Unit 1: Defining “theories” and defining “integration

Question 1

What has defined our global condition?

Answer 1

Our global condition has been defined by the accumulation of crises followed by uncertainty.

Question 2

How can we describe crisis?

Answer 2

A crisis can be defined by uncertainty and is commonly understood as the character of a situation in which agents cannot anticipate the outcomes. It is a situation where anyone can anticipate the outcomes.

Question 3

If you have to choose one word/concept to define our historical time (from a global standpoint), which one would you choose?

Answer 3

The correct concept would be a crisis followed by an accumulation of uncertainty. However, we observe that nowadays there is another important concept which is the poly-crisis (chaotic accumulation of crises and risks).

Question 4

What is polycrisis and its features?

Answer 4

A polycrisis is the chaotic accumulation of multiple crises and risks, characterized by a lack of a single dominant logic, which increases the inability to comprehend the situation; each crisis exacerbates others.

Question 5

What is a theoretical framework?

Answer 5

It has 2 functions: to simplify the world to understand it and also to explain it. A theoretical framework includes 2 elements: simplified images of reality and explanatory perspectives.

Question 6

What are theories good for?

Answer 6

The world is too complex so we need which factors are the most important to explain a given phenomenon → theory helps identify factors. It is not to describe accurately reality, but to simplify to comprehend.

Question 7

Theories as explanatory perspectives

Answer 7

Explain a phenomenon = identify causes that provoke it. Theories involve causal narratives (e.g. X led to Y and thus to Z) → hypotheses.

Question 8

Normative theories

Answer 8

It runs in the 3rd dimension trying to say how the social world should be organized. Some theories are purely normative and most theories have a normative dimension.

Question 9

How do theories function as organizing perspectives?

Answer 9

Theories help simplify the complex world by identifying which factors are most important to explain a phenomenon, rather than describing reality accurately.

Question 10

What are the three ways theories can be tested?

Answer 10

1. Logical consistency: ensuring ideas fit without contradictions.
2. Method of covariation: checking if changes in one thing are linked to changes in another.
3. Process tracing: following evidence step-by-step to see how events lead to an outcome.

Question 11

What is the complexity-parsimony trade-off in theory development?

Answer 11

It refers to the dilemma of choosing between simplicity (fewer variables, better for generalization) and complexity (more variables, better for context-specific description).

Question 12

What is the definition of political integration according to Haas?

Answer 12

Political integration is the process where different actors shift loyalties and political activities toward a new center, creating a new political community over existing ones, leading to a loss of sovereignty for nation-states.

Question 13

How is globalization related to economic integration?

Answer 13

Globalization is a multidimensional process of economic integration characterized by the internationalization of national resources and the interdependence of national economies, but it encompasses cultural, environmental, and political dimensions as well.

Question 14

What role do international organizations (IOs) play in political integration?

Answer 14

IOs are key to political integration, established by agreements between sovereign states to pursue common interests, and help bring rule of law to relations between states.

Question 15

What does the term “sovereignty” refer to in the context of nation-states?

Answer 15

Sovereignty refers to the ability of national rulers to make decisions without being subject to external limitations, marking the supreme political authority within a defined territory.

Question 16

Is there an unwarranted sense of reassurance during a crisis?

Answer 16

Yes, a moment of interregnum is often accompanied by an unwarranted sense of reassurance, providing guarantees that are not true, which can obscure the severity of the crisis.

Question 17

Are we in an interregnum?

Answer 17

The current global condition can be seen as an interregnum, where the old systems are failing and new ones have not yet been established, leading to various challenges and crises, particularly characterized by uncertainty.

Question 18

Are we all theorists?

Answer 18

Yes, in a sense, we are all theorists as we use theories to simplify complex realities and identify important factors that help explain the phenomena we observe in the world around us.

Question 19

What kind of governance structures allow for the re-articulation of the principle of sovereignty?

Answer 19

International organizations (IOs) serve as governance structures that facilitate the re-articulation of sovereignty, as they create frameworks where nation-states voluntarily mix and merge their sovereignty to pursue common interests and establish new political communities.