VCE Global Politics glossary

Aid

Refers to the provision of assistance, predominantly monetary, to global actors with the intention of influencing their decisions and actions in order to achieve a specific aim.

Cosmopolitanism

Cosmopolitanism reflects a desire among global actors to cooperate to reach common goals and outcomes meet challenges that are presented to the global community.

Crisis diplomacy

Refers to negotiations between actors in the global political arena in response to an immediate crisis. This most commonly concerns conflicts and natural disasters, but also economic and health crises.

Cultural power

Refers to a desierable and transportable culture that states use to achieve ends that might not be achieved by military and political means. It is often linked to soft power and may influence regional relationships and international standing.

Diplomacy

Refers to power accrued by states through their relationships with others in the form of alliances, alignments and international standing. Essentially it is the ability of states to influence other global actors through way of discussion and negotiation.

Economic power

A state’s economic power is often determined by figures such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which indicate the wealth of a state and its economic activity. Economic power can also be assessed by the state’s reliance on imports of good and services. Crucially economic power is the state’s ability to influence the actions of other global actors through finance and trade.

Economic prosperity

The national interest of economic prosperity is important to a state as it indicated whether a state can weather international economic instability as well as protects and builds the wealth and welfare of its citizens. If a state is economically prosperous, it encourages other states to develop relationships with them and bolsters state sovereignty.

Ethics

This seeks to address questions of morality and extends to global politics, as global actors and guided by different moral frameworks/positions. These may influence the actions of intergovernmental agencies and the creation and application of international laws.

Global governance

Refers to institutions, rules, norms and legal arrangements that seek to facilitate cooperation, and manage relations, between states. Governance is carried out by both governmental organisations such as the UN and NGOs.

Globalisation

Refers to the acceleration and intensification of the exchange of good, services, labour and capital, which promote global interdependence. These have been facilitated by rapid changes in communication and technology.

Hard power

Refers to power exercised through incentive or coercion to influence the actions of other global actors. This is most commonly exercised through diplomatic, military and/or economic forms.

Idealism

Refers to a school of thought in which policy is influenced primarily by an ideological principle, as opposed to practical and pragmatic considerations.

Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO)

An intergovernmental organisation is an organisation composed primarily of states. They are established by a treaty, a founding charter for the organisation, and thus subject to international law. Examples include the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and International Criminal Court.​

International cooperation

Refers to occasions when global actors collaborate and interact with each other in the pursuit of reciprocal common ideals, goals and interests.

International law

Traditionally only relating to states, international law is a body of rules established by custom or written legal agreements that are accepted as binding upon the international community. Customary international law applies to all global actors. Written legal agreements, such as treaties, are only binding to those who consent to it through explicit ratification. Some international laws may apply only to states, such as the UN Convention against Torture, while others may apply directly to citizens, such as war crimes.

International standing

The international standing of a state is an important national interest as it influences the power a state has in global politics. Other national interests impact on international standing as well as a state’s role and recognition in intergovernmental organisations and as a proponent of international law. If a state has a poor international standing it may threaten their sovereignty.

Justice

Refers to the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, law, fairness and equity that, importantly, also seeks punishment and/or compensation when these ethics are breached. Extends to global politics through international systems of justice, such as the International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice, which seek to uphold international law and deter future violations.

Military

Military as a foreign policy instrument refers to the military capacity of a state and how this is utilised to achieve its foreign policy objectives. The capacity will depend on the amount of money spent on the military, the type and calibre of weapons available, the number and expertise of servicemen and women in the armed forces, and the relationship between the military and the state. It may also refer to the placement of armed forces.

Military power

Refers to the use of a state’s military to exert influence over the actions of other global actors. This may not need to be implemented through a use of force as placement and capacity of the military may be enough to influence other global actors.

Multilateralism

Refers to a system of coordinating relations between three or more global actors, usually in pursuit of specific objectives.

Nation

Refers to groups of people claiming common bonds based on culture, language and history. Some nations have their own state, such as the Japanese, while others want their own state such as the Tibetans and Kurds.

National interests

The national interests of a state are pursued to ensure the survival and potential growth of that state. States implement policies and types of power to achieve their national interests and maintain state sovereignty.

National security

This is the national interest of a state to ensure it maintains sovereignty. Traditionally this term refers to the protection of a state’s borders from intruders but has evolved to include other forms of security, such as resource and environmental security, that are necessary for a state to maintain sovereignty.

Nation-state

Political or social grouping in which people within territorial boundaries, with recognised sovereignty, have common bonds based on culture, language and history. For example, Japan.

Non-state actors

A non-state actor is a global actor that is not a state but still influences global politics. Often this refers to global actors that are not a direct part of global governance and international law, such as NGOs, global terrorist movements and/or organised religions.

Political power

Refers to the use of a state’s internal political machinery to exert influence over the actions of others. For example, legislation, executive orders, white papers.

Power

Refers to the ability of one global actor to influence the actions of another global actor. Power can be exercised in a range of types.

Realism

Realism involves states (and other global actors) prioritizing their specific interest and needs over those of the global community.

Regional relationships

Positive regional relationships are an important national interest to a state as they ensure its neighbours will not behave in a hostile manner and thus threaten state sovereignty. Alliances with other likeminded neighbours may help the success of other national interests. However, a state may consider other national interests more important than positive regional relationships if they better achieve the aims of a state.

Secutiry

Traditionally this term refers to the protection of a state’s borders from intruders and the maintenance of sovereignty, most commonly achieved through the use of military power. It has now evolved to include softer forms of security, such as access to resources and the protection of the environment.

Soft power

Refers to the ability of one global actor to shape the actions of other global actors via attraction, with the absence of incentive or coercion. This can be achieved in various ways, for example through diplomatic and cultural ties. It is a term first coined by Joseph Nye.

Sovereignty

Legitimate or widely recognised ability to exercise effective control of a territory within recognised borders. This is the primary organising principle of global politics, providing states with the authority to represent their territorial entity within the international community. State sovereignty can be challenged internally (for example, secessionist groups) or externally (for example, one state invades another).

State

Traditionally this term refers to the central actor in global politics. States possess a permanent population, defined territory and recognised sovereignty. States are not necessarily culturally homogenous, for example Australia.

Trade

Refers to the manipulation of the exchange of goods, services, labour and capital to influence the actions of another state.

Transnational Corporations (TNC)

Refers to a company whose operations and investments extend beyond the boundaries of the state in which it is registered, and can also be referred to as a Multinational.

Unilateralism

Refers to the policy of a state acting alone in regards to upholding/defending their national interest, with little or no regard for the views or interests of other global actors​