IRO - AWP: TR Readings
TR reader chapter 2: Transnational Relations and World Politics: An Introduction
written by Robert Keohane and Joseph NYE
TR N&K: Realism dominates IR
focus on states
focus on security (war and peace)
Neglect for economic issues (neoliberal institutionalism brought in bc of this)
TR N&K: The texts main research points:
effect of transnational relations
implications of transnational relations for theory
implications of transnational relations for power relations
implications for US foreign Policy
challenges for IO’s
TR N&K: Transnational Interactions
movement of tangible or intangible items across state boundaries where at least one actor is not an agent of a government or an IO
society to society, society to other governments and society to IGO’s
TR N&K: Transnational interactions Effects on Interstate Politics
interstate politics= gov to gov, gov to IGO
1) Attitude changes: face to face interactions (changes attitude towards people abroad)
2) international pluralism: linking of interest groups
3) constraints on states through dependence and interdependence: transport and finance
4) Increase in the ability of certain governments to influence others: transnational corporations
5) autonomous actors with private foreign policies that may deliberately oppose or impinge on state policies: roman catholic church, banks
TR N&K: Transnational Relations and “loss of control” by governments (p31)
states remain the most powerful actors
Transnational relations create a “control gap”: an empirical question
this empirical question is regarding whether governments are losing control
E.G. chocolate companies interacting with fragile african states
TR N&K: effect of Transnational relations on equality in the international systeem
reinforce the inequalities between rich and poor countries
TR N&K: Transnational Relations and the state-centred paradigm
state centred theories are inadequate to study world politics
Change the definition of World Politics
TR N&K: Changing the definition of world politics (p.32)
All political interactions between significant actors in a world system
in which significant actor is any somewhat autonomous individual or organisation that controls substantial resources
and participate in political relationships with other actors across state line
TR N&K: Transnational relations and values
They enrich and strengthen the strong and rich
Could be considered as imperialism (don’t want to use marxist language however)
K&N: Better speak of a system of “asymmetries” and “inequalities”
TR Chapter 9: methodological Nationalism, The social sciences and the study of migration
Written by Nina Glick-Schiller and Andreas Wimmer
TR G&W: Methodological Nationalism
The naturalisation of the nation-state by the social sciences
Scholars who share this intellectual orientation assume that countries are natural units for comparative studies
equate society with the nation state.
Conflate natural interests with the purposes of social science
Reflects and reinforces the identification that many scholars maintain with their own national state (Glick Schiller and Wimmer p.104)
TR G&W: Naturalisation
consider something as natural rather than something that needs to be explained
TR G&W: An example of Methodological nationalism is…
Analysing the history of europe through the diplomatic relations between france, germany, the united kingdom and russia
only views states as important
excludes nationalism and/or colonialism
TR G&W: Three variants of Methodological nationalism
Ignoring or disregarding importance of nationalism
Naturalisation: taking for granted the boundaries of the national state, define the units of analysis
Territorial limitation: confining the study of social processes to the territory of the nation state
TR G&W: Why have the social sciences disregarded the fundamental importance of nationalism for modern societies
Marx, Durkheim and Weber believed in the power of modernisation in reducing nationalism
Division of labour between disciplines, focus on societies rather than the border of those societies
This led to naturalisation: belief in a “container” model of society
TR G&W: Concerning Methodological Nationalism, what happened in the pre-war (ww1) era phase 1
Science legitimated understandings of the nations as “ethnic” and primordial, which in turn justified racism and colonisation
2 trends
nation-state building
intensive globalisation
Imperialism (europe nation-states to africa and asia)
Emergence of racial notions of “the people”
Long distance nationalism
Racism becomes grounded in scientific theories (measuring skulls etc)
TR G&W: What characterised academic approaches between two wars (phase 2)
social science was focused on measuring how societies could “better fit” into the nation state “container”
TR G&W: Phase 2 ww1 - cold war
End of free movement of labour
closing of borders, inability to migrate
ww1 created and exacerbated national sentimate (more racism again)
More border policing
Social sciences
Chicago school: migrations as assimilation (how to make people forget their identities to assimilate)
Migrant identities as a security threat
TR G&W: Phase 3: The cold war
Erasure of historical memory of transnationalism
Decolonisation: growth of nationalism (of colonised towards colonisers)
Development of welfare capitalism
Cold war: Tighter policing of borders and migration. Refugees/guest workers assimilated.
TR G&W How did political developments after WW2 influence the understanding of methodological nationalism. phase 3
the memory of transnationalism was definitely erased
Welfare capitalism in read the national feeling and xenophobia
TR G&W: What do Glick-Schiller and Wimmer argue against in their conclusion (chapter 9)
We should recover the history of transnationalism
We should not fall into the thinking that the nation state is dead
All theories highlight some aspects and hide others
TR Chapter 19: The Nation-State and its Others: In Lieu of a Preface
written by Khachig Tololyan (both a refugee and diaspora member)
TR T: what kind of document was Khachig Tololyan’s article
It is a research agenda-setting paper
explaining why something should be researched
It was Volume 1 Issue 1 (the programmatic text) of the Journal Diaspora: a journal of transnational studies
TR T: What is the main claim of Tololyan about diasporas?
Diasporas are a product of the nation state as well as the paradigmatic other of the nation-state.
TR T: what is the relation between Diasporas and Territory?
some nations are both confined in a territory and dispersed
TR T: Diasporas and Territories
The impact of transnational, global forces is the view that nation-states may not always be the most effective or legitimate units of collective organisation
“infranational condition: Navajo, Unuit, Quebecois …
“infranational and transnational” Armenian, Magyar …
Other forms of transnationalism are also valid and relevant: such as ex-cuban americans
TR T: What does Tololyan say about the relation to the jewish experience?
Diasporas are proliferating, and different populations can be called like that:
Diasporas are one kind of transnational community
TR T: The Jewish, greek and Armenians are what kind of diasporas?
Praradigmatic diasporas. They are how the term developed.
TR T: The concept of transnationalism
movements of capital
Introduction of “alien cultures” through “media imperialism”
Double allegiance of dual citizens
Plural affiliation of transnational corporations
TR T: What does Tololyan say about the relation between diasporas and the nation-state today?
Diasporas are very much part and parcel of international relations
TR T: Diasporas and the nation state today
the nation state is a strong player in ir (e.g. Iraq/Koweit war)
Transnationalism however is everywhere
Diasporas that form part of koweit
Diasporic groups that take arms and participate in nationalist movements
Diasporic groups have shaped modern wersten countries (guestworkers)
TR T: is the homogeneity of the nation-state still possible?
no, not any longer
TR Chapter 27: Introduction: Religion, States and Transnational Civil Society
written by Susanne Hoeber Rudolph, 1997
TR R: According to Rudolph, Secularism has failed. this means that religions?
Religions overlap in complex ways with the nation-state, but don’t replace it
TR R: Religion in a Liminal space
Secularist and modern interpretations have failed
Religions provide:
A pluralist transnational polity ( multiplicities of different religions in one nation-state and across the world)
Which shapes perceptions and expectations
Print & electronic media, increased literacy and urbanisation has caused the explosion of religious formations
While previously metropolis irrigated the periphery, the flow is now reversed - before the centres of power were where the religious teachings and influence came from, now religiousity travels with migrants
TR R: religions according to Rudolph:
Religions can work for peace: liberation theology and pentecostal congregations
Religions can provide the symbols and language to justify wars however religion is never the cause of a war, rather one of the identity markers of groups.
groups may use religion to appeal to groups for justification
TR R: Which era does rudolph believe gave a bad name for religion:
Enlightenment
Voltaire, Comte, Marx
TR R: Avoiding Domestic Conflict
Homogenizing assimilation and multicultural pluralism are contrasting cultural regimes
Homogeneity is not the usual form of existence
Pluralism is the usual form of existence
TR R: what is the relation between sovereignty and religion?
Religions manage a part of kinship transactions, market behaviours and political demands
communities may have authority and power but not sovereignty
TR R: Thinning out the monopoly of sovereignty
Communities constituting transnational civil society may have authority and power but do not claim sovereignty
Religious authority Challenges the Monopoly of sovereignty of the state
TR Chapter 39: Imperialism, Dependency and Dependent Development
Written by Peter evans, 1979. first chapter of his book.
TR E: What is the general theoretical framework of this book?
Marxist
TR E: What is Dependency?
“ A situation in which the rate and direction of accumulation are externally conditioned
another actor is able to control this essentially
Accumulation is of wealth (duh)
TR E: What is a dependent country:
One whose development is conditioned by the development and expansion of another economy. (Dos Santos, 1970)
One country’s development is dependent on the development of another
This does NOT mean every country is dependent on another, rather a set of countries lead the periphery and semi-periphery
TR E: which countries are the main places of power (for economic development)?
US, Europe, China, Australia
TR E: How would you define the Core / Periphery / semi- periphery relation:
The elite of the core and parts of the elite of the periphery have common interests
not a relation from nation to nation
elite of periphery are bourgeoisie (wealth owners), agrarian owners (owners of means of production)
International product of life cycle
Development of selected dependent countries: semi-periphery
TR E: Periphery countries
Countries who are entirely disconnected from the rest of the world economy such as ethiopia
TR E: According to Evans what is the relation between ‘disarticulation’ and ‘exclusion’?
The disarticulation of the periphery causes the exclusion of the periphery’s masses
TR E: Disarticulation
Disarticulation (p 417) The problem of disarticulation means there is a disconnect between the infrastructure needed to manufacture a specific advanced product and the way the local society can benefit from this product
TR E: Example of Disarticulation
Cocoa producers and those who harvest cocoa have generally never tasted (/been able to taste) chocolate themselves
too expensive
TMC’s come and exploit the communities, if they go away however, the producers and harvesters cannot produce cocoa themselves (knowledge and capital required to manufacture)
TR E: Disarticulation & exclusion
There is disarticulation between the needs and lifestyles of the elite and the needs and lifestyles of the rest of the world. As a result Products imported in the centre are mostly for the consumption of the rich elites and have 0 possibilities of coming to the rest of the population
Capital intensive technologies in modern sectors marginalise the masses of producer. Economic circuits are dependent on western companies organising the entire line of production. Exclusion of the masses of the Periphery
TR E: According to Evans, transnational corporations
Are the organisational embodiment of international capital
they remove control over production
extend alienation across political boundaries
delocalise production to maximise profit by exploiting workers and labour laws
TR E: According to Evans, how do transnational corporations reinforce disarticulation?
TNC’s develop infrastructure which only benefit them
gatekeep their knowledge and tech in the centre
Products produced are aimed at dependent elites
TR E: The state in dependent countries
Unless the state intervenes their is non effective sponsor for peripheral industrialisation
States must have “internal foreign policy” to both entice and coerce TMC’s to better their economy but prevent exploitation of workers
Repression to preserve the benefit of the local bourgeoisie
TR Chapter 48 : Who wrote Transnational Organized Crime: An Imminent Threat to the Nation-State? (Transcending National Boundaries)
Written by Louise Shelley, published in 1995. academic article in journal of international Affairs.
TR S: What are the factors in the growth of transnational organised crime?
technology
Economic boom
End of the cold war
Growth of international trade
TR S: What is an example of what Shelley would consider a factor in the growth of transnational organised crime?
The increasing number of free trade agreements
TR S: Pernicious (harmful) consequences of organised crime on..
Civil society and human rights
Freedom of the press and individual expression (murder of journalists)
creation of a vibrant civil society
undermines Labour unions
favours Prostitution
illegal smuggling of individuals
TR S: what is an example of the pernicious consequences of TOC (transnational organised crime)
The mafia hiring youth as drug dealers, drivers, bodyguards
TR S: TOC (transnational organised crime)‘s effect on world order
Detrimental to states in transition to democracy
Undermines the rule of law and legitimacy of governments
Undermines political stability and Increases corruption
Problematic relation to terror organisations (especially for funding)
Takes over states (e.g. italy, colombia)
TR S: What is an example symptom of TOC (transnational organised crime) ‘s impact on world order?
The revelation of the operation “mani pulite” in italy in the 1990’s where judges cracked down om the mafia
TR S: What are the effect of TOC (transnational organised crime) on the world economy?
Undermines financial and trade markets effects
skews markets as it introduces capital that hasn’t been obtained legally, affecting exchanges
Savings of citizens are in danger
TR S: What are the effects of TOC (transnational organised crime) on the society?
encourages Violence, prostitution, drug addiction
Affects quality of life of citizens
Creates environmental damage
TR S: What would Shelley say is an example of the effects of TOC (transnational organised crime) on the world economy and national societies?
The increase in violence and prostitution
TR S: Combatting TOC’s (transnational organisatied crime)
Transnational nature of activities require international cooperation
Transnational nature of activities weakens resistance through corruption
UN and other structures are in place to fight International organised crime
TR S: What is an example of measures does Shelley recommend to fight TOC (transnational organised crime)
Increased international and transnational cooperation through agreements and international organisations (IO’s)
TR S: What are the named examples of Stuctures in place to fight international organised crime?
Vienna Drug Convention, Financial Action Task Force, Basel Committee
UNODC is also an example but was created in 1997 after this text.
TR Chapter 47: Who wrote Global Prohibition Regimes: The Evolution of Norms in International Society
Ethan Nadelmann, published in 1990 in International Organization
TR Na: Which structural theory was Nadelmann’s article categorised by?
Construcitivism (Wendt)
TR Na: What are the objectives of Nadelmann’s article?
Specific category of Norms
Those which prohibit both in international law and in the domestic criminal law of states, the involvement of state and non-state actors in particular activities”
How and why particular norms have evolved into Global/ International Prohibition Regimes
Why these have proven more or less successful in deviant activities
TR Na: what do we mean with International Prohibition regimes?
Ideas that spread across different countries that some things needed to be prohibited
such as cocaine or marijuana
TR Na: Why do International Prohibition Regimes exist?
To protect the interests of the state and other powerful members of society (not the working class)
To deter, suppress and punish undesirable activities
To provide for order, security and justice among members of a community
To give force and symbolic representation to the moral values, beliefs and prejudices of those who make the laws
TR Na: What is an example of the reason for International prohibition regimes emerge?
to meet the moral demands of EU’s elites concerning the use of cannabis
TR Na: Which crimes call for international prohibition regimes (IPR):
Crimes that cannot be solved bilaterally or unilaterally by states
(due to crime bypassing borders)
Larceny on the high seas; murder of diplomats, trafficking
TR Na: What is the objective of IPRs (International prohibition regimes)?
To minimise safe havens
if one country legalises it (e.g. weed in NL) it creates a safe haven/loophole for citizens of other connected countries (such as in the EU) to get their hands on these substances
Standardisation to cooperation
TR Na: Evolution of Normative Structures:
Linked to the emergence of an “international society”
interdependence and globalisation
Not state to state but “Cosmopolitan norms”
Europe and the United states are historically dominant in the formulation of these normative regimes
norms present themselves as universal but all have their own geographic/ historical origin
TR Na: What are the five stages of the global prohibition regimes?
Activity’s is considered normal
Activity is redefined as a problem by moral entrepreneurs (scholars/ religious groups)
Regime demands criminalisation of the activity by states through diplomacy
Criminalisation and police action are deployed. international institutions and conventions are created
The activity is reduced thanks to state intervention at the international level
TR Chapter 45: Who wrote conclusions: advocacy networks and International society
Margaret Keck & Katheryn sikkink
TR ke&Si: Which theory is this text (and the book it’s from) a key literature work for?
The International Relations & Social Movement theory
TR Ke&Si: How are Keck and Sikkink’s version of inernational society different to Hadley Bull’s concept?
Keck and Sennik view international as a society, but not a society of states
there vision is closer to ‘neo-medievalism’: overlapping authority and multiple loyalty (not states)
Keck and Sikkik agree with Bull that the international is a society based on common interest and values
TR Ke&Si: What is the “world Polity” Thesis
A theory that posits that the international society is a site of diffusion of a ‘world culture’
IGO’s and NGO’s are conveyor belts of western liberal norms
John M, John Boli, George Thomas
TR Ke&Si: What caused the creation of the “world polity” thesis?
To act as a replacement for international relations theory such as realism and neo-realism after the cold war
TR Ke&Si: How is Keck and Sikkik vision different to the “world Polity” Thesis
World polity removes politics, power and conflict
Not everyone just agrees with western ideas
Transnational actors have profoundly divergent purposes and goals and are a space of negotiation
An understanding of thresholds allows the two theories to be integrated
TAN (transnational actor network) focuses on norm formation
WP (World polity) focuses on norm diffusion
TR Ke&Si: How is Transnational Actor Network different from Realism and Liberalism?
Addresses Change
Realism: no motor of change
Liberalism: aware of domestic political regimes and acknowledges collapse of domestic/foreign distinction, however,
Liberalism conceives actors as being risk-averse
Liberalism sees the state as the sole “path” to international for domestic interests groups
TR Ke&Si: what is the status of sovereignty for Keck and Sikkik?
States remain the main actors
Sovereignty is eroded, but only in delimited circumstances
cosmopolitan community can out pressure but only when the political structure allows an opening for it
They do not follow either the strong globalisation thesis (state’s disappearing), however they see specific interactions where sovereignty can be eroded.
TR Ke&Si: How is the erosion of sovereignty perceived differently in the global north and global south?
Global north: activists perceive it as a positive development
Global south: recalls imperialism and domination
TR Ke&Si: How is the question of “rights” linked to the question of inequality?
For the north, erosion of sovereignty means less abuses
For the Global South sovereignty is a feature of self-determination - acquired as a result of postcolonial struggles