Realism v Critical (Case Studies)

Realist interpretation of Russia-Ukraine War

Russia perceived NATO’s eastward expansion as a threat to its influence and deployed an aggressive response to protect its security.

Russia-Ukraine War from Critical view

Highlights patterns of imperial thinking through Russian imperialism and Western hegemony and questions why states prioritise European security.

Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916)

A secret treaty between Britain and France, dividing the Ottoman Empires Arab land into spheres of western influence.

Sykes-Picot Postcolonialism

Shows how borders drawn by Western imperial powers completely ignored local ethnic desires and caused long-term conflicts and instability in the Middle East.

UN Resolution 1325

Resolution passed in 2000 by the UN that said that there is a disproportionate impact of war on women and they should be in peace negotiations.

UN Resolution 1325 (Feminism)

It highlights that male-dominated peace processes ignore structural violence (like SA) and incorporating a gender changes how peace is created.

India and China as developing nations

These countries have both grown a lot over the last century and have become much greater economies than previously but are still not fully developed.

Subaltern Realism View of India and China

Since they are still developing and have had to go through struggles to grow their economies, it’s likely that they care less about global order and more about their own prosperity.