemaking
if peace breaks down, uses formal techniques such as mediation and arbitration, protecting women and children, refugees and displaced people, and promote a general willingness to seek peace
peacebuilding
preventing the re-emergence of conflict and promoting a normal life in conflict zones
positive peace
peace is more than the absence of violent conflict
social justice
the principle that goods be distributed according to need, merit, or the principle of equality
social movements
broad, largely informal movement composed of groups and individuals coalescing around a key issue area on a voluntary and often spontaneous basis
global South
term for the poorer, underdeveloped countries of the world (most in South hemisphere), corresponding to the “Third World”
fog of war
planning and execution of war takes place in a fog that distorts and obscures what is going on (Carl von Clausewitz)
conventional threat
armed aggression by one or more states against others in the intl system
unconventional threat
internal conflict, environmental security, energy security, threats from non-state actors (ex. Al-Qaeda and ISIL)
statecraft
he skilful conduct of state affairs, usually in the context of external relations
diplomacy
the principal formal mechanism through which interactions between states happen
balance of power
a system of relations between states in which the goal is to maintain an equilibrium of power (usually economic or military), thus preventing the dominance of one state
nationalism
in politics and IR, the doctrine or ideology according to which “the nation” is entitled to political autonomy, usually in a state of its own
track two diplomacy
informal or unofficial diplomatic efforts undertaken by private citizens, businesspeople, peace activists, or NGOs as well as state actors
deterrence/mutually assured destruction
the theory that the possession of powerful weapons will deter aggression by other countries. During the Cold War, nuclear deterrence was a widely accepted military strategy
detente
the easing of tensions between the US and the USSR that began with Nixon’s presidency in 69 and continued until 70; from french for “Relaxation”
summit diplomacy
refers to top-level meetings in which heads of gov meet to negotiate over key issues
ad hoc bilateral meetings (summit diplomacy type)
which may include a third party mediator if the issue in question involves a serious dispute
global multilateral summits (summit diplomacy type)
attended not only by heads of gov and their teams but by leading figures from the UN
public diplomacy
the ways in which governments attempt to influence public opinion abroad
propoganda
- In a neutral sense simply denotes the dissemination or promotion of particular ideas and values through some means of communication
- In an instrumental sense, it implies an attempt to influence beliefs and behaviour rather than an objective presentation of “the facts”
international organizations
operate in a sphere that transcends the state system
international regime
the principles, norms, rules, and procedures around which groups of actors in certain areas of international relations converge
regimes
implicit or explicit principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures around which actors’ expectations converge in a given area of IR (Stephen Krasner)
genocide
a crime under the intl law by the UN Convention on the pRevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (CPPCG), genocide is the wilful destruction of a human group united through national, ethnical, racial, or religious ties
international political economy (IPE)
focuses on the interplay between political power and economic forces from the national level to the intl level
mercantilism
the economic theory that trade generates wealth and hence that is in the best interests of govt to promote exports and restrict imports (from the Latin word merchants)
protectionism
an economic strategy, usually associated with a national policy of trade restriction in the form of tariffs and quotas, that attempts to protect domestic industries, businesses, and jobs from foreign competition
class analysis
analysis that centres on SEC (proletariat, peasantry, bourgeoisie, aristocracy); the type of political analysis associated with traditional Marxism
structural adjustment
inspired by neoliberal economic orthodoxies, it is a term for the deficit-reducing economic policies imposed by the World Bank and the intl monetary fund on countries - usually poor and underdeveloped - seeking loans for them. Specific policies have included privatization, cuts of gov. spending on public services, currency devaluation, tariff cuts etc.
globalization
the ongoing movement toward economic, political, social and cultural interdependence that has reduced the autonomy of sovereign states
Griffith’s definition of globalization
the acceleration and intensification of mechanisms, processes and activities… promoting global interdependence and perhaps, ultimately, global political and economic integration
inter-regionalism
a phenomenon that reinforces regionalization
