Intro to Global Politics Vocab

IB Global Politics Vocab

Political Actors

People, organizations, or movements that wield some form of political power or engage with the political process (US Government or the UN)

Stakeholders

Political issues that impact people who are not directly involved in the issue

State

sovereignty over territory and a group of people

Nation-state

a territorially bounded sovereign polity—i.e., a state—that is ruled in the name of a community of citizens who identify themselves as a nation.

Government

the organization or mechanism through which a state or community is governed (kept in order)

Political Parties

groups of people who have common view about how the government of the state should function.

Political Leaders

people in charge of some form of government, whether that is state, sub-national, or local government

Civil society

organizations or groups of people that are not linked to the government

Inter-governmental organizations (IGOs)

consists of 2 or more states who promise that they will work together on political issues that are of common interest to all

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)

are private, non-profit organizations that operate independently of government control

private actor

who are not directly involved with the government but who have the ability to make change and influence people

Social Movements

groups of people who share a common concern about how society is functioning.

Resistance Movements

groups of people who want change but whose complaints are more directed towards particular government policies, laws, and leaderships.

Interests Groups

formally organized groups of people that aim to influence public policy.

Political Forums (formal+informal)

meetings of actors to discuss and debate different perspectives on a political issues

Media

newspaper, TV, online. Helps people express their opinions and be exposed to opinions of others.

Realism

its supporters claim it is realist nature: it seeks to explain the world as it really is rather than as it should be

Neorealism/structural realism

theory in international relations that builds on the classical realist tradition but introduces a focus on the structure of the international system as the key determinant of state behavior.

Liberalism

response to the ideas put forward by realist thinkers

Neoliberalism

theory that builds on the principles of classical liberalism but emphasizes the role of international institutions, economic interdependence, and the promotion of free markets to foster cooperation among states.

Constructivism

critical theory that challenges the more traditional theories

Critical Theory

examines and critiques the underlying power structures, ideologies, and inequalities in international relations

Feminist Theory

focuses on both the exclusions of the experience of women from global politics as a discipline and political processes in public life around the world, as well as making significant contributions through an exploration of patriarchy

Marxist Theory

the claim that production, distribution, and consumption of goods in society were the major factors impacting social life

Postcolonial theory

the impact that colonial and imperial histories still have in shaping a colonial way of thinking about the world and how Western forms of knowledge and power marginalize the non-Western world’.