POLS Final Part 4 Summation

What are the three S’s in realism?

Statism, Survival, and Self-help

Statism

The state is the primary actor in International Relations—nation states can be seen as sovereign political actors.

Survival

Just as humans have an innate drive for survival, so too is survival a core interest of all states. This survival is zero-sum—there is only one complete winner, like in Chess.

Self-help

International relations is a self-help system—hence 911.

Three additional core elements of liberalism

Individualism, Interdependence, and International Institutions

Interdependence

Democratization promotes peace internationally

International institutions

Intended to promote common interest through cooperation (such as the WHO)

Who and what is left out in realism, liberalism and Marxian theory?

Constructivism, post-structuralism, gender analysis

Michael Foucault on the Concept of Discourses

Ideas and practices which are more or less institutionalized, but may not be fully understood by those that they encompass

Post-structuralism

How we think about the world is how we create it—truth is not based on objective reality but through changing discourses.

Ex. Language gives meaning—abortion is fine because it’s “health care.”