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Global actors

Entities that play a role in international relations, including states, transnational corporations, and NGOs.

Realism

A theory in international relations focusing on states as primary actors, emphasizing competition and survival.

Liberalism

A theory that advocates for human rights, democracy, and multilateral cooperation in international relations.

Marxism

A theoretical framework that sees the world shaped by class identity and economic factors.

Feminism

A perspective in international relations that highlights how gender roles and identities influence global politics.

Constructivism

The theory that ideas and beliefs shape international relations and how states perceive each other.

Security dilemma

A situation in which a state's efforts to enhance its security lead to increased insecurity for other states.

Anarchic System

The characterization of the international system as lacking a central governing authority.

Collective goods problem

A situation in which states have difficulty cooperating to provide public goods due to self-interest.

Democratic peace thesis

The proposition that democracies are less likely to engage in conflict with one another.

Peace of Westphalia

The treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War and established the principles of state sovereignty and the balance of power.

Truman Doctrine

A U.S. policy established to provide military and economic assistance to countries resisting communism.

Detente

The easing of strained relations, particularly between the U.S. and the USSR during the Cold War.

Balance of power

A distribution of power among nations such that no single nation is dominant.

Hegemony

The predominant influence or leadership of one state or group over others in the international system.

National self-determination

The principle that nations have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and political status.

Multilateralism

The process of multiple countries working together on a given issue for mutual benefit.

Statism

The belief that the state is the primary actor in international relations and has supreme authority.

Oligarchs

A small group of people having control of a country or organization.

Hard power

The use of coercive tactics, such as military force or economic sanctions, in international relations.

Soft power

The ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce, using cultural or ideological means.

Theoretical traditions in international relations

Different frameworks, such as realism, liberalism, and constructivism, that help analyze global politics.

Total war

A war in which a belligerent engages in the complete mobilization of resources and population.

Communications revolution

Changes in communication technology that have influenced the pace and nature of globalization.

Civil society

The realm of social life that is organized and exists independently from the state or the economy.

Protectionism

An economic policy of restraining trade between states through tariffs and other regulations.

Ethic of responsibility

The idea that policymakers must consider the consequences of their actions, even if it involves immoral acts for the greater good.