POLI 244 - 01 Politics under anarchy

Course Introduction

  • Course title: International Politics: State Behaviour (POLI 244)

  • Term: Fall 2024

  • Key focus: Understanding politics under anarchy

Lecture Outline

  • Course Introduction

  • The social scientific study of world politics

  • The sovereign State and state-centrism in International Relations (IR)

  • The levels of analysis in IR

What is International Relations?

  • Definition: Study of interactions among various actors in international politics (States, international organizations, NGOs, individuals, etc.)

  • Focus on the behavior of these actors individually and collectively in international political processes.

The Social Scientific Study of World Politics

  • Paradigm Theory: Framework for understanding political events (e.g., Why did Russia invade Ukraine?)

  • Key Concepts for Understanding Events:

    • Simplification: Making sense of a complex reality

    • Parsimony: Combining simplicity with explanatory power

Key Concepts in Research

  • Generalizable knowledge: Understanding patterns of behavior within political science

  • Probabilistic explanations: Theories offering insights but not certainties.

  • Causation: Relationships between variables leading to assumptions, testable hypotheses.

The Path of Social Scientific Research

  1. Identify a phenomenon that requires explanation.

  2. Formulate tentative observable hypotheses derived from theories.

  3. Test hypotheses against available evidence.

The Sovereign State

  • Definition: Political organization managing the affairs of a population within a designated territory.

  • Modern State (Westphalian): Key principles include:

    • Territoriality: Defined geographical boundaries.

    • Effective Control: Governance within those boundaries.

    • Sovereignty: Authority over territory, maintaining independence in international relations.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Nationalism in relation to the state: expansionism, unification, and separatism.

Other Actors in International Relations

  • Trends in Actors:

    • States, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have varied presence over the last century.

  • Visual representation illustrates growth of actors in IR over time (1910-2010 effectiveness).

State-Centric vs. Transnational View

  • State-Centric View: Emphasizes the significance of state sovereignty and relations between governments.

  • Transnational View: Highlights diverse interactions involving both governmental and non-governmental actors internationally and domestically.

Levels of Analysis in International Relations

  • Understanding international phenomena can occur at three levels:

    1. Individual Level: Decisions and actions of individuals (e.g., leaders, soldiers).

    2. State Level: National policies, governmental structures influence (e.g., Canada’s non-intervention in Syria).

    3. International System Level: Global power distribution and dynamics (e.g., balance of power in the Middle East).

The Social Scientific Study of World Politics explains the use of paradigm theory as a framework for understanding political events, focusing on key concepts like simplification, parsimony, and generalizable knowledge. It emphasizes creating observable hypotheses to test against evidence. The Sovereign State is defined as a political organization managing a population within a designated territory, based on principles of territoriality, effective control, and sovereignty. In relation to international relations, the note discusses the varied presence of actors over time, contrasting the state-centric view, which emphasizes state sovereignty, with the transnational view that incorporates multiple actors. Lastly, it outlines three levels of analysis in international relations: individual, state, and international system levels, highlighting how each influences international phenomena.