PolSci 240 Midterm

What is politics according to Morgenthau?

World of opposing interests and conflict.

What is politics according to Machiavelli and Morgenthau?

Struggle for power.

What is politics according to the American Heritage Dictionary?

Art/science of government.

What is politics according to Sibley?

Collective affairs.

What is International Relations (IR)?

Study of politics among states.

Definition of Nation-State?

A legal entity consisting of a government that manages the affairs of a population in a given territory.

What are the four characteristics of a Nation-State?

Government, Territorial integrity, Population, Sovereignty.

Definition of Sovereignty?

External independence and internal supreme authority within a territory.

Definition of Nation (Goldstein)?

Population that shares identity, language, and culture.

Definition of Nation (Mansbach)?

Collection of people based on ethnic, linguistic, or cultural affinity.

Definition of Nation (Ray)?

Cultural entities who are ancestrally related.

Definition of Nation (Russett, Starr, & Kinsella)?

People who feel they are part of an identity group.

Definition of Nationalism (Goldstein)?

Devotion to the interests of one’s nation.

Definition of Nationalism (Textbook)?

Set of psychological, cultural, and social forces that drive the formation of a nation and sustain national identity.

Is nationalism necessary for a nation or state?

Necessary for a nation, not necessarily for a state.

Definition of Anarchy in IR?

No authority above the state.

What was the significance of the Peace of Westphalia (1648)?

Ended the Thirty Years War; established the modern state system where rulers determine the religion of their territory.

What is Diplomacy?

Direct official communication between representatives of international actors.

What is the Military in IR?

Organized violence; state monopoly on legitimate use; includes cost considerations and capabilities.

Economic tools in IR?

Sanctions and rewards.

What is an IGO?

Intergovernmental Organization; membership restricted to states.

Examples of IGOs?

UN, EU, ASEAN, NATO.

What is an NGO?

Transnational, private organization like International Red Cross or Greenpeace.

What is an MNC?

Multinational Corporation; companies managing production in more than one country.

When did the modern state system begin?

1648.

When did the study of International Relations begin?

1918.

South Korea is an example of?

Nation-State.

USA is an example of?

Multi-nation State.

Kurdish people are an example of?

Nation.

Palestine is an example of?

Nation.

Main question of the First Great Debate?

Can IR be cooperative or is it inherently conflictual?

Key assumptions shared by Classical Realism and Idealism?

States are sovereign, international anarchy exists, states are rational actors.

Key actor in Classical Realism?

States as unitary actors.

Key scholars in Classical Realism?

E.H. Carr, Hans Morgenthau.

Theory of Classical Realism?

IR is inherently conflictual; best we can do is manage conflict.

View on international institutions in Classical Realism?

Skeptical; believes human nature is flawed and states seek power.

Key actor in Idealism?

States and other actors.

Key scholar in Idealism?

Woodrow Wilson.

Theory of Idealism?

IR can be cooperative; conflict can be transcended.

View on international institutions in Idealism?

Institutions like the League of Nations could lead to harmony and eradicate war.

Who 'won' the First Great Debate?

Realism, due to the failure of the League of Nations and WWII.

Key changes before the Third Great Debate?

Cold War, détente, failure to explain wars by existing theories.

Key actor in Neorealism?

Only states, focusing on survival.

Key scholar in Neorealism?

Kenneth Waltz.

Theory of Neorealism?

Temporary cooperation is possible; frequency of war changes with power distribution.

When does war occur according to Neorealism?

Power imbalance (dominance or too many major powers).

What system is most stable according to Neorealism?

Bipolar system.

Key actors in Neoliberalism (Institutionalism)?

States, individuals, firms, NGOs, IGOs.

Key scholars in Neoliberalism?

Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye.

Theory of Neoliberalism?

International institutions lower transaction costs, enable cooperation, and are beneficial.

Key scholar in Constructivism?

Alexander Wendt.

Key theory in Constructivism?

'Anarchy is what states make of it'; norms and collective meanings matter.

Five pathologies of Realism according to David Lake?

Reifying research traditions, rewarding extremism, mistaking traditions for theories, narrowing subject matter, seeking universal hegemony.

Issue in the Second Great Debate?

How should we study IR? History (traditionalism) vs Science (behavioralism).

Arguments of Traditionalism?

Historical, legal, philosophical analysis; politics too complex for data.

Arguments of Behavioralism?

Making IR more observable and testable through quantitative models.

Issue in the Fourth Great Debate?

Is objectivity possible in IR?

Arguments of Positivism?

Falsifiability, causal relations, empirical observation.

Arguments of Post-Positivism?

Knowledge is socially constructed; no single objective truth.

Definition of Theory in IR?

Tool organizing the complexity of the world, simplifying reality, and should be falsifiable.

Definition of Hypothesis?

Testable theoretical statement connecting explanation to observation.

What does 'Correlation does not equal causation' mean?

Correlation can be spurious; causation requires deeper evidence.

What are the main levels of analysis in IR?

International system, Relations (dyadic/triadic/regional), State/domestic, Role, Individual.

Definition of Dyadic relation?

Analysis of the relationship between two countries.

Definition of Triadic relation?

Involving three countries (e.g., triangle of rivalries).

What is an emergent property in a system?

Simple elements interacting to create new complex behaviors (e.g., war, peace).

Difference between balancing and bandwagoning?

Balancing: joining the weaker; Bandwagoning: joining the stronger.

Who argued that Bipolar system is more peaceful?

Kenneth Waltz.

Who argued that Multipolar system is more peaceful?

Deutsch and Singer.

What does Power Transition Theory suggest?

War most likely when dominant and challenger powers are equal.

Definition of Power by Dahl?

Nation A's ability to get Nation B to do something B would not otherwise do.

Definition of Power by Morgenthau?

Control over minds and actions of others.

Does power equal violence according to Arendt?

No; power and violence are opposites.

Definition of Compellence?

Coercive diplomacy aiming to change ongoing behavior.

Definition of Deterrence?

Policy to prevent actions before they happen.

What is Capability (Hard Power)?

Physical object, talent, or quality used to affect others' behavior.

What is CINC?

Composite Indicator of National Capabilities; synthetic value expressing a state's share of six factors.

Six Measurements in CINC?

Urban population, Total population, Military expenditures, Armed forces, Energy consumption, Iron and steel production.

Top 5 military spenders?

US, China, Russia, India, Saudi Arabia.

What is Soft Power according to Joseph Nye?

Ability to influence through attraction rather than coercion.

Definition of Democracy?

System where candidates compete through frequent, fair elections with broad participation.

Definition of Autocracy?

Government that rules without free elections or respect for rights.

Types of Autocracy?

Totalitarian dictatorship, Military dictatorship, Monarchy.

Definition of Capitalism?

Private ownership of capital governed by market forces.

Definition of Socialism?

State ownership or control, redistribution of wealth, worker focus.

Tools of Statecraft?

Economic strength, Diplomacy, Force.

Are States Unitary Actors?

Not always; states have both national and particularistic interests.

Definition of Military-Industrial Complex (MIC)?

Alliance between military leaders, politicians, and arms manufacturers influencing foreign policy.

Definition of Public Opinion in IR?

Range of citizen views on foreign policy issues.

What is the Rally-round-the-flag Effect?

Leaders' approval increases after a crisis.

What is a Diversionary Incentive?

Leaders may use force to divert attention from domestic issues.

What is the Gender Gap in foreign policy?

Women tend to be more dovish than men.

What is the Rational Actor Model?

Decision-maker defines goals, weighs options, selects highest utility outcome.

Formula for Expected Utility?

Probability x Outcome.

Why does Bargaining fail leading to War?

Private information, commitment problems, indivisible issues.

What is Bounded Rationality?

Actors satisfice by choosing good enough options instead of optimizing.

What is Prospect Theory?

People are more risk-acceptant in losses than gains.

How do early experiences affect leaders?

They shape belief systems impacting foreign policy decisions.

What is Cognitive Bias?

Tendency to interpret information in a way consistent with existing beliefs.

Examples of Misperceptions leading to War?

Iraq underestimated US intervention in Kuwait; US overestimated Iraq's WMD capability.