Concept terms

30% concepts test

State

A political entity with territorial borders and political authorities who enjoy sovereignty.

Sovereignty

The capacity to govern residents within a given territory to establish relationships with governments that control other states.

Nation

Collections of people who share a common culture, history or language.

Imperialism

A state strategy in which one country conquers foreign lands to turn them into colonies.

Anarchy

The fact that in international relations there is no government of the whole world to adjudicate disputes among states and protect weak from strong ones.

Security dilemma

A situation in international politics in which one state takes steps to become more secure yet ends up less secure due to the reactions it prompts in other states.

Commercial liberalism

The idea that market, society and economic interdependence tend to have a pacifying impact on relations among states.

Power transition

When the relative power of two (or more) states changes, often due to technological innovations and uneven economic growth.

Inter state war

Where two or more states apply direct military forces against each other, in organised, sustained and deadly clashes. 

Democratic peace

A model reflecting that democracies do not fight wars with each other.

Globalisation

The ongoing process of international economic and technological integration, made possible by advances in transportation and communication.

Levels of analysis

Frameworks for understanding and examining international relations at different scopes - individual, state and international.

Strategic culture

Refers to assumptions about the nature of the global system – for example, which states are friends and enemies – and strategies of action that are shared by government elites

Norm

A standard of appropriate behaviour for actors with a given identity.

International institution

Sets of rules, principles and expectations that govern interstate interaction.

Deterrence

The use of power resources to discourage a state from acting aggressively.

Diplomacy

The process by which representatives of two or more governments meet and discuss matters of common concern.

Peacekeeping

UN operations after an international or internal war ends aimed at keeping the warring parties apart and enforcing peace settlements