Spec Key Terms Global Politics Flashcards
Sovereignty
Absolute and unlimited power and authority.
Nation state
Autonomous political community held together by citizenship and nationality.
Non-state actors
Participants in international relations with significant power and influence, which are not states.
Economic globalisation
Growing economic integration and interdependence of economies through intensified cross-border movement of goods, services, technologies and capital.
Globalisation
Emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness in many forms.
Political globalisation
Growing importance of international organisations.
Cultural globalisation
Growing transmission of ideas, meanings and values around the world.
Homogenisation and monoculture
Coming together of global cultures and development of a single, homogeneous culture without diversity or dissension.
Interconnectedness
Mutual reliance of two or more groups.
World government
Idea of a common political authority with legislative and executive power over states.
Global governance
Broad and complex process of decision making at a global level.
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
This is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group organised on a local, national or international level – e.g. Christian Aid. NGOs perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation through provision of information.
Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP)
Conditional loans provided by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to countries that experienced economic crises.
Political
The United Nations Organisation created in 1945, following the Second World War, to promote international co-operation and to prevent another such conflict.
Security Council
The United Nations’ most powerful body, with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation – military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in 1949.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International organisation working to foster global monetary co-operation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world.
World Bank
International organisation that offers concessional loans and grants to the world’s poorest developing countries in order to reduce poverty.
World Trade Organisation (WTO)
Organisation that regulates international trade.
North-South divide
Global socio-economic and political divide.
Dependency theory
Emphasises structural imbalances within capitalism that impose dependency on poorer states.
Human rights
International law: Law that governs states and other international actors.
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
Principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
International Criminal Court (ICC)
Organisation that prosecutes individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.