POLI2520 Reading Flashcards

Walt "One World, Many Theories"

No theory can single-handedly describe the world but Realism remains the dominant explanation

Reiter "Should We Leave Behind the Subfield of IR?"

Rejects embracing thematic divisions, defences ‘IR’ organisation

Hobson "The Eastern Origins of the Rise of the West"

Challenges Eurocentrism by arguing the West was a "late developer" that "Orientalized" (assimilated) Eastern ideas and technologies. ‘Return’ not ‘Rise’ of China [Postcolonial]

Acharya "Before the Nation-State"

Critiques state-centric IR and proposes "World Order" to analyze civilizational contributions (e.g., Indian, Chinese) typically ignored by Western theory. [Postcolonial]

Freiden, Lake & Schultz "What Shaped Our World?"

History of WP: Westphalia, Mercantilism, 30 years crisis, Cold war competition, defined the post war order. Global conflict/cooperation is not random, it’s defined by the security/economic interests of dominant powers and their institutions [Realism]

Fazal "The Power of Principles"

Despite global conflict, international norms remain powerful. The US must preserve the liberal order by addressing hypocrisy and double standards in the Global South [Liberal]

Dunne "Liberal Internationalism"

Liberal internationalism is in crisis due to the decline of American hegemony and rise of rival powers, leading to a loss of legitimacy for Western institutions. Despite flaws, the framework is indispensable [Liberalism]

Poast "A World of Power and Fear"

Distinguishes analytical realism and realism as a policy. Individual realists (ideology) may be controversial like the war in Ukraine (Mearsheimer), but the framework remains sound [Realism]

True "Feminism(s)"

IR ignores gender and reinforces global hierarchies. She discusses Empirical, Analytical, and Normative Feminism. ‘The personal is international’ - IR exclusion of gender fails to see how private gendered relationships shape international institutions and forces. [Feminism]

Hobden and Jones "Marxist Theories of International Relations"

Global capitalism as primary driver of history, they review Gramscian and World Systems Theory approaches. Globalisation isn’t new but a continuation of capitalist expansion [Marxism]

Krishna "Postcolonialism and Its Relevance for IR"

Critiques IR obsession with the state and Eurocentrism, the modern world is a history of capitalism, colonisation, and racial exploitation. Postcolonialism isn’t after colonialism, it’s about understanding the legacy of colonial logic. [Postcolonialism]

Beckley and Brands "China Is a Declining Power and That’s the Problem"

Rejects Thucydides trap (rising power=war), says that it’s actually a China ‘peaking power’ trap where rising powers are more aggressive when they know their window of opportunity is closing. [Realism]

Yan "Becoming Strong: The New Chinese Foreign Policy"

China has gone from ‘biding time’ to asserting dominance now that American hegemony is fading. China has a dual-identity (power and Global South) and seeks to reshape international norms. [Realism]

Christensen "There Will Not Be a New Cold War"

US-China is not a Cold war because (1) not ideological struggle (2) intertwined economies (3) no opposing military alliance systems. US must use its network to manage specific security threats and not fall into the all-or-nothing mindset. [Liberalism]

Lanoszka "Russian Hybrid Warfare and Extended Deterrence in Eastern Europe"

Hybrid warfare isn’t a new warfare but a strategy and it’s used by belligerents for local escalation. Most effective in weak states, traditional military defence is insufficient, should strengthen civil society [Realism/Constructivism]

Biddle "Back in the Trenches"

There’s no technological revolution, the war is just like WW1 because armies adapt to new technologies; offence and defence are still balanced [Realism]

Ashford and Grieco "How Ukraine Can Win Through Defense"

Victory through defence to avoid stalemates; fortification, domestic supply chains and this is a cheaper alternative [Defensive Realism]

Gilpin "Three Ideologies of Political Economy"

3 competing ideologies, favours liberalism but understands the importance of realism. Economic and Political relations are intertwined [Explains all 3]

Drezner "Globalization and Policy Convergence"

Rejects ‘race to the bottom’, little empirical evidence. States retain agency, policy convergence is usually due to purposeful policy decision [Realism]

Bello "The End of Globalization"

Post 2008 signals decline on globalisation, advocates for deglobalisation (self-sufficiency, sustainability, income redistribution) [Critical/Marxism]

Reus-Smit "International Law"

Constitutional, Foundational, Specific (3 levels), based on ideas; despite realist skepticism, international law matters [Constructivist]

Ba "A Truly International Criminal Court"

The ICC isn’t actually international, only prosecutes Africa. They must stop falling to pressures and be truly international [Postcolonial, Constructivist]

Hathaway "War Unbound"

Laws of war are crumbling because of dual-use targets, she advocates for stricter constraints (make better guidelines for civilian protection) (Liberalism)

Slaughter "Networks, Not Nation-States Will Solve Global Crises"

Traditional summits and treaties aren’t enough because they’re societal forces. Global networks (civil society, non state actors, etc) [Liberalism]

Kopec "Game Theory and the Self-Fulfilling Climate Tragedy"

Tragedy of the commons is a self-fulfilling prophecy, reject this model and embrace cooperative game theory and collective action. [Liberalism]

Monbiot "Capitalism is Killing Our Planet"

Capitalist profit motives and exponential growth is killing the planet; cap growth, dismantle the system [Constructivism]

Chivvis and Morganbesser "What Gen Z Thinks About U.S. Foreign Policy"

Against American militant and global control, but favours soft role on climate change and human rights. Gen Z republicans increasingly internationalist; shift away from ‘world policeman’. [Constructivism/Liberalism]

Morrison "Have We Overburdened Gen Z With Fears of the Future?"

Genz is feeling doomed, Gen X must educate them on skepticism and resilience to unburden them. [Constructivism]