International Relations lectures - IS

lecture 2 - 12

What are the 3 core assumptions of realism

1. power struggles

2. state egoism / self-help

3. real politik - power politics

What are the 3 core variants of realism and explain

1. classical realism = power politics is based on state egoism; conflict is constant

2. neorealism = international systems dictate behaviour of states; anarchy is the root cause of competition and conflict

   1. offensive realism = regional hegemony; expand relative power

   2. defensive realism = maximising security

3. neoclassical realism = states behaviour is shaped by domestic factors but sub-national factors shape the countries choices

What are the six core assumptions of liberalism

1. progress is possible

2. reason and cooperation possible under anarchy

3. institutions & norms matters

4. conflict is not inevitable

5. domestic policies

What are the 3 major variants of liberalism and explain

1. interdependence liberalism = economic cooperation creates mutual dependence which makes conflict expensive

2. republican (democratic) liberalism = internal political institutions constrain leaders and democratic states resolve issues peacefully with each other

3. neoliberal institutionalism - institutions facilitate cooperation

What 3 things does the liberal international order explain

1. how power and institutions are combined to sustain order

2. why leading states accept rules and constrains

3. orders depend on legitimacy and restraint

How does LIO add onto neoliberal institutionalism; republican liberalism and interdependence liberalism

neoliberal institutionalism = rules and institutional stabilise cooperation

republican liberalism = liberal states are more rule-bound and legitimate

interdependence liberalism = open markets raise exist and conflict costs

What are the 4 core assumptions about constructivism

1. social construction of reality

2. identity matters

3. norms and ideas shape behaviour

4. anarchy is not fixed - based on interaction and interpretation

What does A. Wendt argue about anarchy

anarchy does not lead to conflict or cooperation but depends on how state interact with this anarchy. He argues that there are 3 cultures of anarchy

1. Hobbesian (conflictual) = states are existential threats

2. Lockean (competitive) = rivals but recognise sovereignty

3. Kantian (cooperative) = states are partners with shared norms

Maersheimer 2019 ‘Bound to Fail’ from a realism, liberal and constructive perspective about Liberal International Order

1. realism = LIO only worked when one superpower dominated the world

2. liberal = LIO can survive because other economic cooperation and institutions still encourage states to work together

3. constructive = LIO depends on norms, ideas, and choices of the states

Explain the security dilemma

state aiming to increase its own security however it makes another state less secure; this triggers a spiral of competition

• defensive is perceived as offence

• arms race = military build up

• intentions in anarchic system are unclear

Explain horizontal and vertical proliferation

horizontal: nuclear weapons extend to new actors and state

vertical: nuclear weapons are advanced and expanded within the existing arsenal and actors

nuclear deterrence (key concept nuclear weapons)

use the threat of a nuclear attack to prevent an attack

extended deterrence (key concept nuclear weapons)

use own military tools to protect allies → umbrella theory

mutual assured destruction (MAD) (key concept nuclear weapons)

both states with nuclear weapons can destroy so they can maintain peace

first strike versus second strike ability (key concept nuclear weapons)

the one who attacks first versus the one who is able to survive and retaliate

nuclear taboo (key concept nuclear weapons)

against the use of nuclear weapons

stability-instability paradox (key concept nuclear weapons)

not resorting to nuclear power however do use low-level violence

Perspective on nuclear weapons (realist; liberal; constructive)

realist = survival

liberal = international bodies can constrain proliferation and foster cooperation

constructivist = norms, identity, and prestige shape the decision on proliferation

Why do states build the bomb - Sagan 1996 and explain the 3 models

1. security model = increase national security

2. domestic politics model = solve bureaucratic objectives; satisfy internal objectives

3. norms model = symbol of national identity, modernity, status

What other factors contribute to proliferation

leader psychology

leverage & bargaining

political economy

strategic culture

What is the proliferation debate - Walt-Sagan debate

optimistic vs pessimist view

optimist = deterrence produces cautions

pessimist = more nuclear weapons; more risk for failure - preventive method of war; accidents; irresponsible nuclear powers

How to control proliferation

through key institutions and treaties

arms control vs disarmament

What does theory give us?

compare, organize, pattern, evaluate

Why is IR seen as a western project?

the theories are treated as universal but were built to explain 1 region. Other regions are seen as deviations from the norm and more treated like data points

Why does non-western IR theory grow more slowly?

hegemonic acceptance

area studies vs IR theory

language

policy pull

institutional

What are the perspective on Asia and western theory

realism: power competition but cannot explain why Asia continues to be stable

liberalism: recognises institutions but assumes they are based on Western ideas

constructivism: assumes that the non-western norms are curiosities

What are the 3 ways to adapt non-western IR to global IR

1. extend and adapts western IR → add new cases; but they can become supplementary

2. build on Asian exceptionalism → build theories around asian concepts but this can replace one particularism with another

3. global IR → multiple traditions to broaden the scope

How to expand the global foundations of IR

1. recognise that Westphalian concepts are historical traditions

2. constitutive localisation

3. subsidiarity

4. create dialogue

What four things does post-colonialism note

inequalities and disparities over power

race / ethnicity and gender are brought in to understand IR

highlights Eurocentrism in IR

argues that the world is a hierarchy

Feminist & gender approaches

challenges the absence of women in IR

says that gender is socially constructed

IR is ‘gender-blind’

What are the 4 feminist theories in IR?

liberal (mills) → institutional

marxist (benston) → inequality serves the patriarchy

post-colonial (hook) → W vs NW women

ecological

What is the difference between Marxism and neomarxism

marxism argues that IR is driven by socio-economic forces whilst neomarxism expands this scope and argues that it also includes cultural and ideological factors

What is bio politics

power works by managing and shaping people’s behaviour (Foucault)

explain the link between articulation - discourse - hegemony

articulation is linking ideas together so that they change meaning and identity

discourse is the complete system of meaning created by articulation

hegemony is the dominant discourse in a society

what is post-modernism

it argues that global politics is shaped by language, discourse and power dynamics

what its post-humanism

challenges that human are the center of everything

what is the principle of decanting

remove universality of western theories

it is done by provincialisation - engagement - reconstruction

What are the 5 types of security

military, social, economical, political and environmental

what is the securization theory

non-politiczed - politicised - securitised (= it is a threat)

war

a major conflict with annual deaths of at least 1000

blitzkrieg

a fast and sudden attack

total war

utizling all layers of society for war → economy but also socially

hegemonic war

war between states to determine who the dominant state is

guerilla warfare

smaller groups who attack the enemy

revolutionary war

overthrow the government or political system to replace it

what are the 3 elements of Eurocentric concept of war

1. war and peace are opposites

2. war is only between states

3. war is international or civil

what is the just war theory

a war that meets certain ethical standards and is thus allegedly justified

• jus ad bellum = why

• jus in bello = how

what are the 5 varieties of a world order

bipolar order = 2 dominating powers

unipolar order = 1 single nation

multipolar = 3+ dominating powers

multiplex = several layers of powers that interact with each other

post-americas = the decline of the US as a dominant world power

what is the pluralist state theory

political power is centralised and the interest groups are varied

how to recognise world powers?

capabilities

ambitious