international relations theories

major theories

realism — morgenthau

• 1945 — derived from hobbes, human nature is bad ⇒ all states are unitary actors
  • act in singular national self-interest
• relative gains (power must be taken, it doesn’t appear from nowhere; bigger slice of pie)
  • “power over”
• anarchy (no central government)
• power/balance of power
• security dilemma
  • arms race
• hard power
• failure: vietnam war ⇒ not unitary actors, more to power than hard power
  • paradox of unrealized power: significant power that can’t be exercised

neorealism — waltz

• 1979 — waltz theory of international politics
  • world system theory
  • balancing, polarity
  • bipolar system during cold war ⇒ more stable (two top powers didn’t fight)
  • multipolarity, bipolarity, unipolarity
  • modern day: regional polarity
• states seek power and security in international system
• still anarchic system

liberalism — wilson

• states largely cooperate with each other (complex interdependence)
• absolute gains (cooperation leads to gains for everyone; bigger total pie)
  • “power to”
• accomplished through international organizations (IOs) that foster trade etc.
• cooperation & collective goods lead to the free rider problem
  • carrot vs stick approach
  • reciprocity & norms of the international system (carrot) vs sanctions/invasions/etc. (stick)
  • forms international regime eg. climate change (UN, NGOs, interest groups, states, citizens, scientists, professors, etc.) structures approach to world problems
• failure: viewed as too optimistic

neoliberalism — koehane & nye

• 1971 — koehane & nye transnational relations & world politics
  • international political economy (IPE) ⇒ more interconnected post WWII
  • coined “complex interdependence”

agreements between realism and liberalism

• states are primary actors, but others within and outside of states exist and impact
• states act in their own self-interest, but not at all costs (place for IOs in solving global conflicts)
• international system is in anarchy, but there are norms and constraints that many states abide by
• both are very western/white/male philosophies ⇒ should be taken into consideration (see constructivism)

alternative theories

constructivism

• created by postmodernism ⇒ deconstruction, postcolonialism; predominantly english ideal
• narratives, identities being socially constructed, connected to larger theories
• alex wendt — “agency of actors”
• develops ideals (listed above) into IR theory
  • look at developments within states, how that informs leaders’ actions in IR
• not just states ⇒ how states’ actions are shaped by occurrences within them
  • affected by norms of individual states, shared experiences
• UNDERSTANDING ACTORS HELPS INFORM US ON THEIR ACTIONS
  • examining underlying factors and events
• interconnected actors ⇒ transnational networks and their impact on IR
• failure: tends to be too descriptive (can describe and inform but not lead to conclusions)

feminism

• difference theory: there are inherent differences between men and women and how they’re viewed in the international system
  • eg. private vs. public spheres
  • essentialism — essential roles & differences between men and women
• liberal theory: women act no differently in men’s roles than men (no inherent difference)

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