Module 1: The International System Flashcards
What are the 2 components of the international system?
- Actors
2. Structures
What is the definition of an Actor?
Individuals/groups that share some common purpose/collective identity; their behavior is often purposive and oriented towards some set of goals
What is the definition of a Structure?
The set of properties/arrangements that connect and order the actors in the system (e.g. (in)formal laws, distribution of capabilities among actors in the system)
How does structure in the international system constrain behaviors of international actors? Examples?
Structural constraints can direct or limit the behavior of many actors within a system either by rewarding or penalizing certain choices (e.g. states with military weakness tend to not wage war, as it is highly unlikely that they will win)
How does structure constitute actors by influencing their identities and interests? Examples?
Constituting actors has an indirect effect on behaviors by setting/changing actor attributes before they make their behavioral choice (transformation)
What does it mean to say that international relations is marked by a condition of anarchy? Why does this aspect of the international system make cooperation among international actors like states so difficult?
When marked by a condition of anarchy, the international system lacks sources of supranational authority over states that can reliably control their behavior. This increases the rate of difficulty for states to reach and sustain cooperative agreements with each other by increasing the challenges associated with enforcing interstate agreements
What is the definition of an international system?
A complex global aggregation of people/organizations/ideas/the natural world/rules that structure how people and organizations interact
What is the definition of a State? Examples?
Collections of political officials responsible for regulating the political, social, and economic interactions of its citizenry (e.g. Brazil, South Africa, Canada)
What is the definition of an International System?
A complex global aggregation of people/organizations/ideas/the natural world/rules that structure how people and organizations interact
What is the definition of a Domestic Group? Example?
(e.g. political parties, religious groups, business organizations)
What is the definition of an International Organization? Examples?
Organizations which regulate international trade, coordinate joint military missions among states, deter military aggression, promote important principles, and help settle state disputes (e.g. NATO, UN, WTO)
What is the definition of a Multinational Corporation? Examples?
Corporations which shape political and economic outcomes throughout the world (e.g. Apple, Toyota)
What is the definition of a Transnational Activist? Examples?
Non-state groups which seek to influence important international events and are often mobilized and coordinated by non-government organizations (e.g. Doctors Without Borders)
What 2 factors are used to differentiate between actors?
- Interests
2. Capabilities
What is the definition of Interests?
An actor’s goals
