Outline Possibility Cards

Question 1

how would liberals, realists, and constructivists each explain why war occurs

Answer 1

• Liberals
  –conflicting preferences [ territory, resources, or ideology]
  –Democratic peace theory [why its more likely for some states than others]
  –Risk-acceptant leaders and rent-seeking coalitions
• Realists
  –Structural realists: Anarchy and the security dilemma
  – classical: Human nature
  –offensive realism: get more security through hegemonic power
  –defensive realism: get more security through reaching defensivable amount of power
  – balance of power and power transitions

*Constructivists:
–Social construction of anarchy (immature anarchy)
– role of ideas and norms

Question 2

How do the three conceptual models of Gram Allison apply to liberalism, realism, and constructivism

Answer 2

1: RAM, 2: OBM 3: GPM

Realism: Most similar to RAM
–single actor
–assumed to be rational

Liberalism: most similar to Goverment politics model
– individual interests competing and barganing to in creating a nationals goals
– indivudal liberty enphasized
– competing values

Constructivism: most similar to Org behavior method
–routines built by humans define the way decisions are created
– if we alter the way we do these SOP and norms, then we have different outcomes.