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Introduction to International Relations > Why do we need concepts and theories of IR? > Flashcards

Why do we need concepts and theories of IR? Flashcards

1
Q

What is the field of IR mostly influenced by?

A

History
- (Britain pre-WW2)
Political Science
- (US post-WW2)

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2
Q

Why are concepts contested?

A
  • definitions are rareley consensual
  • meaning isn’t fixed in time
  • ethno-centrism
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3
Q

What is the concept of state based on?

A

European/regional history

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4
Q

Why do we have concepts?
4

A

To describe complex realities
To make sure we’re talking about the same things
To ensure constructive dialogue
To develop and evaluate theories

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5
Q

How was the concept of State defined?

A

Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States
1933

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6
Q

Legal criteria of statehood
4

A
  • Defined territory
  • Permanent Population
  • Capacity to enter into international relations
  • Government (governance = functioning bureaucracy)
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7
Q

Constitutive theory statehood

A

external validation/recognition is necessary to gain statehood

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8
Q

declarative theory on statehood

A

declaration is enough to achieve statehood

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9
Q

De Facto state / internal sovereignty

A

state monopolizes some functions within its territory

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10
Q

De Jure State / external sovereignty

A

State has recognition from other states and actors as well as autonomy over its territory

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11
Q

What is a state?

A

entity with well-defined population, territory and recognized political authority over a geographical space

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12
Q

What is a nation?

A

a group of people that are bound by cultural artifacts or history

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13
Q

what is a nation-state

A

state with a monogamous population

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14
Q

Is India a nation-state?

A

India is more of a state-nation: it became a state first, then made/bended into a nation

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15
Q

what is sovereignty?

A

there is no actor above the state that can compel it to act in certain ways

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16
Q

Case study statehood IEA

A

IEA = Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan

It has:
- de facto state: monopoly force + military and police force
- bureaucracy
- diplomatic outreach
- to be able to provide assistance to Afghans

It hasn’t:
- official recognition from other states
- legitimacy
- governance capabilities

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17
Q

Case study statehood ISIS

A

It has:
- control and governance of large areas of territory
- tax revenue
- police and military force
- infrastructure

It hasn’t:
- UN membership
- recognition from other states
- legitimacy
- permanent population
- limited state capacities

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18
Q

Pheasant Island

A

swaps nationalities (France and Spain) every 6 months

questions the concept of sovereignty

19
Q

What is a theory?

A

an explanation and interpretation, it identifies patterns and helps explain them

it makes your assumptions explicit

20
Q

What is a metatheoretical question?

A

questions above any particular theory

21
Q

How can we categorize theories?

A

Explanatory theories v. Constitutive theories

Anti-foundational theories v. foundational theories

most explanatory theories are also foundational

most constitutive theories are anti-foundational

(social constructivism claims to be between foundational and anti-foundational)

22
Q

explanatory theory

A

see the world as something external to our theories

e.g. realism

23
Q

foundational theory

A

all truth claims can be judged true or false

e.g. realism
e.g. neoliberalism

24
Q

anti-foundational theory

A

there is never neutral ground to judge what is true or false

every theory defines what is seen as facts

e.g. postmodernism/poststructuralism
e.g. postcolonialism
e.g. feminist theories

25
Q

constitutive theory

A

believe that theories help construct the world

e.g. social constructivism

26
Q

naturalist theories

A

see the social world and the natural world as the same

27
Q

Arguments for Globalization as a new phase of world politics
5

A
  1. states become less like closed independent units because of the high pace of economic transformation
  2. communications have revolutionized the way we deal with the rest of the world
  3. risk culture: global problems that states can’t fix
  4. global/cosmopolitan culture
  5. global polity is emerging (political and social movements)
28
Q

Arguments against globalization as a new phase of world politics
6

A
  1. globalization is a buzzword to denote the latest phase of global capitalism (neoliberalism)
  2. globalization is uneven in its effects (not all regions are equally connected)
  3. globalization may be the latest stage of western imperialism
  4. globalization is imperialistic and exploitative
  5. not all globalized forces are necessarily ‘good’
  6. responsibility and global governance: most of the emerging actors in a globalized world aren’t accountable to democratic publics
29
Q

Hirst and Thompson (1996) on globalization

A

globalization is made bigger than it actually is + the global economy isn’t beyond our control

  • internationalized economy isn’t new
  • transnational companies are rare (most are national with international elements)
  • no shift in capital between the richest and the poorest countries
  • world economy isn’t global, it is centralized in certain areas
30
Q

normative theory

A

ideology
says what states should do

31
Q

explanatory theory

A

tries to explain what states do and why

32
Q

social theory

A

theory on how to conceptualize the relationship between agents and structures

! don’t necessarily relate to IR topics

reshapes our way of understanding how the world hangs together

33
Q

substantive theory of international politics

A

theory that offers specific claims and hypotheses about patterns in world politics

34
Q

civil society

A

the network of institutions and practices that enjoy some autonomy from the state, through which individuals and groups organize, represent and express themselves to each other and to the state

35
Q

problem solving theory

A

theory that accepts the status-quo and thus helps legitimate an unjust and deeply iniquitous system

36
Q

critical theory

A

attempts to challenge the prevailing order by seeking out, analyzing and assisting social processes that can potentially lead to emancipatory change

37
Q

epistemology

A

how we think about and know the world / how we generate knowledge

38
Q

ontology

A

what we know and what we chose to study/know

39
Q

failed state

A

state that is still recognized, but is starting to fail in many of the criteria to have internal sovereignty

40
Q

disaggregated state

A

state is never completely centralized, not everything is decided by the states’ government
(there are always sub-state actors)

41
Q

hybrid sovereignty

A

states share some degree of their sovereignty with non-state actors (act in the name of states)

42
Q

transnational relations

A

relations between non-state actors across borders

43
Q

Discourse analysis

A

the ways things are connected together, the way they are framed and described

Introduction to International Relations (15 decks)

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