TEST 3 (copy)

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 “cascading interdependence” 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 we’ve 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.