International Relations Midterm

International Relations

The study of the interactions of states (countries) and other actors in the international system.

Global Politics

The politics of global social relations in which the pursuit of power, interests, order, and justice transcends regions and continents. Involves non-state actors

Anarchy

A system operating in the absence of any central government. It does not imply chaos but, in realist theory, the absence of political authority.

What is the “nature” of the international system?

• Anarchic

• Decentralized structure of sovereign states

• Lacking a higher central governing authority

Globalization (definition and types)

A historical process involving a fundamental shift or transformation in the spatial scale of human social organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power relations across regions and continents.

Can be economic, political, cultural, etc…

Weaknesses/ challenges to globalization

• Interdependence on other economies

• Globalization is uneven in its affects

• Considered the latest Western Imperialism

• Can spread harmful ideals

3 core patterns in IR and which theories they match w/

• Dominance: realism

• Reciprocity: liberalism

• Identity: constructivism

What are theories/ lenses

a theory is a kind of simplifying device that allows you to decide which facts matter and which do not

International liberal rules-based order & threats

• Set of global rules, institutions, and norms established post-World War II

• Promote peace, free trade, human rights, and democracy and liberalism

• Threats are power rivalry (China/ Russia), lack of USA commitment (America comes first), challenged norms (invasion of Ukraine, Gaza, etc…)

States

A legal territorial entity composed of a stable population and a government; it possesses a monopoly over the legitimate use of force; its sovereignty is recognized by other states in the international system.

Nations

A community of people who share a common sense of identity, which may be derived from language, culture, or ethnicity; this community may be a minority within a single country or live in more than one country.

State sovereignty

The condition of a state having control and authority over its own territory and being free from any higher legal authority. It is related to, but distinct from, the condition of a government being free from any external political constraints.

Key turning points in international history

• Treaty of Westphalia: brought in contemporary international system by establishing the principle of sovereignty, limited political rights/ authority of monarchs

• Concert of Europe: 5 great powers of Europe (Austria, Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia), agreed on controlling revolutionary forces, managing the balance of power, and accepting interventions to keep current leaders in power, kept the peace from 1815 until World War I.

• Colonization/ decolonization: Anti-imperialist views growing in Europe, lack of $ to fund overseas colonies

• Post WW2 rules based order: End of imperialism in Europe, belief that national self-determination should be a guiding principle in international politics, establishment of UN Charter

• Cold War & ending: Bipolar structure, highly opposing views on either side of how to organize society, Truman administration justified aid to Turkey/ Greece with the idea to grow awareness of Soviet ambitions & say America would support those threatened by Soviet expansion, led to NATO

• Post 9/11: . The terrorist attacks brought to power the neoconservatives who had been working for years to increase, US military power and influence. They wanted to use that military power to remake the world in America’s image. Gave the US a way to use their extreme and unrivaled power

Examples of how images have had political effects

• Syrian children/ women being gased led to emotions led to action

• Kristi Noem standing in front of El Salvador prisoners lined up like animals led to upset

• Video of ICE agent shooting Renee Good

Abu Ghraib scandal

• Series of human rights violations and physical, psychological, and sexual abuse committed against Iraqi detainees by U.S. Army personnel and civilian contractors

• Many detainees were civilians

• Came to international attention in April 2004

• Caused global condemnation, damaged U.S. reputation and fueling anti-American sentiment (especially Iraqis)

Levels of analysis

• Examining factors at different levels

• Individual, domestic, systemic, and global

• Explain actions and events. Each level provides possible explanations on a different scale.

• IV and DV (here is an outcome, we want to know the cause of it)

How does leaders’ psychology affect decision making?

Basic facts: US- Israeli war on Iran

Main claims/ arguments for war in Iran

Responses to claims for war in Iran

Nuclear non-proliferation Treaty

• 1976

• Preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and furthering the goal of disarmament

• Five recognized nuclear-weapon states (US, UK, France, Russia, China) agree not to transfer nuclear weapons to any recipient

• NNWS pledge not to receive, manufacture, or acquire them

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verifies treaty

  .

Iran Nuclear Deal

• 2015

• Agreement reached between Iran and USA, China, France, Russia, UK, and Germany

• Placed significant, verifiable restrictions on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for major sanctions

• Trump withdrew in 2018 saying Iran wasn’t following it

• 2026: Iran demands lifting sanctions and U.S. demands complete abandonment of enrichment capabilities

Nuclear deterrence

• Security strategy based on the threat of using nuclear weapons to prevent an opponent from launching an attack

• Mutually Assured Destruction

Security dilemma

• State wants to increase its own security

• Building up military power

• Inadvertently make other states feel less secure

Stag hunt metaphor

• Hunters are hunting a stag, they split off to find it, hunter 1 finds a bunny but he’s supposed to shoot the stag so everyone can have some, but will others also pass up the bunny?

• Highlights the risk of trusting others

• Best outcome is catching the stag, but one might opt for a solitary, small reward (bunny) to avoid risking getting nothing if the others betray

Ordered anarchy

• Political philosophy proposing that a stable, peaceful society can exist without a centralized state or coercive government

• Relies on voluntary association, mutual aid, and self-organization

Ethics (definition and how it’s applied)

• Identification, illumination, and application of relevant moral norms to the conduct of foreign policy and assessing the moral makeup of the international system

• Applied through all states having different ideas of what’s good/ bad/ okay

Why may human rights be part of a state’s foreign policy?

Global governance (what, who, why)

• Collective management of common, cross-border problem (climate change, pandemics, and financial instability)

• Deals w/ them through a network of international institutions, rules, and, norms rather than a single world government

• Aims to foster stability, manage interdependence, and facilitate cooperation among states, and, non-state actors

International law

The formal rules of conduct that states acknowledge or contract between themselves

How are states induced/ pressured to comply with international law? Why do they follow it/ not follow it?

• Follow: norms, reputation management, reciprocity, and diplomatic or economic pressure from other nations

• No centralized global enforcement authority to enforce it

• Don’t follow: national interests, no enforcement (USA does what it wants because it’s powerful), revenge (when one state doesn’t follow it, another won’t to get back at them), disputes over interpretation (may say what they did is legal based on xyz interpretation not abc interpretation)

International Court of Justice Case- South Africa v. Israel

• 2023

Landmines Treaty/ Ottowa Treaty

• Entered into force in 1999

• Mines were harming more civilians and children

• Started by a woman and adopted by Canadian Prime Minister

• International agreement that bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines

• Example of NGO making change and being an actor

• Example of norms shifting

Norm entrepreneur

• Individual, organization, or agent who drives social, political, or institutional change by advocating for new standards of behavior or modifying existing ones

• Landmines Treaty

Non-state actors/ transnational actors

• Entities operating independently of government control that exert significant influence on global politics, economics, and security

• EX: Apple, Shell, Red Cross, etc…

Why did Putin invade Ukraine?

Unipolarity

• International system with one dominant superpower (the unipole) possessing unrivaled military, economic, and technological influence

• United States post Cold-War

Bipolarity

• International system structure dominated by two major powers (poles) with superior military and economic capabilities compared to other states

• Russia and USA in Cold-War

Multipolarity

• International system where power is distributed among three or more states

• Leads to increased competition

Multilateralism

• Three or more nations coordinating actions to address global challenges, based on principles of inclusivity, non-discrimination, and shared responsibility

• Tool for international cooperation

• Involves reciprocity, communication, inclusivity, equality, and a rules-based structure

• Usually addresses complex issues like climate change

• EX: UN

Unilaterialism

• Foreign policy approach where a state acts independently to pursue its goals, often disregarding the input, consensus, or cooperation of other nations or international institutions

• Allows for rapid, flexible, and decisive action based on national interests

• Can cause significant tension with allies and weaken global cooperation

Basic rules/ principles of UN in UN Charter

• Mandates the United Nations and its member states to maintain international peace and security, uphold international law, achieve "higher standards of living" for their citizens, address "economic, social, health, and related problems", and promote "universal respect for, and observance of, human rights

• Focusing on maintaining international peace, protecting human rights, and fostering cooperation

• Key rules include sovereign equality of members, peaceful dispute resolution, prohibition of force, and non-intervention in domestic affairs

• Designed to maintain international security

• Defines the structure of the United Nations, the powers of its constitutive agencies, and the rights and obligations of sovereign states party to the charter

What is peacekeeping?

• Peacekeeping is a UN-led tool utilizing military, police, and civilian personnel to help conflict-torn countries transition to stability

• Aims to maintain peace, protect civilians, support political processes, and facilitate humanitarian aid

• Authorized by the Security Council with the consent of parties involved

Basic facts on EU

• Union created in 1992 following the signing of the Maastricht Treaty

• Includes twenty-eight member states

• CONTINUE

Personalistic foreign policy style

• Concentration of diplomatic decision-making power in the hands of a single leader

• Prioritizes personal instincts, relationships, and interests over institutional advice or established national strategies

• Policies are often erratic, transactional, and prone to breaking alliances

Patrimonial foreign policy style

• Treats state international relations as the personal property of the ruler, prioritizing private, loyalist interests over national, bureaucratic, or legal norms

• Patronage-driven (funding/ bribes driven) diplomacy, personalization of coercive power, and disregard for institutional expertise

Relevance of Epstein files and relation to Gender Approach

Basic history on US-Iran relations

Feminist foreign policy

• Framework that reorients a state's international relations to prioritize gender equality, human rights, and intersectional justice over traditional militarized security

• Aims to dismantle patriarchal and colonial power structures

• Believes that women’s participation in peace processes increases the likelihood of long-term peace agreements and countries with higher gender equality are more prosperous and stable

Values-based realism

• Approach that blends the promotion of core democratic values (human rights, freedom, and the rule of law) with a pragmatic, clear-eyed understanding of power dynamics and global diversity

• Aims to navigate a multipolar world by combining moral principles with necessary, sometimes transactional, cooperation, moving beyond rigid ideology to address global challenges

Neo-colonialism

• Indirect control of developing nations by developed powers through economic, political, and cultural means rather than direct military conquest

• Emerging post-WWII as colonialism declined

• Maintains dependency via unfair trade, debt, multinational corporations, and foreign aid

• Ensures wealthy nations exploit resources while independent nations remain under their influence

What role do images play in IR, specifically what do images do as a form of political communication? Challenged and ethical dilemmas? W/ examples.

• Illustrate politics AND shape and construct politics and our perceptions of reality and the world around us

• Reinforce dominant narratives; uphold the status quo

• Challenge, counter, dominant narratives and the status quo – social and political mobilization

• Shape, solidify, or contest our identities and belonging

• Communicate and simplify complex ideas and emotions

• Draw us into and inform us of a political or social issue 

• Become weapons of war - “visual warfare” 

• Transcend language

• Pull emotions

Strengths and weaknesses of realist theory? How the other theories of IR respond to and/ or critique realist theory, and what do they add, provide, why are they important?

How liberal institutionalism can order anarchy, promote state cooperation, and respond to the realist assumptions about the international system (w/ examples)?

Explaining the causes/ stated claims, justifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022), the US invasion of Iraq (2003), and the US-Israel invasion of Iran (2026)

How would realism, liberalism, and constructivism, interpret or explain some of the key events we studied (EX: Obama’s response to chemical weapons in Syria, Iran Nuclear Deal, end of Cold War, Trump’s foreign policy)

How is the functioning of international law is both effective/ significant and ineffective?

Why was the UN created? What is it’s structure? How does it illustrate main IR theories?

Main changes/ differences in IR before WW1 and after WW2? Why is this significant?

Levels of analysis

Individual: rationality, biological explanations, motivation/personality, perception/images, belief systems/information

Domestic Factors: power capabilities, domestic politics, decision-making styles and structures, size/ resource base, geographic factors/geopolitics, political structure and political culture, economic system

Systemic: level of anarchy or order, distribution of power, obligations, treaties, alliances, regimes or governing arrangements

Global man- made & natural conditions: global social movements

Environmental conditions and challenges (climate change), social media and traditional media and popular cultural forces, global networks both for good and for ill, ideas, values, and norms