Intro to International Relations (Midterm 1)

Vocabulary

Puzzle

a question about something suprising that happens in international politics

Theory

an explanation for why something happens

Hypothesis

a specific and testable prediction based on a theory

Level of analysis

where we look for the explanation

Invidvidual

a paritcular leader or person

Monadic

characteristics of on country

Dyadic

relationship between two countries

Systemic

structure of entire international system

Transitional

actor or processes that cross national borders

Realism

power and security

Institutionalism

cooperation and institutions

Constructivism

ideas, identities, and norms

Power

ability to get another actor to do something it otherwise wouldn’t do

Absoulte power

become better off

Relative power

become better off compared to you

Balance of power order

balance power among states, other powerful states, no state too powerfull,

Hegemonic Order

one dominant state leads, restraint on hegemon, hegemon has enough power to enforce order

Constitutional Order

rules & institutions, institutions & agree-upon rules, powerful. states bind themselves to institutions

Binding Institutions

powerful states agree to rules that limit what it can do

Public good

something every can benefit from, even though they didn’t help provide

Free riding

benefiting from a public good without contributing fair share

Leauges of Nations

prevent another major war through international cooperation and collective security

Legitimacy

belief that a rule, institution, or authority has right to govern or make rules

Peace of Westphalia

Traditionally associated with development of modern sovereign-state system

Interanational Legal Sovereignty

other states recognize you as a sovereign state

Westphalian Sovereignty

outside actors sholud not interfere with your domestic affairs

Domestic Sovereignty

government actually effective control inside its territory

Fragile state

government struggles to maintain authority and security

Cooperation

states adjust their behavior so they can achieve mutually beneficial outcomes

Collaboration

States generally want the same outcome but worry about cheating

Coordination

states mainly need to agree on the same choice

Bargaining

states disagree over how benefits should be divided

Prisoner’s Dilemma

both sides would benefit form cooperation, but each has incentive to cheat

Stag Hunt

Both want to cooperate, but not sure if they can trust each other

Chicken

each side wants other to give in

Iteration

states interact repeadtedly instead of only once

Tit-for-tat

start by cooperating, then copy what other actor did previously

Issue linkage

connect cooperation on one issue to another issue

Pareto Frontier

outcomes where you cannot make one actor better off without making someone else worse off

Positive sum

both sides can gain

Zero sum

one actor gain equals another actor’s loss

Realism

NATO continues to serve states security interrests and help members respond to threats

Institutionalism

NATO is an established institution that makes security cooperation easier through rules, information, coordination, and repeated interaction

Constructivism

NATO can also be understood through shared identities, norms, and ideas among members

Actors

someone or something that makes decisions or take actions in international relations