global politics year one

contains key terms for power, sovereignty, legitimacy, and interdependence

Legitimacy

actor or action that is considered acceptable to a community/society -- also conformity to the law/rules -- a state/actor accepted as having authority to exercise power over others

Legitimacy (state)

people accept the state’s right to rule over them

Relationship with Authority

a state/actor accepted has having authority and can exercise power over others -- convert power into authority

Legitimation

how political institutions obtain/increase their legitimacy (the process)

Nation-State

a state where most citizens united by factors that define a nation: language or common descent

Regime

political institution that has/seeks legitimacy -- type of government a country has -- democratic, theocratic, monarchical, authoritarian, totalitarian

Input Legitimacy

how a state/actor acquires power -- the process (rules/procedures)

Output legitimacy

how a state/actor uses power after obtaining it -- how the government performs -- sustainable development, economic performance

Interdependence

mutual reliance between actors for resources, ideas, and cooperation -- key feature of globalization -- economic, political, environmental

Complex Interdependence

Theory by Keohane and Nye:

• multiple channels connect societies

• military force is less useful

• multiple issues drive cooperation

contrasting with realist views of anarchy and zero-sum thinking

Economic Interdependence

mutual reliance between economies -- liberals argue that trade reduces conflict by raising costs of war

Positive-Sum Game

situation where all actors benefit through cooperation (e.g. trade agreements)

Zero-Sum Game

situation where one actor’s gain is, inherently, another’s loss -- how realists perceive power politics

Governance

activities designed to steer collective behavior, not necessary backed by formal authority -- broader than government

Reciprocity

principle of mutual exchange -- central to liberal theories of cooperation -- states comply with rules because other also do

International Institutions

structures like the WTO, UN, that facilitate cooperation and are meant to reduce uncertainty between states

Non-State Actors

MNCs, NGOs, and IGOs play vital roles in fostering interdependence and shaping global policy beyond the state

Public-Private Partnerships

collaborations between states and non-state actors to solve transnational challenges -- e.g. Global Fund for AIDS

Liberalism

• believes in cooperation and shared interests in the international system

• interdependence (especially economic) makes conflict less likely

• encourages institutions and rule-based global order

Neoliberal Institutionalism

• builds on liberalism

• cooperation is possible in an anarchic system due to institutions, interdependence, and reciprocity

Realism

• skeptical of interdependence

• international politics is conflict-prone + focused on self-interest and relative gains

• denies globalization or interdependence changes the structure of international anarchy

Constructivism

role of ideas, norms, and identities in shaping cooperation and global governance -- not only material power

Postcolonialism

critiques how interdependence often reflects unequal power relationships rooted in historical colonialism -- global governance structure reinforce Western dominance

Marxism

• struggle between classes between capitalist class and working class

• capitalism inevitably leads to inequality, exploitation, and eventually its own downfall

• capitalism should be replaced by socialism/communism

Neo-Marxism

global interdependence is a form of capitalist exploitation -- “cooperation” masks unequal global economic relationships