Shared Flashcard Set

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Theories
N/A
22
Political Studies
Undergraduate 2
10/11/2012

Additional Political Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Realism

(Main Points)

Definition
  • dominant paradigm in IR
  • Self-interested states compete for power/security
  • Classical Realism- rooted in human nature
  • Morgenthau-> "politics like socitey in general is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature"
  • Conflict/war as inveitable
  • struggle for power
  • not concerned with domestic interests defined in terms of power
  • skeptical of universal moral prinicples
  • distinction between domestic and intl politics
  • sovereignty
  • national interests are objective
  • principal national interest is that of survival/security
Term

Main Units of Analysis

(Realism)

Definition
States (unitary, rational, self-interested)
Term

Realism

(Instruments)

Definition
Eco/military power -> war and use of force as legitimate instrument of statecraft
Term

Basis of International Realm

(Realism)

Definition
Anarchy-> state in hostile environment (given-> human nature)
Term

Neo-Realism/Structural Realism

(Main Points)

Definition

 

Defensive Realism (Waltz states as security maximizers)

  • is when military power is used, strive for military power

Offensive Realism (Mearsheimer, states as power maximizers) -> states always searching for power at the expense of others

  • is when states are aggressive towards each other

-emphasizes the importance of structure of international system and its role as primary determinant of state behaviour

-intl cooperation hard to acheive

 

 

Assumptions


-states and other actors interact in an anarchic environment

-no central authority to enforce rules/norms

-states see all other states as potential enemies

- example: realists like Morgenthau explain intl politics by looking at the actions and interactions of the states in the system

-neo-realists believe that  the effects of structure must be considered as well

 

Term

Realism

(Limitations)

 

Definition
  • does not account for international change
  • Normative-> inability of states to respond to collective global problems like famine and environment
  • cannot account for regional integration, humanitarian intervention
Term

Realism

(Key Concepts +Theorists)

Definition

Statism, Survival (not guranteed), self help (no state can rely on other state/instutution for survival)

 

Theorists

-E.H. Carr, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Morgenthau, Rousseau

Term

Neo-Realism/Structural Realism

(Key Concepts +Theorists)

Definition

Theorists: Kenneth Waltz, Mearsheimer, Grieco

 

Key Concepts

-Anarchy and hierchy (domestic), BoP (bipolar) Survival

-Absolute vs relative gains

(states are concerned with how much other states may benefut or have influence in comparison to others in any cooperative behaviour )

Term

Liberalism

(Main Points)

Definition

-concern for power overridden by economic and political consideration, value order, liberty, justice

-seeks to project values of order, liberty, justice into international relations

-domestic and international instututions are required to protect and nurture these values

 

Four Claims (Doyle)

-All citizens are equal

-legilative assembly of a state has authority granted by people in it

-right to own property (individual);

-market driven economy

 

Term

Liberalism

(Main Units of Analysis)

Definition
States
Term

Liberalism

Instruments

 

Definition

Varies (Democracy Institution) 

 

Term

Key Concepts +Theorist

(Liberalism)

Definition

Key Concepts

-cooperation, economic liberalism

-Economic Interdependence

-Democracy key to world peace insitutions

 

Theorist: Woodrow Wilson

Term

Neo-Liberalism (Neoliberal Institutionalism)

 

Main Points?

 

Definition

 

-states seek to max interests

o   Regime theory (regimes are more specific interest areas for instututions, security regimes, UN)  issue-specific

-Capitalism, Market driven

-focus on political economy, environment, human rights

-neoliberal instutionalism sees instutions as mediator and means to achieve cooperation

-Aim to achieve absolute Gains

-Institutions (IMF, WTO)

 

Term

Neo-Liberalism

Unit of Analysis

Definition

Multilateralism: state and non state actors can work together

 

 

 

-centrality of states, unitary, Rational

 

 

 

Term

Liberalism 

(Critique)

 

Definition
Ignores the role of power
Term

Neo-Liberalism

Limitations and Critique

Definition

-doesn't address how states cheat or their noncompliance

-states act unilaterally and promote self-interest

Term

Neo Liberalism/neoliberal instutionalism)

 

Absolute or Relative?

Definition

Absolute Gains

 

All states seek to gain more power and influence in the international system to secure their national interests.

Term

Neo-Liberalism

Key Concepts + Theorists

Definition

Theorists: Nye, Keohane

 

Concepts

-"cooperation is not automatic but requires planning and negotiation" -Keohane

-cooperation is easy to achieve where there is mutual interests

-insitutions and regimes are significant forces in international relations

Term
Differences Between Neo-Realism & Neo-Liberalism
Definition

* Neo-liberals & Neo-realists study different worlds of Intl politics

*neo-realists focus on security and military issues

*neo-liberals focus on political economy, enviromental issues and human right issues 

 

Neo-Realism


-neo-realists state that that neo-liberals minimize the importance of survival as the goal of each state

-believe intl cooperation is hard to achieve, difficult to maintain and dependent on state power

-neo-realists believe that the fundamental goal of states in cooperative realtionships is to prevent others from gaining more

 

Neo-Liberalism


-claim that neo-realists minimize the importance of international interdependence, globalization and regimes created to manage these interactions

-believe cooperation is easy to achieve in areas where states have mutual interests

-neo-liberals want to maximize the total amount of gains for parties involved

 

 

Term

Critical Theory

(Positivism)

Definition

 

Positivism: facts and values can be separated; it is possible to separate object and subject

 

 

 


 

Term
Problem-Solving Theory
Definition

Problem-solving theory: takes the world as it finds it, the way things are. The purpose of the theory is to straight out the wrinkles, and to overcome the new problems that may arise, why states go to war, why can’t they trade. Neo-realism and liberalism fits nicely in this theory.

 

Term
Critical Theory
Definition
tries to look at how the world came to be as it is, in the first place. Rather than assuming that all states go to war, war has always occurred; they try to problematize the institution of war itself. The way to do it is to problematize power structures and how it came to be. Cox is known for, ‘theory is always for someone and for some purpose’. In other words, critical theorists distinguish between what are positivist theories, and post- positivist theories.
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