Studied by 23 people
System
The relationship between units and how they intereact with one another
The assumption that humans whether as individuals or as groups, act in ways that produce patterns of behavior among them that can be described as systems.
External linkage groups
other political systems, actors, or structures in the international system with which the national system under examination has direct relations
Subsystem
a smaller system that is part of some larger system. Examples: middle East, LATAM
2 Fundamental approaches for theorizing system
Reductionist approach and holistic approach
Reductionist approach
Focused on actors and their interactions (relationship between 2 units) at the individual or state level.
Holistic approach
Places emphasis on the structures that provide the framework where the interactions happen at the international level.
Structuralism
Assumes the existence of structures that are permanent and immutable. ex: family.
_______ give the framework where actors respond and relate to one another. ______ are groups of actos that are interacting with one another.
structures, systems
Structurationist ontology
Systems, together with agents and structures (the relationship that exists between the structure and the actors that results in the patterns)
Co-determined irreducibility
Describes the relationship between the structures and actors, where the system of interaction among actors are made possible by the structure where they exist. (the structure determines the behavior of actors. chicken/egg debate)
Social systems
Regularized practices of actors that make the social structure, that make those practices possible, and the actors who engage in those practices possible
Giddens theory of structuration
This theory contains what he sees as the duality of structure and system agents operate within structures; and they also relate to each other to produce recurrent behavioral patterns, or interaction.
actors shape society, the society shapes bahevior of actors in an interactive set of patterns. neither one is more important than the other when shaping behavior.
Structuration
The conditions of governing the continuity or transmutation of structures, and therefore the reproduction of social systems. Systems and structures are related to each other here.
System analysis
A set of techniques for systematic analysis that facilitates the organizing of data, but which possesses no ideal theoretical goals
System theory
Series of statements about relationships among independent and dependent variables, where changes in 1 or more variables are accompanied by changes in other variables or combinations of variables. (uses data to create theory)
General system theory
A whole which functions as a whole by the virtue of the interdependence of its parts called the system, and the method that aims to discover how this is brought about in the widest variety of systems.
all parts of society are linked and a comprehensive approach can reveal true nature of politcs
Stable system
Requires an input of considerable power to upset the system, capable of absorbing new components and processing a variety of inputs while functioning normally, adjusting to changes
Unstable system
requires a weaker input in order to lose balance
an _____ is the problems, an ______ is the potential solutions. an output os a system reenters a system through _________
inputs, outputs, feedback
Interdependence
A political and economic situation in which two states are dependent on each other for their well-being
2 main authors that we have done a lot of work on interdependence
Keohane and Nye
Asymmetric interdependence
one party needs the benefits from a relationship more than another This occurs when parties have different levels of dependence among each other
dependence
One state needs another state
What are the two dimensions of interdependence
Sensitivity and vulnerability
Sensitivity
The degree of responsiveness in a political framework (how quickly do changes in one country bring costly change in another)
Vulnerability
An actor's liability to suffer cost imposed by external events after policies have been altered
Interaction
actions of states, etc and transactions of trade, ets.
Consists of not only the actions of nation states, international organizations and non state actors; but also the transactions across national boundaries (trade, investment, tourism)
System overload
This is being caused because the inputs (problems) in the international system are coming faster than the outputs (solutions)
Tech is making interdependence and interaction more complex so it's hypothesized that the _____________ (those needs that must be satisfied for a system to function effectively) become more.
structural requisites
T OR F interdependence breeds crisis as well as linkages
true
features that systems have
recieve inputs and outputs from enviornment produce outputs have interactive patters between units in a structure
Cascading interdependence
internal failures caused by capacity exceedance induced by flow redistribution
Interlocking tensions
Being interlocked, derive strength and direction from each other and cascade through the global system
The rise of subgroups in the fragmenting world means that loyalties of individuals have been transferred from a ________
larger to smaller entity
Crisis of authority
Because people no longer think of their government of legit it diminishes the utility of creating a state as an appropriate focal point for theory building
Global turbulence
Rosenau used this term to refer to the way the system was during the early 21st century, a state of confusion and rapid change because of changes like the proliferation of actors, the impact of technologies, globalization of national economies, more interdependence
Fragmegrative dynamics
Describes contrasting fragmenting and integrative forces at work simultaneously in the turbulent 21st century world.
What are the three basic levels of interactive patterns?
Ideational or intersubjective level, behavioral level, institutional level
Ideational or intersubjective level
Based on what people perceive to be the ordering of the world, or how the world is socially constructed in the mind of its actors
Behavioral level
What people actually do on a regular basis to maintain existing global arrangements based on their ideational understandings or perceptions (negotiations, threats to enemies)
Institutional level
Consists of the institutions and regimes in or through which states and other actors act in keeping with their ideational and behavioral expressions
Kenneth classified the systems according to levels of increasing complexity. Least complex to most complex:
-Mechanical -Homeostatic -Biological -Higher animals -Humans
Image
The mental reprentation that is a result of info selection for decision making.
Humans have the capacity of self-knowledge, which makes it possible for selection of information based on a particular cognitive structure or mental representation as a basis for decision making.
Folk knowledge
Collective images of the members of political systems
Action system
collection of actions. it's excecuted by repeatedly choosing an action to execute. it describes the successtion of events in a system and the way that systems change
What are the subsystems that composed the Parsonian system?
-The personality system -The social system -The cultural system
Moving equilibrium
equilibirum is dynamic so for a system to be in eqilibrium, it has to be able to recieve input, deal with preasures, produce outputs and constantly look for equilibrium.
Four functional conditions to maintaining social equilibrium
-Pattern maintenance -Adaptation -Goal attainment -Integration
Pattern maintenance
The ability of a system to ensure the reproduction of its own basic patterns, values, norms
Adaptation
adapt to the enviornment and to changes in the enviornment
Goal attainment
the capacity of the system to achieve whatever goals the system has accepted or set forth
Integration
Of the different functions and subsystems into a cohesive, coordinated whole
input-output analysis
political system takes inputs from the enviornment in the form of demands and supports, then translates them into outputs in the form of policies or decisions
T OR F according to structuralist, when you hae a system, where you are in that system determines your function
true
Structural functional analysis
studies society or system as a whole and with a view to its maintance. it tries to examine the performance of certain kinds of functions in different entities
Assumes that it is possible to 1)specify a pattern of behavior that satisfies a functional requirement of the system. 2)to identify functional equivalents in several different structural units
Structural requisite
Patter or observable uniformity of action necessary for the continued existence of the system
Functional requisite
Generalized condition, given the level of generalization of the definition and the unit's general setting
_________ is more worried about activity than the entity where the activity happens, ________ is the nature of the entity where the activity happens.
functional sociology, general systems theory
central to systems are several categories of questions, concepts, and data:
Classification of system being open or closed/ organismic or non organismic
functions of systems and the structures needed for the functions, and their effect on the systems stability
relationship between systems and its environment and the nature and impact of inputs and outputs from the environment
what is the debate of polarity centered on?
the distribution of power and stability
Polarity
Refers to the number of actors and the distribution of capabilities among them
One state holds a larger part of the power is ________ Power is centered on two states is __________ Three or more states hold power __________
Unipolarity Bipolar Multipolar
T OR F neorealist count the number of powerful states relative to the remaining states to determine if the system is unipolar, bipolar or unipolar?
true
T OR F Neorealists state that the distribution of capabilities among polar states is not important
false
Stable system (according to Gaddis)
It prevents a state from dominating the system, ensures the survival of its members, and prevents the outbreak of war
Main sources of conflict according to Mearsheimer
Structural change in the international system
imbalance of power of major states (if we're talking about a multipolar system) -The number of the actors and distribution of capabilities shape the intensity and frequency of conflict
Regional subsystems
Consists of a set of geographically proximate and regularly interacting states that share to some degree a sense of regional identity and are so perceived by external factors. EX: European Union
the systems are delineated in 4 patterns variables
-The nature and level of cohesion in the properties of the political entities and the degree of interaction -The nature of communications within the region -The level of power of nations in the subsystem The structure of relations within the region
Louis Cantori and Steven Spiegel divided each subsystem into
core sector peripheral sector intrusive sector
Core sector
A principal focus of international politics within a given region
Peripheral sector
Including states that play a role in the political affairs of the region but are separated from the core as a result of social, political, economic, organizational, or other factors.
Intrusive sector
Takes account of external powers, the participation of which in the subsystem is important.
World System analysis
states that most nations are part of a worldwide interdependent economic and political system based on the unequal exhange in the division of labor and allocation of reasurces
T OR F the level of concntration of power shapes the structure of the system
true
states are divided between those that are______ and those that _______ the existing distribution of capabilities
satisfied, seek to change
Critical dimensions of any regional international system
Boundaries Actors Perceptions Interactions
What is the border of that regional subsystem. What are the actors?
Rio grande USA Latin American countries.
Which are the core countries
USA Canada France Germany UK
Which are peripheral countries
Afghanistan Bolivia Chad Dominican Republic Egypt Haiti Philippines
Semiperipheral (transition between the 2)
Brazil Panama mexico
Thompson concludes that the necessary conditions for a regional subsystem include: RIPN
Regularity and intensity of interactions(general proximity of actors) Internal and external recognition of the subsystems as distinctive Provision of at least 2 actors in the subsystem Not limited geography
Subgroupism
Think of environmentalists. Sometimes they think globally, they don't think of being critical of the government's policies on the environment. They Are now in a subgroup that's worldwide and paying more attention to whether they are burning too much of the Brazilian forest. So the events that are going on in their own countries go ignored. This happens in many groups.
Explain james rosenau's cascading interdependence
According to James Rosenau, as we entered the 21st century, the international system entered a new era which he called ācascading interdependenceā which he based on rapidly changing patterns of interaction within areas like resource scarcities, subgroups, the effectiveness of governments, transnational issues, and aptitudes of publics. Because of the turbulent changes weāve experienced in the 21st century world, Rosenau explains that cascading interdependence is a function of interactive dynamics that not only produce cooperation but also the conflict that is inherent in the systemic breakdown.
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