Week 1 ReadingL Intro to Security Studies Flashcards
what makes a good (positivist) theory?
“1) Logically consistent and empirically valid
2) falsifiable (Most important)
3) explanatory power
4) important phenomenon
5) prescriptively rich (gives you enough information to understand a situation)
6) stated well”
Walt (views on relationship between theory and policy in IR) [Paper: relationship between theory and policy in IR]
”- policy makers pay little attention to theory & theorists care little about policy work
- theory is an essenntial tool of statecraft
- policy debates rest on competing theorys > bad theories can lead to disaster
- Thoery & policy can be bridged if academic community places higher value on policy relevant work.
Paper examples
[bad theory] Risk theory: Admiral Von Tirpitz argues larger german fleet would threaten UK from opposing German contential dominance > resulted in accelerating UK aligning with Germany’s opponents
[Good theory] Smith/Ricardo theory of free trade: triumphed over mercantilist thinking and grew world economy post WW2
[Paper: relationship between theory and policy in IR]”
What is theory and why is it useful?
”- a framework to consider a challenge in
- it contextualizes history & helps with decisionmaking
- it recognises a cause and effect
- it is predictive and perscriptive “
What makes some theories better than others?
”- Applicable to policy makers
- It is logically consistant, Complete in explaining causal relationships, has explianory power, explains an important phenomina, yeilds useful recs, stated clearly”
What are some elements that can contribute to a disconnect between theory and practice?
”- Walt argues that accademia discourages schollars from seeking policy relevance
– Tenure won’t wait for government job
– policy relivance isn’t considered in hiring/promotions
– accademic journals don’t consider policy relivance
– theory is long written, when it needs to be short/quick for decisions”
Levy (The Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace)
“[The Causes of War and the Conditions of Peace]
* argues that there is no single, simple answer to the question of what causes war. He emphasizes the complexity and multifaceted nature of war causation, highlighting the limitations of attributing it solely to one level of analysis (individual, societal, or systemic) or a single theoretical paradigm (realism or liberalism)
- Critiques single level analysis
– individual or nation level factors might contribute, a complete explaination must consider how individaul beliefs translate into state actions and how state interactions lead to wars - Contrasts balance of poewr through with hegemonic theory, which suggests that hegemons contribute to stability.
*Levy examines the debate around relations between economic interdependence and war. Liberals believe trade fosters peace, realists emphasize conflicts arising from relative gain and economic coercion. calls for incorporating domestic variables and stratgic considerations - duscusses importance of individual level factors such as leaders’ beliefs, perceptions and decision making processes.
”
what makes a good (positivist) theory?
“1) Logically consistent and empirically valid (logically consistant)
2) falsifiable (Most important) / is complete (not leaving reader wondering about causal realationships at work)
3) explanatory power
4) explains an important phenomenon
5) prescriptively rich/yields useful reccomendations (gives you enough information to understand a situation)
6) stated well”
What are the 4 ways Walt argues theory can help policy makers
“1) Diagnosis: policy makers (PM)must figure out what sort of phenomenon they are facing
2) Prediction: Help PM anticipate events
3) Prescription: Theory guides policy makers selecting policies to produce some desired outcomes.
4) Evaluation: Theory helps policymakers as they identify benchmarks that will tell them whether a policy is achieving the desired results. “
Definition & Examples of General Theories
“Attempt to explain patterns of behavior that persist across space and time, using few explanatory variables
- Structural realism
- marxism
- liberal institutionalism “
Middle-Range Theories
Focus on situations, strategies, or tools that are of direct concern to policy makers and can employ a more controlled quasi experimental assessment of the tools in question.
Anarchy definition
”
- Levy defines as ““Absence of a legitimate governmental authority to regulate disputes and enforce agreements between states”””
Waltz’s 3 images
“-First Image: This level focuses on the internal characteristics of states as the primary determinants of their behavior. Factors such as domestic politics, leadership, and national culture are considered.
Second Image: This level examines the interstate system and the distribution of power among states as the primary drivers of state behavior. The balance of power and the structure of the international system are central to -this perspective.
-Third Image: This level emphasizes the structure of the international system itself as the primary determinant of state behavior. Waltz argues that the anarchic nature of the system, where there is no overarching authority, forces states to behave in certain ways, regardless of their internal characteristics.
”
Levy’s levels of analysis
“refer to the dependent variable or to the type of entity whose behavior is to be explained.
- Systemic level
- Dyadic level
- national level
- organizational level
- individual level “
Systemic level of analysis
Refers to explinations of patterns and outcomes in the int. system
Dyadic level of analysis
Explinations of strategic interactions between two states
