International Relations and Global Issues Study Guide

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to international relations, global issues, and foreign policy.

Cooperation between states

Reasons states cooperate include increasing security, gaining economic benefits, solving global problems, and creating stability.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

A treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons, established in 1970.

Paris Climate Agreement

An international treaty on climate change cooperation to limit global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

International Law

The set of rules and agreements that govern how states interact with each other.

United Nations (UN)

An international organization focused on promoting peace, security, and human rights among member states.

Hard Power

The use of military force or economic coercion to influence other states.

Soft Power

Influencing others through attraction and persuasion, including culture, values, and policies.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

A court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Dependency Theory

Theory suggesting poor countries remain impoverished due to dependence on wealthy nations.

Globalization

The increasing connection of the world through trade, communication, and economic exchange.

Human Security

A concept emphasizing the protection of individual welfare and freedom from fear and want.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

The principle that states have a duty to protect populations from genocide and mass atrocities.

Collective Action Problem

A situation where individuals or states neglect to cooperate in their shared interest, leading to worse outcomes for the group.

Global Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns primarily caused by human greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Transnational Issues

Issues that cross national borders and require cooperation among multiple states to address.

International Political Economy

The field of study focusing on the relationship between politics and economics on a global level.

Gini Coefficient

A measure of income inequality within a population, ranging from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (maximum inequality).

Absenteeism in Global Governance

The phenomenon where states do not respond to global challenges due to national interests or lack of resources.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A composite index measuring average achievement in key dimensions of human development: health, education, and standard of living.

Soft Power Tools

Methods of influence that utilize cultural appeal and diplomatic engagement rather than coercive power.

Cooperation between states

Reasons states cooperate include increasing security, gaining economic benefits, solving global problems, and creating stability.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

A treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons, established in 1970.

Paris Climate Agreement

An international treaty on climate change cooperation to limit global warming and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

International Law

The set of rules and agreements that govern how states interact with each other.

United Nations (UN)

An international organization focused on promoting peace, security, and human rights among member states.

Hard Power

The use of military force or economic coercion to influence other states.

Soft Power

Influencing others through attraction and persuasion, including culture, values, and policies.

International Criminal Court (ICC)

A court established to prosecute individuals for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Dependency Theory

Theory suggesting poor countries remain impoverished due to dependence on wealthy nations.

Globalization

The increasing connection of the world through trade, communication, and economic exchange.

Human Security

A concept emphasizing the protection of individual welfare and freedom from fear and want.

Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

The principle that states have a duty to protect populations from genocide and mass atrocities.

Collective Action Problem

A situation where individuals or states neglect to cooperate in their shared interest, leading to worse outcomes for the group.

Global Climate Change

Long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns primarily caused by human greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability

Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Transnational Issues

Issues that cross national borders and require cooperation among multiple states to address.

International Political Economy

The field of study focusing on the relationship between politics and economics on a global level.

Gini Coefficient

A measure of income inequality within a population, ranging from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (maximum inequality).

Absenteeism in Global Governance

The phenomenon where states do not respond to global challenges due to national interests or lack of resources.

Human Development Index (HDI)

A composite index measuring average achievement in key dimensions of human development: health, education, and standard of living.

Soft Power Tools

Methods of influence that utilize cultural appeal and diplomatic engagement rather than coercive power.

Sovereignty

The supreme authority of an independent state over its territory and affairs, free from external control.

Non-State Actors

Entities that play a role in international relations but are not sovereign states, such as NGOs, multinational corporations, and international terrorist groups.

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)

Organizations composed primarily of sovereign states, established by treaty to pursue common interests (e.g., UN, WTO).

Balance of Power

A state of affairs in which power is distributed among national states such that no single state is strong enough to dominate all others.

Diplomacy

The art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of states or other international actors.

Multilateralism

The principle of conducting international relations through the cooperation of several states, often through international organizations.