IR Lecture 2

how is studying history beneficial to politics?

* it provides knowledge about past experiences and truths.
* lord acton emphasized that the knowledge of the past revealed by experience is practical and instrumental in shaping the future.

what is said about human agency/free-will/human-autonomy?

* there is a shift: the understanding is that history is made by men, in contrast to nature, which is made by God and therefore unknowable.
* here, the concept of causality is highlighted, where events are attributed to individuals who are responsible for what happens.

how to avoid fatalism?

* fatalism is the belief that all events are predetermined and inevitable, and that human actions have no impact on the outcome.
* by knowing and understanding the causal relationship between events, we can act differently in the future and go beyond fatalism.

how do the IR theories work?

they draw on history and rely on historical lessons from various sources, (like the Peloponnesian War and European state formation) to make sense of the present.

how do IR theorists establish validity and test their theories?

* through historical cases.
* for instance, through analyzing the causes and outcomes of specific conflicts or diplomatic negotiation

what are some limitations of using history in IR?

* **poor history:** theorists are often criticised for their interpretations and historians themselves disagree on what happened during historical events.


* **oversimplification**: there are numerous factors contributing to events, such as a war; this is often oversimplified.
* **euro-american bias**: the historical focus on europe and america neglects the diverse experiences and perspectives of other regions.
* **neoliberalisation**: the discipline of IR has been complicit with neoliberalisation, which emphasises market-oriented approaches; this has also been visible in higher education, where research is now driven by market demands.

IR theory aspires to be verifiable and testable, like the other social sciences; what is the issue with this?

* testing war is not plausible nor ethical. therefore, we have to rely on historical data.

what is the problem with a hegemon influencing IR theories?

* IR theories can be influenced by powerful states, resulting in bias and making them vulnerable to cultural imperialism.

when did IR theories come about and what shapes them?

* emerged after WWI.
* has been shaped by debates between the different schools of thought.

what do structural realists/neorealists say about the nature of the world?

structural realists argue that the international system lacks a central authority, that the nature of the world is anarchical, with leading states prioritizing their own survival.

what do structural realists/neorealists say about uni/bi/multi polarity?

* ❌ unipolarity: not good , because imperialism vibes/tendencies/single dominant power.


* ✅ bipolar: good, because more stable due to clear balance power.
* ❌ multipolar: not good, because lacks clear balance.

what influences behaviour in international relations, besides the core beliefs such as survival, security etc.

reputation and communication can affect state behaviour and potentially lead to cooperation.

besides material factors, what else is important in IR?

ideas and non-material factors, such as soft power, can play a significant role in IR.

what do scholars argue is necessary to develop a more global perspective in IR?

scholars argue that by questioning the emphasis on strict professionalism, they can open themselves up to diverse viewpoints and unconventional thinking, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of global issues in international relations.

what does Edward Said’s work on Orientalism and culture, say about imperial power?

Edward Said's work on Orientalism exposes how Western scholars have shaped a biased image of the "Orient" to maintain imperial dominance, reinforcing Western claims of superiority.

how is a humanities based approach to IR beneficial?

it is beneficial because it challenges conventional thinking and encourages a broader understanding of different perspectives, which allows us to critically reflect on concepts, theories and beliefs that we take for granted (i think this is what POS might refer to as paradigms).