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41 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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IR Theory
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a way of understanding how interstate relations work; how we think and act within thet realm of world politics
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3 characteristics of modern state system
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- state-centric
- anarchy in the international system - relatively small number of units |
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Reasons why states survived after they emerged
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- after feudal era, other variants of political organization appeared
- Darwinian logic suggests survival of the fittest: that is that states survived wars and other forms did not |
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Why did weak states survive?
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Lamarck says that imitation and empowerment by
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3 reasons why states follow anarchic systems
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- coercion (realist)
- self-interest (liberalist) - legitimacy (constructivist) |
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Classical realism
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- people working in their interests
- war is the ultimate breakdown of order - need international institutions to ensure this doesn't happen - emphasizes human nature and national interests - see multipolarity as conducive to peace |
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Political liberalism
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- concrete application of philosophical liberalism
- governments governs by the consent of the governed - people are rational. elect governments that look out for the best possible interest |
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Philosophical liberalism
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- more a sensibility than a theory
- european enlightenment so reason is paramount - overarching tent of liberal thought |
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Neorealism
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- focuses on the international system as a whole (emphasis on structure)
- bipolarity is the best bet for peace - states are rational actors - structure of the system determines state behavior |
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Two types of balancing
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internal and external balancing
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3 tenets of realist assumptions
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- fundamental continuity
- physical survival of the state is key - international anarchy |
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Realism emerged...
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when the league of nations failed following the Facist aggression of the 1930's
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Realist critiques of classical idealism
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- human nature is not benign
- forgot that international system is anarchic |
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3 assumptions of classical realism
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- states are the key units of action
- they seek power - they behave rationally (no norms) |
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How did liberalism start?
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stated as a challenge to realism in the 1970's especciallyt as US declined after WW2
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Key difference between realism and liberalism
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-in realism the state is the main actor
- in liberalism, it is individuals, private institutions, states (greater diversity) that can act as actors |
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4 Tenets of IR liberalism
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- state has other goals besides physical survival that may be considered more important
- anarchy can be mitigated - international institutions matter - rise of liberal democracy was a fundamental change in world politics |
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Neoliberalism
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- since the world has become more pluralistic 4 contradictions to realist assumptions have risen:
- increasing linkages between state and non-state actors - new agenda where low politics and high politics cannot be distinguished - multiple channels for cross-boundary interactions - decline of the efficacy of the use of military force as a tool of statecraft - also called neoidealism or institutional liberalism - utilize realist thinking of self-interest with values and morals added - favor absolute gain against relative gain |
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Assumptions of neoliberalism
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- states are not only key actors
- states seek to maximize absolute gains by taking advantage of cooperation - non-compliance or cheating is the greatest obstacle to cooperation - states that cheat will eventually return to the fold |
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Neo-Neo: anarchic system
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- neorealists find the anarchic system to constrain their foreign policy
- neoliberals rely on interdependence and mutual vulnerability |
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Neo-Neo: international cooperation
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- neorealists cannot happen unless states make it happen
- neoliberals think it can happen if mutual interes are involved |
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Neo-Neo: benefits
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- neoliberalists favor absolute gains
- neorealists favor relative gains |
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Neo-Neo: power
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- neoliberals focus on cooperation in the form of mutual interests and other non-miliary concerns
- neorealists are primarily concerned with security and relative power |
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Neo-Neo: interests
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- Neorealists emphasize military capacity over intentions
- neoliberals find interests as the key |
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Neo-Neo: cooperation
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- neoliberals place faith in international institutions and regimes for cooperation
- neorealists find cooperation impossible |
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Key of functionalism, neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism
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peace, not war, is the norm; prosperity comes with peace; and enduring peace is possible but it can disintegrate
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background of functionalism
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peace can be achieved by integrating small units into larger political ones (even if by domination i.e. pax romana)
- international organizations entrusted with problem solving in specific functional areas |
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Mitrany's views
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international organizations ought to help solve problems that couldn't be confined to state boundaries
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Notes of functionalism
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- the cause of war is nationalism
- actors seek peace - emphasis on low politics, not high - economic policies, economic agreements, etc. are the intruments of policy - IO's are to be the head of policy-making - Common interest and peace are primary impulses - Peace is achieved despite the conflictual tendencies of state leaders and political elite due to transnational cooperation |
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Hass' views
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political elite and state leaders must be involved in policy-making
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Security Communities
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- agroup of people that have become an integrated community
- compromises must be made in order to keep the community from dissolving |
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Neofunctionalism
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- call both obsolete and too Eurocentric
- theory and strategy for regional integration - focused on 3 types of spillover: functional (integration of modern uf modern industrial economies and interdependence), political (pressure from interest groups), and cultivated (supranational institutions) |
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Neofunctionalist criticism
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- fails to realize that states are powerful actors, and integration is confined to low politics solely
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Intergovernmentalism
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- a theory of Euro-integrations
- governments control level and speed of integration - 2 level analysis: domestic state preferences & intergovernmental bargaining - government is never superseded by a supranational authority |
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Constructivist history
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- youngest of major "ism"
- major theorist were Onuf and Wendt |
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Constructivism tenets
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- history and change
- identity drives state interests - anarchy is conceptualized as thick - radicalizes the idea taht international institutions matter; not just a system but a society |
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Constructivism Changes
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- change is constant
- I.S. must be reconstructed constantly - investigates stability - no major changes occur at once |
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Constructivism Interests
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- identity is no inherent: it is constituted
- states often use identity to justify actions - not material relations, cultural relations |
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Constructivism Acharchy
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- international society, not international system
- states only recognize sovereignty to do business w/ one another - solution is rules, procedures, and conventions |
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Constructivism Institutions
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- international institutions are social conventions
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Constructivism Future (and realist, liberal, and functionalist stance on future)
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- does not predict the future, but forecasts the possibility of likely scenarios
- realists believe anarchy and balancing are constants - liberals believe the pursuit of self-interest and rational exceptions will always be around - functionalists believe spillover and ramification are inevitable |
