Exam 2 - International Relations (AI Version)

National Interests

What a country ultimately wants to achieve internationally.

Grand Strategy

The broad long-term approach a state uses to protect itself and expand influence.

Policy

The specific methods or actions used to pursue larger goals.

Military Policy

Using armed force or troop presence to influence outcomes.

Political Policy

Using negotiation or agreements instead of force.

Economic Policy

Using money, trade, or financial pressure to influence another state.

Sanctions

Restricting certain economic activities with another country as punishment.

Embargos

Completely cutting off trade with another country.

Occupation

Stationing forces in and controlling foreign territory directly.

Total War

Conflict where victory requires complete submission of the enemy.

Diplomacy

Managing international relations through communication and agreements.

Rational Model

Decision making based on weighing costs and benefits.

Organizational Process Model

Decisions shaped by routine procedures and institutional habits.

Government Bargaining Model

Outcomes created by competing actors within the government.

Echo Chamber

An environment where opposing viewpoints are absent or discouraged.

Group Think

When the desire for agreement weakens critical thinking.

Bureaucracy

The administrative system responsible for carrying out government actions.

Interest Groups

Organizations attempting to shape public policy or political decisions.

Military Industrial Complex

The interconnected relationship between war industries and government interests.

Limited War

Conflict fought without seeking complete destruction or surrender of the enemy.

Proxy War

Conflict where major powers support others to fight indirectly.

Civil War

Internal conflict between groups within the same country.

Guerilla War

Uneven warfare relying on mobility and surprise tactics.

Global War

Conflict involving major powers competing over international dominance.

Cold War

Intense rivalry carried out mostly without direct military confrontation.

Religion Cause of War

Conflict emerging from religious differences or beliefs.

Ethnicity Cause of War

Conflict based on identity or ethnic divisions.

Ideology Cause of War

Conflict caused by opposing political or economic systems.

Territory Cause of War

Conflict over land or borders.

Economy Cause of War

Conflict tied to trade, resources, or wealth.

Government Cause of War

Conflict over who rules or how a state should be organized.

Irredentism

The attempt to reclaim territory viewed as historically belonging to a group.

Mercantilism

An economic approach focused on increasing national wealth and power through trade dominance.

Secession

An effort by a region or group to break away and form a new state.

Ethnicity and Statehood

Sharing an identity group does not automatically mean having a sovereign country.

Terrorism

Violence against civilians intended to create fear for political or ideological purposes.

Selected Targeting

Attacks aimed at specific individuals or institutions.

Categorical Terrorism

Attacks aimed at identifiable groups of people.

Indiscriminate Terrorism

Attacks intended to maximize civilian casualties.

State Sponsored Terrorism

When governments assist violent groups to achieve political objectives.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Weapons capable of causing catastrophic large

Nuclear Weapons

Weapons powered by atomic reactions.

Chemical Weapons

The use of toxic substances as weapons.

Biological Weapons

The use of disease or living organisms as weapons.

Fusion Bomb

A nuclear weapon created through combining atomic nuclei.

Fission Bomb

A nuclear weapon created through splitting atomic nuclei.

Nuclear Proliferation

The increasing spread of nuclear weapons technology between states.

Mutually Assured Destruction

The idea that nuclear conflict guarantees destruction for all sides involved.

Commander in Chief

The civilian leader who directs the armed forces.

Coup d’état

The sudden seizure of government power by military or elite forces.

Power Projection

A state’s ability to use force far beyond its own borders.