PLSC 14 PSU Exam 1

States

Territorial entities in which a central authority provides public goods.

Governments

Bureaucratic-legal apparatus constituting the central authority.

Nations

Sets of people sharing identity of a cultural, ethnic or historic sort.

Nation-States

Combination of a nation and state. Ideal that people within a state have a shared identity. Rare in real world.

Correlates of War (COW)

500,000+ population, externally sovereign, diplomatic recognition. 190 of them identified.

International Governmental Organizations (IGOs)

Composed of states as members, and are either global or regional, and either single or multi-purpose.

Ex. EU, UN

Types of IGOs

Collective Security IGOs (NATO, UN).

Economic IGOs (OPEC, IMF).

International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs)

Composed of non-state members from two or more countries. Usually exist to pressure gov'ts, or to provide services gov'ts cannot. (Red Cross, Amnesty International)

Multi-National Corporations

Trans-national businesses with facilities in two or more states.

International Terroristic Networks

Non-state, but often state supported trans-national interest groups specializing in violence.

Individuals

Extraordinary personalities that influence world politics. (Mandela)

De Facto States

-Control territory and population, which they "govern" to varying extents.

-Lack diplomatic recognition.

-Usually arise in weak states, early in state histories or in war-torn areas.

(Confederate States of America)

Fundamental Characteristics of the International System

-Anarchy: absence of central authority.

-Uncertainty: about others' intentions.

-These lead to self-help.

Maximizing Power Internally

-Larger more productive pop.

-More effective economic system.

-Strong military and weapons capabilities.

-Well protected borders.

Maximizing Power Externally

-Make arrangements with other states against common enemies.

-Convince other states that a threat to you is a threat to them.

-This is a specialty of small states.

Security Dilemma

-Caused by states trying to maximize powers.

-When one state increases their power, every other state's goes down, causing them to feel less secure.

-(Arms Race)

Realism

-Anarchy + Uncertainty = Self-Help

-Self-Help = Security Dilemmas

-The only condition that realists predict cooperation will exist is when states have a common enemy.

-Consequently, IR is fraught with conflict.

COW's Operational Definition of Power

(Composite Indicator of Nat'l Capabilities)

-Demographic (total pop., urban pop.)

-Economic (iron & steel production, energy consumption)

-Military (total troops, military expenditures)

-Index is created from raw totals divided into shares.

Founders of Realism

-Thucydides

-Thomas Hobbes

Classical Realism

Adds an assumption that human nature is evil.

Neorealism

most common: anarchy, uncertainty, self help, security dilemmas

Offensive Realism

very aggressive version of neorealism, warfare a constant fear.

Defensive Realism

mild form of neorealism, few states seek to dominate others, most seek peace by maintaining the status quo.

Fundamental Assumptions about IR for Liberal Theorists

-International system is anarchic, but is not a war of all against all.

-States seek to maximize utility rather than power or survival.

-utility = anything of value such as warmth, a car.

Complex Interdependence

-Different problems require different solutions.

-Large military good for border disputes, large market share good for trade disputes.

-Easier to find mutually advantageous bargains.

International Institutions

Set of rules known by relevant actors, that structure political interactions in certain ways.

(United Nations Security Council)

How Institutions Affect Interactions

-Set standards of behavior

-Verify compliance

-Reduce decision making costs

-Resolve disputes

Neo-Liberal Institutionalism

Anarchy is mainly a problem due to cheating on agreements. IOs can help mitigate the risks from cheating.

Interdependence/Globalization

States that "merge" their economies (trade w each other and invest in each other) are less likely to fight when preferences change.

Founders of Liberalism

-Immanuel Kant

-Robert Keohane

Goals of Science

-Describe what happens

-Explain why it happens

-Predict where it will happen again

1st Objection to Science of IR

-There is an inherent unpredictability to human behavior.

2nd Objection to Science of IR

-What happens in politics is too multi-causual.

3rd Objection to Science of IR

-Inability to experiment.

4th Objection to Science of IR

-Cannot measure the really interesting concepts in the social world.

Game Theory

-A mathematical presentation of interdependent choice.

-Players are assumed to be rational actors.

International Law

A body of rules that binds states and other agents in world politics in their relations with one another and is considered to have the status of law.

International Law Arising From Custom

-International law that usually develops slowly over time as states recognize practices as appropriate and correct.

-Not especially clear.

International Law by Treaties/Conventions

-International law that is codified by written agreements.

"Hard" International Law

International law that is obligatory, precisely defined, and delegates substantial authority to 3rd parties.

"Soft" International Law

International law that exhorts, is ambiguous and does not delegate.

International Norms

-Standards of behavior for actors with a given identity; norms define what actions are "right" or appropriate.

-Informal institutions.

Types of International Norms

-Constitutive: define who is a legitimate or appropriate actor.

-Procedural: define how decisions should get made.

-Regulative: govern interactions between actors.

Transnational Advocacy Networks (TANs)

-A set of individuals and non-governmental organizations acting in pursuit of a normative objective.

-Probably the best way to incorporate NGOs into IR.

-Initiate new norms and promote existing ones.

How TANs Influence IR

-Agenda Setting

-Pressuring States

-Facilitating Cooperation

Human Rights

Rights that all individuals posses by virtue of being human.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

-Where human rights originate in IR.

-Life, liberty and security of person.

-Freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

-Equal protection under the law, public trials.

-Freedom of movement and residence.

-Non-binding resolution.

!!!Eurocentric/Western-centric Contention to Human Rights

!!!!!!!-Rights are almost always individual rather than communal.

-Arguments arise from the western liberal philosophic tradition.

-Very similar to US bill of rights.

Norms of Non-Interference Contention to Human Rights

!-The UN enshrined the tradition of national sovereignty, of non-interference in domestic affairs.

Why States Join HR Conventions

-to protect people

-help democratizing states continue to democratize.

-to promote peace and prosperity.

-direct material incentives.

Why States Violate HR Conventions

-Incapacity. (gov't not in full control)

-Eliminate domestic opposition during crises.

-Enforcement of punishment is rare.

-Reservations.

Individual Petition

A right that permits individuals to petition international courts directly if they believe their rights have been violated.

Universal Jurisdiction

Claim by some countries of right to prosecute perpetrators of crimes against humanity regardless of the citizenship of the individuals involved or location of crimes.

The International Criminal Court

(2002) posseses jurisdiction to hear cases about HRs in any of the 100 states parties, provided domestic courts have not ruled.

CIRI Human Rights Dataset

-Codes information about government respect for human rights

-Ranks countries based on physical integrity rights and civil liberties.

The Tragedy of the Commons

Any commonly used resource will be overused because the benefits of overuse are private and the costs of overuse are public.

Solutions to the Tragedy of the Commons

-Moral persuasion.

-Privatization.

-Coercive Regulation.

"Solved" Commons

-Whales

-Ozone

-International Law of the Sea

Ostrom's Rules for Commons Management

-Clearly define the boundaries and membership.

-Rules have to make sense locally.

-Those affected can be in on rule modification.

-Monitors are members.

-Graduated sanctions.

-No interference from above.

The Logic of Collective Action

-since every member of the collective enjoys the good once provided, regardless of their contribution, every member has an incentive to free ride.

-result: collective good not provided, or it will be under provided.

Ways to Prevent Free Riding

-small groups

-selective incentives

-privileged actor