risk - risk in IR-1

Page 1

  • Title: Risk Analysis INTS2035 "Risk in IR"

  • Author: Dr. Grant Dawson

Page 2 - What is Risk?

  • Open-ended question: What is risk in your opinion?

  • Reference to a interactive platform for thoughts: https://www.menti.com/al9kvoubtwog

Page 3 - Risk and Rationality

  • Mary Douglas: “Risk is not a thing, it’s a way of thinking.”

Page 4 - Risk and Emotions

  • Chris Hadfield: Risks managed with knowledge reduce fear. No astronaut launches with crossed fingers.

Page 5 - Nature of Risk

  • Risks are not rare; they are part of daily discussions in government and business.

  • Two sides to risk: upside and downside.

  • Risk analysis can enhance outcomes (efficiency, return on investment).

Page 6 - Social Construction of Risk

  • Historical view of risk focused on probability and severity.

  • Introduced "network risk model" recognizing interconnectivity in decision-making.

  • Football game analogy: balance between offense and defense in risk management.

Page 7 - Risk in International Relations (IR)

  • References:

    • Peter J. Katzenstein & Lucia A. Seybert on uncertainty in IR.

    • William Clapton on risk in International Relations.

    • Darryl S. L. Jarvis on theorizing risk and uncertainty.

Page 8 - Defining Risk

  • Risks are possible harmful events to political/business interests marked by uncertainty.

  • They must be actively identified or ignored.

  • The idea that loss could lead to opportunity.

Page 9 - Understanding Risk

  • Risk probability can be measured and mitigated through analysis.

  • Political risk is challenging for corporations due to global integration and instability.

Page 10 - Understanding Uncertainty

  • Variables help analyze risks, but uncertainty limits measurable outcomes.

  • Knight asserts uncertainty cannot be precisely calculated.

Page 11 - IR, Risk, and Uncertainty

  • Current international situation marked by interconnectedness.

  • Past IR studies overlooked uncertainty; recognized both coexist.

Page 12 - IR and Risk Analysis

  • Risk analysis preferred method despite ignoring uncertainty.

  • Seybert and Katzenstein’s "protean power" concept highlights agility in responses to uncertainty.

Page 13 - Frank Knight's Contributions

  • Knight linked risk analysis to future prediction and human fallibility.

  • Significance of anticipated events in decision-making.

Page 14 - Knight's Concepts

  • Knight examined risk, probability, and uncertainty, focusing on measurable aspects of risk.

Page 15 - Insights from Knight

  • Risk's measurability implies controllability; using "Law of Large Numbers" for outcomes.

Page 16 - Knight on Knowledge Limitations

  • Knight associated risk with probability; uncertainty remains subjective and outside rational deliberation.

Page 17 - Addressing Uncertainty in IR

  • Seybert and Katzenstein argue distinctions between risk and uncertainty are complex.

Page 18 - Control Power vs. Protean Power

  • Control power functions under calculable risk; protean power operates in uncertainty.

Page 19 - Nature of Protean Power

  • Protean power characterized by unknown outcomes, thriving on actors' agility amidst uncertainty.

Page 20 - Politics of Risk

  • Risk identification and management benefit political actors; termed "riskisation."

Page 21 - Understanding Riskisation

  • Explore involved actors, norms, values affecting riskisation processes; understand social impacts.

Page 22 - Governance Changes

  • Importance of how states rescale governance; interactions shape new hierarchies in international arena.

Page 23 - Climate Change: Risk and Opportunity

  • Climate change as both a threat and opportunity; implications for state sovereignty and governance.

Page 24 - Climate Change Governance

  • US-led West addressing climate risks; combining leadership with national competitive interests.