International studies test 2

Realism

Views anarchy as a self-help system leading to power competition.

Liberalism

Sees anarchy as existing but can be mitigated through institutions and cooperation.

Neoliberalism

Recognizes anarchy exists, but cooperation is possible through institutions.

Constructivism

Believes anarchy is socially constructed—what states make of it.

Unitary, rational states

The kind of actors that Realism assumes.

Social beings

The kind of actors that Constructivism assumes, with identities shaped by interaction.

Neo

Refers to the emphasis on structure, scientific modeling, and positivism in Neorealism and Neoliberalism.

Liberal peace theory

Includes three dynamics: Democracy, economic interdependence, and international institutions.

Democracy reduces conflict

Transparency and accountability reduce chances of war.

Economic interdependence reduces conflict

War becomes too costly due to economic ties.

Institutions reduce conflict

They facilitate cooperation and reduce uncertainty.

Dyadic peace theory

Suggests that democracies don’t fight each other.

Monadic peace theory

Argues that democracies are generally more peaceful.

Immanuel Kant

The key philosopher behind Liberal IR theory.

Institutions in Neoliberalism

Promote cooperation by reducing uncertainty and enabling enforcement.

Formal institutions

Written rules such as treaties.

Informal institutions

Norms and practices.

Prisoner’s Dilemma

Models how rational actors might fail to cooperate without institutions.

Neoliberalism vs. Classical Liberalism

Neoliberalism focuses on systemic structure and institutional effects, less on domestic politics.

Historical trends supporting Neoliberalism

Growth of institutions post-WWII; rise in global interdependence.

Three institutional factors in Neoliberalism

Transparency, repeated interactions, issue linkage.

Fukuyama’s 'End of History' thesis

Liberal democracy is the final ideological form of government.

Social construct

A concept that exists because people collectively believe in it, e.g., money or chairs.

Institutions in Constructivism

Are viewed as shared ideas.

State interests in Constructivism

Shaped by identity and norms through social interaction.

Four features of Constructivism

Social Being, Mutual Construction, Social Facts, Social Cognition.

Wendt's 'Anarchy is what states make of it'

Anarchy doesn't cause conflict by itself; it’s defined by shared meanings and practices.

Mutually constitutive

States and the system shape each other over time.

Wendt's view on escaping the state of nature

Achieved through shared norms, identities, and social interaction that foster peace.