POLS1201 - Final Case Studies

Libya Intervention (2011)

In 2011, the international community used the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle to intervene in Libya’s civil war. This meant overriding Libya’s sovereignty to stop human rights abuses and protect civilians. It shows how liberal and constructivist ideas support humanitarian intervention, even when it means violating a country’s control.

Syria Conflict

Efforts to use R2P to protect civilians in Syria failed mainly because powerful countries like Russia and China blocked action in the UN Security Council. This shows the limits of international norms when realist politics—focused on state power and interests—dominate.

Ukraine Invasion

Russia’s military attack on Ukraine in 2014 and 2022 violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This is a clear example of realism, where states act primarily to protect their own power and security, even if it breaks international rules.

South China Sea Dispute

This dispute involves several countries claiming territory in the South China Sea. It shows a conflict between international law (supported by liberalism) and the use of military or economic power by states (realism), with China rejecting international court rulings.

Brexit Example

The UK’s decision to leave the European Union reflects a desire to regain full national control rather than sharing sovereignty in a larger political union. It highlights tensions around sovereignty and globalization.

Syria’s Multi-Level Security Challenge

Syria’s ongoing conflict includes war between government and rebels, terrorism, and failed international protection efforts under R2P. This creates complex security problems involving local, regional, and global actors.

Australia’s Refugee Policy

Australia’s strict asylum policies highlight the balance between protecting human rights (human security) and securing national borders (national security), showing how states manage conflicting priorities.

Climate Change Threat

Climate change is a global ecological security challenge because its effects—like rising sea levels and extreme weather—cross national borders and threaten the planet’s ecosystems, requiring international cooperation.

COVID-19 Pandemic

The global spread of COVID-19 revealed weaknesses in global health security and cooperation, exposing limits of international organizations like the WHO in coordinating an effective response.

Ukraine’s National Security Issue

Ukraine’s situation is often seen through realist theory as a national security struggle, where protecting state borders and interests is central amid conflict with Russia.

Syria’s Civil War

Syria’s civil war is complicated by involvement of proxy actors (other countries supporting different sides) and the failure of international intervention. This shows how civil conflicts are difficult to resolve and how R2P can fail.

Ukraine Power Rivalry

The Ukraine conflict represents a renewed power rivalry between Russia and the West, showing realist ideas of power politics returning to prominence after the Cold War.

Iraq War (2003)

The US-led invasion of Iraq happened without explicit UN Security Council approval, highlighting how international law can be ignored by powerful states when they choose to act.

Afghanistan War

A long-running conflict involving foreign intervention that raised questions about the legitimacy and success of efforts to rebuild the country and establish stability.

Libya NATO Operation

The NATO-led intervention in Libya was supported by the UN but remains controversial—some see it as successful humanitarian action, others as an overreach violating Libya’s sovereignty.

End of Cold War Change

The collapse of the Soviet Union was influenced by changing international identities and norms, showing how ideas and social factors matter in global politics (constructivism).

Nuclear Weapon Taboo

A strong international norm has developed against the use of nuclear weapons, influencing states’ behavior by making nuclear attack socially and politically unacceptable.

Responsibility to Protect Norm

R2P is a relatively new global norm suggesting that states have a duty to protect their citizens from mass atrocities, and the international community should intervene if they fail.

Changing Sovereignty Concept

Sovereignty used to mean complete control over a country, but now it is often seen as conditional, meaning states have responsibilities towards their people and the international community.

Human Rights and LGBT Progress in UN

The UN’s increasing recognition of LGBT rights and human rights shows how global norms evolve to include more groups and issues over time.

South China Sea Legal Dispute

China’s refusal to accept an international tribunal’s ruling on territorial disputes shows that powerful states may ignore international law, emphasizing realist views of power over law.

Iraq Invasion and UN Law

The Iraq War highlighted that UN laws and resolutions can be sidelined if powerful states decide to act without Security Council approval.

UN Peacekeeping in Somalia

The UN’s peacekeeping mission in Somalia is often seen as a failure due to lack of clear goals, poor coordination, and ongoing violence.

Libya Intervention Controversy

Though backed by the UN, the Libya intervention sparked debate over whether it respected sovereignty or was an overreach justified by humanitarian concerns.

Syria and UN Security Council Deadlock

Political divisions, especially vetoes by Russia and China, have blocked effective UN action on Syria, showing limits of international law enforcement.

Paris Climate Agreement

A global effort where countries agreed to limit greenhouse gas emissions, showing cooperation under liberal internationalism to address climate change.

Pacific Islands and Rising Seas

Rising sea levels threaten the very existence and sovereignty of small island nations, posing existential risks requiring urgent international attention.

Global COVID-19 Response

The pandemic exposed poor coordination and weak leadership in global health governance, limiting effective international response.

Brazil and Amazon Sovereignty vs Environment

Brazil’s claims over the Amazon often clash with global concerns about protecting vital ecosystems, highlighting tensions between national sovereignty and global environmental responsibility.

Vaccine Access Inequality

The uneven distribution of COVID-19 vaccines shows how poorer countries (Global South) suffer more, pointing to global health inequities.

Libya (2011) R2P Success

This case shows R2P working effectively with UN support to stop mass atrocities.

Syria R2P Failure

Lack of Security Council agreement prevented action, showing limits of the norm.

Rohingya Crisis

The international community largely failed to intervene, showing selective enforcement of humanitarian principles.

China and Uighurs

China uses sovereignty to block international criticism and intervention over human rights abuses against Uighurs.

Human Rights Council Challenges

The UN Human Rights Council is often criticized for political bias and limited power to enforce human rights.