Untitled Flashcards Set
. Game Theory Concepts
Q: What is deterrence in game theory?
A: A strategy to prevent an adversary from taking an action by threatening credible retaliation.
Q: What is credibility in international relations and game theory?
A: The believability of a threat or promise; essential for deterrence to work.
Q: What is a normal form game?
A: A representation of a strategic game using a matrix showing payoffs for each strategy combination.
Q: What is a zero-sum game?
A: A situation in which one player's gain is exactly equal to another's loss.
Q: What is the Prisoner's Dilemma?
A: A game showing why two rational actors might not cooperate even when it's in their best interest.
Q: What are extensive form games?
A: Games represented as trees showing sequential moves, decision nodes, and outcomes.
Q: What is backward induction?
A: Solving a game from the end (final decision node) backward to determine optimal strategy.
Q: What is a commitment device?
A: A way to lock in a course of action to influence an opponent's expectations.
Q: What is a dominant strategy?
A: A strategy that always provides a better outcome regardless of the opponent's actions.
Q: What is a Nash equilibrium?
A: A set of strategies where no player benefits from changing their strategy unilaterally.
1b. Game Theory Examples
Q: How does the Korean War illustrate game theory?
A: U.S. and Chinese actions reflect strategic signaling, deterrence, and commitment.
Q: How is the Berlin Airlift an example of game theory?
A: Demonstrates credibility, deterrence, and commitment without direct conflict.
2–11. Core Concepts in Security and International Relations
Q: What is the security dilemma?
A: When a state's defensive actions are perceived as threats, leading to arms races or conflict.
Q: What is human security?
A: A focus on individual safety from violence, poverty, and disease, beyond traditional state security.
Q: How is Russia relevant in IR essays?
A: As an example of aggressive foreign policy, nuclear power, and authoritarianism.
Q: Why is the Cold War a useful IR case study?
A: Illustrates polarity, deterrence, arms races, and ideological conflict.
Q: What is anarchy in IR theory?
A: The absence of a global authority, influencing state behavior and insecurity.
Q: How are power and security related?
A: States seek power to secure their interests and deter threats.
Q: What is a hegemon?
A: A dominant state with overwhelming influence in the international system.
Q: What are types of polarity in system structure?
A: Unipolarity, bipolarity, multipolarity—based on the number of major powers.
Q: What is the 9-dash line?
A: China's territorial claim in the South China Sea.
Q: Why is the South China Sea significant?
A: A hotspot for geopolitical conflict, trade routes, and sovereignty disputes.
Q: What is the Monroe Doctrine?
A: A U.S. policy opposing European intervention in the Western Hemisphere.
Q: What is Manifest Destiny?
A: The belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across North America.
13–22. Terrorism, Game Theory Repeats, and Polarity
Q: What is lone wolf terrorism?
A: Attacks carried out by individuals without direct group orders.
Q: What is affiliate terrorism?
A: Local groups linked to global organizations like Al Qaeda or ISIS.
Q: What is the Other Minds' Problem?
A: The challenge of understanding others' intentions in strategic settings.
Q: What are the problems with polarity?
A: Multipolarity increases misperceptions; unipolarity risks hegemonic overreach.
23–28. Ethnic Conflict, Security, and Warfare
Q: Who are Kenneth Waltz and Scott Sagan?
A: Scholars debating nuclear proliferation; Waltz favors deterrence, Sagan warns of instability.
Q: What is cyber security?
A: Protection of digital systems from cyberattacks, includes threats like Stuxnet.
Q: What is ethnic war?
A: Conflict driven by ethnic divisions, identity, and grievances.
Q: What are the views on ethnicity?
A: Primordial (inherent), instrumental (used strategically), constructivist (socially constructed).
Q: What is transnational organized crime?
A: Crime crossing borders, often linked to weak states or corruption.
29–32. Counterinsurgency and Case Studies
Q: What is counterinsurgency?
A: Military and political efforts to combat insurgent groups.
Q: What is the impossible trilemma of counterinsurgency?
A: The challenge of protecting civilians, defeating insurgents, and building local legitimacy—can't do all three.
Q: What happened in the Rwandan genocide?
A: Mass killing of Tutsis by Hutus; example of ethnic outbidding and scapegoating.
Q: What conflicts occurred in former Yugoslavia?
A: Ethnic violence and war in Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, and Kosovo during the 1990s.
33–35. Current Leaders and Revolution in Warfare
Q: What is the Russia-Ukraine conflict about?
A: A territorial and geopolitical struggle involving sovereignty and Western alignment.
Q: What is a "revolution in warfare"?
A: Fundamental changes in how wars are fought due to technology or strategy.
Q: Who are the current heads of state in:**
Russia – Vladimir Putin
UK – Rishi Sunak
Germany – Olaf Scholz
Ukraine – Volodymyr Zelenskyy
USA – Joe Biden
China – Xi Jinping
France – Emmanuel Macron
India – Narendra Modi
Israel – Benjamin Netanyahu
Brazil – Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
36–46. Final Key Concepts and People
Q: What is moral hazard in IR?
A: When protection or support encourages risky behavior (e.g., interventions encouraging rebellion).
Q: What is force protection?
A: Military emphasis on minimizing casualties, sometimes at odds with mission goals.
Q: Who are Boko Haram, Al Qaeda, Taliban, and ISIS?
A: Violent extremist groups with varying ideologies and goals.
Q: What was Stuxnet?
A: A cyberattack (by US and Israel) that targeted Iran's nuclear program.
Q: Who was Osama Bin Laden?
A: Founder of Al Qaeda; orchestrated 9/11.
Q: What is ethnic outbidding?
A: Politicians using extreme ethnic rhetoric to gain support.
Q: Who was Slobodan Milosevic?
A: Serbian leader instrumental in the Yugoslav Wars and ethnic cleansing.