Study Notes on International Relations

DAY ONE: WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

  • The study of international relations (IR) is part of political science.

    • IR is categorized as a subfield of political science.

    • Other subfields include:

      • US Government

      • Comparative Government

      • Political Theory

  • IR is further divided into subfields:

    • IR Theory

    • International Security or Security Studies

    • International Political Economy (IPE)

    • International Organizations (IO)

    • Human Rights

    • Development

  • All of these subfields involve theoretical studies of politics.

STUDY OF THEORY

  • Focus on the theories of international politics.

  • Definition of social science theory: general logical explanations of social phenomena.

    • Note: Social phenomena relate specifically to human behavior.

  • Definition of IR Theory: explanations with general applicability across cases, logic, and good empirical evidence.

  • Goals of IR theory:

    • Promote logic and debate, which are beneficial.

    • Address and predict problems in order to improve global situations.

    • Achieve generalizability; facilitate the generalization of explanations.

  • Essential functions of theory:

    • Provide causal explanations.

    • Utilize empirical evidence.

    • Formulate general arguments based on core logic and evidence.

COMPONENTS OF IR THEORIES

  • Theories can be diagrammed into components referred to as variables.

    • Causal relationship diagram:

    • $X \rightarrow Y$

      • Here, X causes Y, potentially with intervening variables in between.

    • "Story": a narrative describing the causal chain or process between causal (independent) and outcome (dependent) variables.

    • Definitions of variables:

    • $X$: Independent Variable

      • The variable that "does the causing" or explains the outcome.

    • $Y$: Dependent Variable

      • The variable that is being caused or the outcome(s) resulting from $X$.

    • Example:

    • Dictatorships cause wars:

      • Dictatorships as $X$ (Independent Variable) and wars as $Y$ (Dependent Variable).

    • Objective: Generalize these causal explanations rather than focusing on individual cases.

PARSIMONY AND IR THEORY

  • IR Theory, akin to most social science theories, strives for parsimony.

    • Definition of parsimony: achieving the least amount of variance in explaining outcomes.

    • Essentially, fewer independent variables explaining more outcomes lead to stronger theoretical explanations.

    • Aim to reduce explanations to only those variables that genuinely cause the outcome; other variables are considered causal mechanisms.

    • Connection to Occam’s Razor: a principle suggesting that the simplest explanation is preferred.

  • Concerns about theoretical degeneration:

    • Adding unnecessary variables weakens explanations and is seen as non-productive.

  • Falsifiability is crucial:

    • Theories must be falsifiable, recognizing them as inherently social rather than absolute laws.

REVIEW OF PARSIMONY AND FALSIFICATION

  • Parsimony analysis:

    • Measure of effectiveness—seeking the most impact with the fewest variables.

    • The more variables introduced, the more challenging it becomes to falsify the theory; an ideal theory should ideally involve one variable.

  • Falsifiability:

    • All theories in social contexts are susceptible to falsification due to the unpredictable nature of human behavior; thus, absolute laws do not exist.

  • Theoretical degeneration:

    • Adding further independent variables diminishes the explanatory power of the theory, weakening parsimony and clarity.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF IR

  • Actors in IR:

    • States are the primary actors.

    • Importance of state sovereignty:

    • Defined as political and territorial autonomy; a state is identified by its sovereignty.

    • Sovereignty has shaped the definition of statehood.

    • Historical context:

    • 1648 Peace of Westphalia marks the official establishment of the sovereign state system.

    • Krasner's definition of sovereignty:

    • Described as "organized hypocrisy" reflecting the interplay of recognition and power.

  • Concept of anarchy:

    • Defined as absence of known authority over sovereign states; implies a significant degree of disorder but is not equivalent to chaos.

SYSTEMS, STRUCTURES, AND ACTORS

  • Examination of systems within IR:

    • Examples: International system, North America, democracies, free trade states, etc.

    • Each system is comprised of states, institutions, and individuals.

    • States operate within multiple systems simultaneously.

  • Understanding structures:

    • Structures within various international systems have significant influence on how actors make decisions.

    • Systems coalesce in different structures, such as ranks and orders.

  • The role of individuals:

    • While individuals execute decisions for states, there is ongoing debate about their degree of influence and their agency versus structural constraints.

    • Realist perspectives place substantial emphasis on structural factors in influencing state behavior.

LEVELS OF ANALYSIS

  • A framework for theorizing is based on three levels:

    • Influential figure: Kenneth Waltz and his seminal work "Man, the State, and War" outlines the three images.

    • Levels correspond to:

    • 1st Image: Individual Level

      • Focus on individuals or small groups and their biological or psychological attributes.

      • Not as rigorous in theoretical application.

    • 2nd Image: State Level

      • State-centric perspective; causal factors attributed to what occurs within states.

    • Attributes include domestic politics, regime changes, national crises, and nationalism within the state.

    • Both domestic and individual levels are viewed as unit-level rather than structural.

SYSTEMIC OR STRUCTURAL LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

  • The third level of analysis:

    • Focus on systemic or structural causes—larger frameworks such as power dynamics and interdependence.

    • Systems theory principles suggest that structural variables are analytically prioritized over unit-level variables.

    • Importance of understanding the structure of any given system as an independent variable.

  • Notably, Henry Nau proposes the potential for a fourth level: the regional level, but the majority of the field recognizes three primary levels of analysis.

ACTORS, HISTORY, AND GEOGRAPHY

  • Identification of actors in international relations:

    • Fundamental actors are states.

    • Non-state actors include:

    • Multinational corporations

    • Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

    • Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)

    • International Organizations (IOs)

    • Recognize the blurring borders between state and non-state actors.

  • Historical progression in IR:

    • Important to be aware of significant events referenced in the course text.

  • Geographic awareness:

    • Familiarity with all states presented in maps, visual aids, and assignments.

LEPGOLD AND THE POLICY/THEORY DEBATE

  • Joseph Lepgold’s insights on engaging with scholarly articles:

  • Theory-policy debate highlights four key arguments:

    • 1) IR comprises various groups, transcending theoretical divisions.

    • 2) Institutions facilitate integration among these groups.

    • 3) Shared objectives of diverse groups and institutions lead to improved policymaking based on sound assumptions regarding actors, motivations, etc., aiding statesmen in supporting the state, which feeds back into theory.

    • 4) Not all theories offer the same level of utility or assistance.

  • Critical consideration:

    • Question of whether theorists are informed by policy, referencing notable figures such as Bush, Nixon, Kissinger, Rice, and Powell who have explicit connections to theoretical frameworks and policymaking.