Theoretical Foundations Flashcards
What is Liberalism
a theory in the study of IR that offers a set of assumptions and propositions that stress the possibilities for cooperation among modern and advanced market democracies- the general claim is these societies have incentives and capacities to build complex, stable and mutually-accpetable political relations
What are the liberal assumptions
-Individuals & groups are the main actors
-individuals have incentives to trade/cooperate/bargain for joint gains
-world is in an ongoing process of modernization
-modernization takes societies towards democratization and market society
what are the liberal propositions
-liberals support democratic peace theory
-liberal institutionalism supports growth of international laws and institutions for cooperation and dispute resolution
-transnationalism-transnational relations provide important connnections between states
-cosmopolitanism-people arent trapped in their national identity- they can break out
what is realism
Realism is one of the dominant schools of thought in IR theory that offers the view that competition for power among groups or states is the central and enduring feature of IR and is built on 5 assumptions
what are the realist assumptions
-states are main actors in IR
-states are reasonably rational actors
-states operate in a world characterized by an anarchy
-security is central problem of int.politics
-security is an inherently competitive endeavour
what are the realist propositions
-states seek a balance of power
-anarchic nature of int.system can lead to s.dilemmas
-competition for power means states care deeply about relative gains
-int.power transitions are dangerous
-nationalism is a dynamic motivating force in IR
what is marxism
marxism isnt an explicit theory of IR, instead its a theory about capitalism and class conflict based on 5 assumptions and premised on the notion of historical materalism. the marxist claim is that the most fundamental fact about society is its material/economic circumstance.
what are the marxist assumptions
-political interests& r.ships are determined by a persons economic class
-most important actors inIR are socio-economic classes
-modern state is organized to serve interests of capitalist/ruling class
-class conflict will increasingly define relations among workers and capitalists
-revolution is the great source of political change in IR
what are the marxist propositions
-states will act in ways that protect and advance the interests of capitalism and capitalist class
-transnational business will be a prominent feature of world politics
what is constructivism
theoretical foundation of IR based on view that ideas and beliefs matter in how actors define & pursue their interests, based on 4 assumptions
what are the constructivist assumptions
-interests of indv.s & groups are not given/set in stone, they’re shaped by identities of actors
-identities are moulded by variety of ideational factors like religion
-most important actors in IR are elite indvs in society
-communication plays important role in shaping & changing identities
what are the constructivist propositions
-if people can be convinced the worlds guided by universal moral standards, they’ll act that way- world is what you believe it is
-states operate within a global civil society
-normative change is a major way in which politics has evolved from era to era
-state elites exist within and are influenced by strategic culture
