global politics exam 1

intro, methods + analysis, realism, liberali

what is realism?

an IR theory that focuses on the security dilemma, power, conflict, and how all states are unequal

how does power and security relate to realism?

in realism, when someone has power they can get security and only when they get security ca n they then start imposing their will

what are the principles of realism?

1. politics are governed by objective laws with roots in human nature

2. interest is defined by power

3. power is control of men over men

4. states try to build order in the situation of anarchy, without any authority or law over them

5. man is aware of moral significance of political action, but the action is dictated by survival

what is anarchy in realism?

no authority or law, the absence of hierarchy

what are the assumptions in realism?

states are the only actors (because they have military), states are unequal (hegemony), anarchy

how do states handle anarchy in realism?

they build order in the international systems (exercise power to promote interests), they try to balance power, and they use war

what is neorealism?

basically, instead of ending with the state being an aggressive power seeker, the state survives, it puts the focus on global power structure

can a global hegemon exist?

no

what is the security dilemma?

basically a vicious cycle in the international system:

starts with a state gaining power so they beef up security which leads to them imposing their interest which leads to stength, but then that states strength makes anothe rstate feel threatened to then that state goes through the whole cycle to counter balance which then lead to weakness which then leads to a desire for power, rinse repeat it

what is the cause of all conflict from a realist perspective?

human existence

what is peace in the realist perspective?

the absence of war

how do states prove power?

defend their interests, protect their resources, create alliances, react to external threats, and impose their will onto othershe

why is power important in the realist perspective?

states cannot be equal so you want to be on top, there is an inequality of power so again you want to be on top

is the US a hegemon?

yes

why does the US roam around (stick our noses in everyones business)?

we are a hegemon, we yearn to roam, bc we can

in the realist world, does a state want to have all the power?

no bc then other states will gang up against you

what is liberalism?

ir theory that focuses on interaction and actors (state and nonstate)

1. international system is more than the search for power and security

2. emphasizes cooperation and mutual benefit

3. states are not the only actors involved

how does liberalism differ from realism?

liberalsim: relies on more than just states (because of the rise of ngo igo), says cooperation can and does occur, views diplomacy as a tool for entities cooperating as complexly interdependent states, says interstate conflict is not necessary

realism: focus is on states, war is inevitable and necessary, zero sum game (someone wins, someone loses), views diplomacy as an instrument of adaptation to the changing distribution of power

what realism gaps does liberalism fill in?

allows cooperation to exist

why is cooperation so important?

cooperation and compromise define the international system, nothing can get done without it

what is neoliberalism?

focuses more in independence and free trade

anarchy —> state is one of many actors —> state independence

according to the DPT, why dont democracies fight each other?

will of the people (people do not want war with these people), democratic institutions encourage cooperation, democracies share values and beliefs (they are partners, not enemies), democracies may have economic interdependence on each other

what is the spectrum of cooperative interaction?

←isolation——interventionism——multilateralism→

where do realism and liberalism overlap?

states are actors but not necessarily the only ones, a focus on interaction of some kind

what are the fundementals of liberalism?

states are not the only actors, cooperation and mutual benefit can happen, the international system is more than just a search for power and security

what are the differences between neoliberalism and classical liberalism?

classical liberalism has states as the most important actor and ends with states being able to cooperate, to coexist while neoliberalism does not have a most important actor and ends with state interdependence

what us logrolling and how is it used in bureaucratic bargaining?

a concession made by party 1 to party 2 on a domestic issue in exchange for party 2’s support on foreign policy, it is used so a state can control foreign policy

how does public opinion affect foreign policy?

using the democratic peace theory, the will of the people can be a determining factor in conflicts, so it makes sense what the people want would influence the policy passed (in a democracy)

what does good theory have?

large explanatory power, parsimony, satisfying, clearly framed, falsifiable, important, prescriptive richness

if you do not have GOOD theory, do you have bad theory?

no, you just do not have GOOD theory YET

what is bad theory?

bad theory is UNSUPPORTED theory, not wrong, not right, just no evidence

do we test theory?

NO. we test HYPOTHESIS, not theory

why do we not test theory?

a theory can not be proven or disproven, it isnt testable, but a hypothesis is

what is the hypothesis formula?

cause (education) + relationship/direction (increases/decreases) + effect (voter turnout) = hypothesis

can a hypothesis be proven or disproven?

NO, a hypothesis can only be supported or rejected (either you find support under xyz conditions or you dont)

what is the resource theory of political participation?

basically says the more resources someone has, the more likely an individual is to understand the importance of political participation and the consequences of NOT participating in politics

what are the resources in the RTPP?

income, leisure time, education, social networks (4)

what is political participation in the RTPP?

voting, petitions, boycotting, protests, demonstrations (5)

how many possible hypotheses can be made from the RTPP?

20 (5*4)

what are international relations theories absed on?

the scientific method and norms in society

what is the purpose of IR theories?

settling foreign policy debates, allow analysists and decision makers to transform loads of unanswered questions into a logical construction, educate specific situations and decision making

can scientific theories be biased?

yes, much like prophecies were in the past

what makes methods useful?

DATA

what are the main data sources?

government and NGO reports, eyewitness sources, communications, intelligence, surveys, experimental methods

does all intelligence influence decision making?

no, not all intelligence is useful to everyone, or even useful period (information must be filtered)

what are some issues with intelligence?

the sheer multiplicity of intelligence signals poses problems since there is no one conclusion amongst all of it

where does intelligence come from (what are the sources)?

government officials, political parties, private citizens,

what are the most important/valued surveys?

expert polls and focus groups

what do most experiments study in the IR sphere?

conflict and resolution analysis

what is the “prisoners dilemma?”

basically when two people, typically criminals or people being interviewed (interrogated) and they are pit against each other (person a and person b are being interrogated separately. teh detective of a says b is ratting them out. detective of b says a is ratting them out. chaos and betrayal ensues)

what d you need to analyze?

critical thinking, virtues, awareness of bias, facts and opinions, parochialism

how does parochialism relate to analysis?

you need to make sure you dont judge a man until youve wlaked two moons in his moccassins, opposite of globalization

what are the levels of analysis?

individual, state, and global level

what is global politics?

the study of relationships between states/entities in the international system

also known as international relations, global affairs, international affairs. international politics

what is a state?

governed entity with a settled population occupying a permanent area with recognized borders and sovereignty

what is sovereignty?

the ability to rule without interference or fear of interference, it an independent rule

what are the tools of (maintaining) sovereignty?

international law, military, economy

How do states interact with each other?

CONFLICT, trade, diplomatic meetings, treaties, tariffs, conflicts, IGO's

what is a nation?

a large group of people sharing a common culture, religion, language, etc.

what are the differences between states and nations?

states are a recognized legal entity while nations are cultural and social

not all nations have their own state and not all states consist of one nation

what is the international system?

comprehensive global context in which states operate

why isnt a state in the usa a state in global politics?

it lacks sovereignty

what is the difference between international relations and comparative politics?

int relations is the student of different places relations as opposed to their politics/political systems

what can sovereign states do?

have a military, print money, issue laws

NGO's have caused an increase in what?

global spread of democratic governments; because democracies allow increased knowledge of foreign policies/powers

what has led to a rise in NGO's?

globalization and the rise of international conflicts

governments and nongovernments make reports on populations, foreign aid, all kinds of shit. what can skew these reports?

self interest, professional prestige, competition

how to alleviate conflict?

reduce poverty, address injustices, eliminate inequality, maybe we cant (its inevitable)

military dictatorships + small radical groups not affiliated with any state =

todays threats to stability in the international system

what/who feeds cooperation?

alliances, foreign policy, diplomacy, informal communication channels, other entities

what "other entities" fuels corporation?

other states, IGO's, NGO's, corporations, international institutions

what is a nationstate?

a state containing primarily one nation

what are the main issues international relations deals with?

international security, law, political economy, terrorism and democratization, human rights

are global birth rates declining, increasing, or stagnant?

Decreasing