POLS 103: Introduction to International Relations Exam Review

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on international relations, focusing on various theories, types of warfare, decision-making models, and issues related to global conflict.

Rational Model

A decision-making framework that assumes individuals and organizations make choices based on rational calculations to maximize benefits.

Hegemonic War

A conflict in which one nation seeks to impose its dominance over others.

Total War

A type of war that involves all of a nation’s resources and targets the entire society, not just the military.

Counterinsurgency

Military or political action taken to defeat an insurgency.

Government Bargaining Model

A decision-making approach that views policy outcomes as the result of bargaining among various government agencies.

Civil War

A war between groups within the same country or state.

Guerilla War

A form of irregular warfare in which small groups use military tactics to fight a larger, traditional military.

Bounded Rationality

A theory that suggests decision-makers operate within the limits of their information and cognitive capabilities.

MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction)

A military doctrine where the use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would result in the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender.

Nationalism

A political ideology that emphasizes the interests of a particular nation, often in opposition to foreign influence.

WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction)

Weapons that can cause large-scale destruction and loss of life, such as nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

Groupthink

A psychological phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making.

Territorial Conflict

Disputes between states or groups over the ownership of land or resources.

Public Opinion

The collective preferences and attitudes of citizens regarding political issues, leaders, and government.

Economic Conflict

Disagreements or confrontations arising from perceived inequalities in trade, resources, or economic power.

Second Strike Capability

The assured ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retaliation.

Chemical Weapons Convention

An arms control treaty that outlaws the production and use of chemical weapons.

Biological Weapons Convention

An international treaty that prohibits the development, production, and stockpiling of biological and toxin weapons.

Organizational Process Model

o   Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

§  Decisions by government are not made by single person, but by preestablished routines and bureaucratic procedures

§  Path dependency

§  Past decisions shape distinctive actions

§  Often outdated and slow to innovate and inappropriate

Cognitive and affective biases

§  Mental short-cut / sub-conscious

§  Reduce dissonance

·        Brain – incorrectly – tries to make sense of world

·        Sunk Cost Fallacy – continue investing in a failing endevor because of past investments

Three Types of Cognitive Biases

·        Sunk Cost Fallacy - continue investing in a failing endeavor because of past investments

o   Vietnam war

·        Historical analogy – apply past events to current events

o   History rhymes, but doesn’t apply exactly to current situations

·        Confirmation bias

o   Seek out supporting evidence and ignore contradicting evidence

Prospect Theory

Loss Aversion

o   The pain of loss is larger than the joy from gain

o   The reference point creates greater or lesser willingness to take risks

Interest Groups

§  Coalition advocating for specific policies

·        AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee)

o   Fraction of American-Jews, yet holds a large amount of power

·        Armenian National Committee of America

o   Acknowledge Armenian Genocide

o   Led to fallout with Turkey

Military-industrial complex

§  Inter network

·        Congress

·        Pentagon

·        Contractors

Rally ‘round the flag

Limited war/targeted strike

o   target strike, raids, low intensity conflict – conflict short of overthrowing or controlling another state

individual cause of war

§  Rational calculation (War>peace?)

§  Devastation of rationality

o   Is war part of human nature or is it conditional on environment and society

§  Not great track record

·        War at every level of society

·        Evidence of early massacres by humans

§  Arguments that war is not part of Human nature

·        War did not emerge until late in human history

·        Non-fire incidents in war

·        Veteran suicide rates and PTSD

Domestic Cause of War

§  Regime Type (Democracy, Authoritarian

·        Transitions to democracy are likely to devolve into civil war

Diversionary War – take people's attention away from a crisis

Inter-domestic Cause of War

§  Dyads – all possible pairs of countries

·        Major risk factors for inter-state war

o   Contiguity

o   Territorial disputes

o   Past conflict

Global Cause of War

§  World politics follow a roughly 100 year cycle driven by the rise and fall of global power

§  Each cycle has a systemic war, a reset, followed by a period of global leadership, then decline

Conflict of Interest

o   Conflict of Interests – Usually tangible

§  Territory (land, sea, and air), economic

§  Land

Conflict of Ideas

§  Identity – nationalism, ethnicity (ethnic conflict), religion (ideology)

·  Nationalism  - sharing a common culture and political identity and share a devotion to your group over another

o   Used to mobilize and create its own state

§  Self-determination

o   To “protect” a state

Irredentism

(Unredeemed) – Take back rightful territory

Secession

·  plot of state attempts to leave

o   Moldova and Transnistria

Laws on State control of sea

12 miles is territorial sea

Conflict over control of government

A struggle between groups or factions seeking authority and power within a state.

lateral pressure theory

· As countries grow economically, they need more to grow

o   Natural resources

o   Shipping lanes

o   Markets

· One of the biggest problems of capitalism is that it needs to grow constantly to succeed

o  If competing states get in the way, it may produce military conflict

economic inequality and instability

§  Global Inequality -> instability

·  Group have been left behind in free trade

o   Very poor and the middle class lose money

Ethnic conflict/ethnocentrism

exacerbated by territory, resources, historical exploitation

o   Genocide has to have intent destroy, in whole or part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group such as:

§  Killing members of the group

§  Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group

Ideological and Religious conflict

Disputes arising from differing beliefs, values, or religious doctrines that can lead to violence or war.

Genocide

o   Genocide has to have intent destroy, in whole or part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group such as:

§  Killing members of the group

§  Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group

UN Convention on Genocide

An international treaty aimed at preventing and punishing the crime of genocide, established in 1948. It outlines the obligations of signatory states to prevent acts of genocide and to prosecute those responsible.

Conventional military forces

o   Soft power leverage

§  Aid diplomacy, economic sanctions, tariffs

o   Hard power leverage

o   Civilian-military government

o   US Policed the high seas with its navy during the modern era

Power projection

The ability of a state to deploy and sustain military forces in foreign territories to influence events.

Lethal autonomous weapons

Weapons systems that can independently select and engage targets without human intervention, capable of making decisions through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Their use raises ethical and legal concerns regarding accountability and the potential for unintended consequences in warfare.

Stealth technology/drones

Technological advancements that enable drones to avoid detection by radar, infrared, and other surveillance methods, making them less visible or invisible to enemy sensors. This technology involves design features such as special materials, shapes that deflect radar waves, and sound-dampening capabilities, allowing for covert operations in military, reconnaissance, and surveillance missions. Stealth drones enhance situational awareness and operational effectiveness while minimizing the risk of detection.

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

An international agreement established in 1968 to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, promote disarmament, and encourage peaceful use of nuclear energy, recognizing five nuclear-armed states and facilitating cooperation among member states.