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1
Q

What does Thucydides show us through his interpretation of the Melian dialogue?

A

Rising and declining/status quo dynamics
There is no justice in the intl. system and power is all that matters
- role of neutrality -> declining power can’t afford it
- role of alliances -> doesn’t always hold up
- role of justice -> gods meaningless in int affairs

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2
Q

What is the Thucydides trap

A

war between rising and declining power is likely

one states cannot increase its power without decreasing the power of another

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3
Q

what are 3 elements of theory

A
  1. explicit and plausible assumptions
  2. relationships (how X -> Y)
  3. logic (why X -> Y)
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4
Q

what are the 2 functions of theories

A
  1. enable understanding or explanation

2. to support prediction

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5
Q

what are the 3 strongest ways to evaluate an IR theory?

A

weakest way: praising/criticizing its assumptions
stronger way: praising/criticizing coherence and persuasiveness of logic
strongest way: evaluating its relationships (do theory expected results fit real world expectations

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6
Q

what are the typical IR levels of analysis

A

international system (e.g. distribution of power, alliances, norms, rules…)
state (e.g. gov, election results, national culture)
individual (e.g. personality, perceptions, choices)

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7
Q

What are the aspects of international order?

A
  1. structure of authority (vertical/horizontal)
  2. number of great powers
  3. identity of dominant power(s)
  4. prevailing norms
  5. mode of production and exchange
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8
Q

What are 2 different ways to understand international order?

A
  1. international order in 3 dimensions (Waltz)

2. international order in 2 dimenstions

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9
Q

What do Waltz’s 3 dimensions of the international order refer to?

A
  1. ordering principle: anarchic
  2. function of units: alike - all want to survive
  3. capabilities of units: varies (so must focus on this)
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10
Q

What are the 2 dimensions by which we can understand the international order?

A
  1. presence/absence of supranational authority

2. presence/absence of effective norms and rules

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11
Q

What do the 2 dimensions by which we can understand the international order result in?

A 
SA = supranational authority
ENR = effective norms and rules

no SA + no ENR = international anarchy
no SA + ENR = global governance
SA + no ENR = world hegemony
SA + ENR = world state

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12
Q

what is cooperation?

A

mutual adjustment of behaviour to achieve common interests or promote common values

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13
Q

why might states want to cooperate

A
  • shared sense of threat (internal, external, military)
  • shared material interests (trade, interdependence)
  • shared value or identities
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14
Q

what is the primary reason to the absence of NATO in Asia?

A

identity affecting cooperation

U.S. identifies more with west than Asia

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15
Q

What makes cooperation difficult?

A
  1. different interests and preferences
  2. pressure from 2 level game
  3. security dilemma
  4. relative gains problem
  5. credible commitment problem
  6. free-rider problem
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16
Q

what is the security dilemma?

A

insecurity -> defensive expansion -> fear and mistrust in other states -> they expand offensively -> first state now also expands offensively

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17
Q

what makes international cooperation possible, despite the challenges?

A
  1. relative gains are rarely dominant
  2. positive incentives
  3. negative incentives (threat of punishment)
  4. hegemonic leadership
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18
Q

what are the 4 types of international institutions?

A
  1. international norms
  2. international laws
  3. international regimes
  4. intergovernmental organisations
    - > (in)formal, (in)effective, (im)moral
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19
Q

what is the difference between procedural and substantive norms?

A

procedural norms: specify how decisions are made
(reciprocity, consultation, great power veto)
substantive norms: specify goods that should be achieved
(non-aggression, non-interference, self-determination, respect for human rights)

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20
Q

what is customary international law?

A

rules that most states follow most of the time out of sense of legal obligation (often later converted into treaties)

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21
Q

what is international treaty based law

A

written rules that states have agreed to follow via signature and ratification

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22
Q

what is jus cogens

A

rules that are binding on all actors, whether or not they have agreed to be bound (e.g. no genocide, no crimes against humanity, no slavery..)

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23
Q

what is soft law and what is hard law?

A

degree of obligation (S = low) (H = high)
precision of obligation (S = low) (H = high)
delegation of enforcement to 3rd party (S = none/weak) (H = strong)
example (S = OSCE law) (H = WTO law)

24
Q

how do intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) relate to regimes

A

single IGO may include multiple regimes

single regime may include multiple IGOs

25
Q

Why do states value international institutions?

A 
1. provide public goods 
        clear rules
        enforcement
        independent dispute resolution
        expertise
2. provide club goods
       status
       security
       legitimacy
       side-payments
26
Q

Why do states comply with international institutions?

A
  1. fear of punishment (but rare)
  2. direct interests (material or ideational)
  3. reciprocity (specific or general)
  4. reputation (diplomatic or market)
  5. domestic interests
  6. socialization
27
Q

what is specific reciprocity vs general reciprocity?

A

specific reciprocity = balanced benefits for all parties built into the deal -> quid pro quo
general reciprocity = states comply now, even when costly, because they expect to benefit from concessions that others will make later

28
Q

what is diplomatic incentive vs market incentive of reputation?

A

domestic incentive = fear that other states won’t cooperate if they often break their commitments
market incentive = fear that private companies, banks, investors won’t cooperate with them if they often break their commitments

29
Q

what is the principal-agent theory in relation to IOs?

A

to achieve shared goals, states (principals) sometimes delegate authority and transfer resources to IOs (agents)

30
Q

How do states sometimes attempt to control IOs?

A
  • rules on IO jurisdiction
  • rules on how IOs function
  • monitoring and reporting requirements
  • budgetary control
  • institutional checks and balances
  • option to withdraw
31
Q

Where does authority come from?

A

power + legitimacy = authority

32
Q

what are wicked problems

A

issues that are difficult to solve due to certain circumstances

33
Q

why are global environmental problems wicked problems?

A
  1. multiple stakeholders with own values and interests
  2. complex issue-linkages and value-reciprocity
  3. trans-scalarity (along many scales - regional, national, local…)
  4. interdependencies (of scale and of jurisdiction)
  5. causal complexity
  6. invisibility
  7. imperfect info (causal complexity + invisibility = imperfect info)
34
Q

What are the main challenges to international environmental cooperation?

A
  1. short-term interests (of corporations, govs, voters..)
  2. shortage of state capacity
  3. rational choices (tragedy of the commons)
35
Q

What helps in international environmental cooperation?

A
  1. epistemic communities -> social movements
    (cases: endangered species protection and Mediterranean pollution)
  2. international institutions
    (cases: loss of biodiversity and depletion of atmospheric zone)
  3. privatizing the commons
    (cases: ocean resources)
36
Q

What are arguments for whether the Paris Accord is over?

A

yes:
- world shifting from climate diplomacy (targets) to green deal diplomacy (climate neutral developments)
- plans to decarbonise economies
- EU might push other states to adopt green policies
- EU-China discussing sustainable investment strategy
no:
- 1985 Montreal Protocol cut CFCs but alternative chemical now causing global warming
- 2016 Rwanda talks: Kigali amendment of Montreal protocol - reduction of alternative chemical (legally binding on ratified parties)

37
Q

what is the climate change puzzle?

A

that interdependence of climate change should give an incentive to cooperate and build effective international institutions. But negotiations has been slow and ineffective

38
Q

what are the different positions on why climate change interdependence has not led to effective negotiations

A
  1. interdependence affects states differently
    (interdependence sensitivity, interdependence vulnerability)
  2. two-level games (facing powerful domestic interests)
  3. badly-designed institutions to fix global goal (Barnett)
39
Q

what are human rights?

A

are: legal or philosophical claim of entitlement to certain conditions of life, associated with human dignity and well-being
are: social fact - exist where and when people jointly accept or believe they exist
aren’t: guarantee that these conditions will exist
aren’t: material fact (can’t touch or observe)

40
Q

how are human rights formed/phrased in international law?

A

vague principles -> specific obligations

41
Q

how do regional human rights regimes differ?

A
  1. philosophy -> normative foundations
  2. rights -> more or less consistent with UN treaties
  3. obligations -> more or less precise and binding
  4. monitoring and enforcement mechanisms -> present/absnet, more or less dependent on states
42
Q

What is the human rights revolution?

A

hr international law: radical break from traditional focus on states as the subjects of international law
beyond the ‘rights of the citizen’
-> 2 paradoxes (contradict each other)

43
Q

what are the 2 paradoxes of hr int law?

A
  1. superiority vs dependency
    a. int hr law superior to domestic law
    b. respect for hr depends on state’s capabilities and willingness
  2. universality vs particularity
    a. applicable to anyone, no matter who or where they are
    b. can only realise their rights where they live in culturally-specific places -> different value systems
44
Q

what actors enforce international hr law?

A
  1. global institutions (UNHCR, HRC)
    (awareness, naming, shaming, courts)
  2. regional institutions (monitoring, investigation, adjudication)
  3. states (domestic and abroad compliance)
  4. national HR institutions (NHRIs) (promoting and monitoring)
  5. NGOs (monitoring, documentation, naming, shaming, policy advocacy, awareness)
  6. social movements (pressure govs)
45
Q

why do some states sign and ratify int law but others don’t?

A
  1. sincere ratifiers (true positives)
  2. strategic ratifiers (false positives)
  3. constrained believers (false negatives) (internal political or constitutional obstacles)
  4. sincere non-ratifiers (true negatives)
46
Q

What might explain hr law violations

A
  1. different ideas
  2. pursuit of power
  3. shortage of state capacity
47
Q

Why might strategic ratifiers be correct?

A
  • gain international legitimacy
  • violations are easy to hide
  • many hr rules are vague
  • most violations have no cross-border effect -> little incentive to punish violators
48
Q

what different types of uses of force?

A
  1. defense
  2. offense
  3. deterrence
  4. compellence
  5. swagger (showing off)
  6. repression and counter-insurgency (silence domestic opposition)
  7. peacekeeping and peace enforcement
  8. humanitarian intervention
49
Q

What are the most common positions for the causes war

A

(from most unintended outcome to rational choice)

  1. security dilemma
  2. alliance entrapment
  3. regime type and ideology
  4. diversion
  5. power transition
  6. bargaining failure
50
Q

what is a nuclear taboo and what are the arguments for and against it existing today?

A

yes:
no state has used nuclear weapons since 1945 (despite many opportunities)
no:
states continue to develop nuclear weapons and to plan for nuclear war
some states refuse to declare ‘no first use’

51
Q

what are the 4 main applications of cybertechnology in warfare?

A
  1. misinformation
  2. theft
  3. social and economic disruption
  4. counterforce
52
Q

what are the revolutionary characteristics of cyberwarfare and their implications?

A

characteristics:
1. cheap
2. easy (no physical access needed)
3. hard to trace (so hard to deter by threat of retaliation)
implications:
1. reduces capabilities gap between smol and great powers
2. blurs line between political-economic competition
3. blurs line between civilian and military targets

53
Q

what is some arguments of U.S. decline?

A
  1. economic weakness (infrastructure, edu, healthcare, debt, poverty)
  2. domestic political problems (divisions, polarization)
  3. overdependence on military power
  4. hegemonic over-stretch (shrinking resources - can’t sustain all its alliance commitments)
54
Q

What are some possible consequences of U.S. decline?

A
  1. new balance of power (bi/tri/multi-polarity)
  2. new international institutions (less US led ones)
  3. new international norms
  4. more regional tensions, arms race
  5. turmoil in europe
55
Q

What are some arguments against U.S. decline?

A
  • many rivals since 1900, all unsucessful
  • huge defense spending relative to others
  • principal world reserve currency
  • still have lots of soft power/influence
  • EU: not a rival; “economic giant, strategic mouse”
  • BRICS: all have own major weakness

Analysing International Relations (1 decks)

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