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Major Ideologies of IR

Major Ideologies of IR. Goldstein, Joshua A & Pevehouse , John C. International Relations. 9 th Ed. 2010-2011 Update. Pearson. Things to remember…. States are what you have grown up calling “countries”. When discussing IR, we refer to these countries as states.

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Major Ideologies of IR

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  1. Major Ideologies of IR Goldstein, Joshua A & Pevehouse, John C. International Relations. 9th Ed. 2010-2011 Update. Pearson.

  2. Things to remember… • States are what you have grown up calling “countries”. • When discussing IR, we refer to these countries as states. • So when I say “states are at war” I am not referring to North Carolina fighting South Carolina. • Actors are simply the states that are acting in some manner with or against another. • States are political, nations are cultural.

  3. Realism • Explains IR in terms of power and how states use their power against each other • Looks at how the world really is instead of what it ought to be.

  4. Realism • Famous realists: • Sun Tzu (6th century BCE): chinesestrategist, showed rulers how to use their power to conquer dangerous neighbors; The Art of War • Thucydides (5th century BCE): account of Peloponnesian War focusing on power of Greek city-state. “the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.”

  5. Realism • Famous realists: • Thomas Hobbes: absence of government leads to a free-for-all where people only fulfill their own self interest.; favored strong monarch (Leviathon). • Hans Morgenthau: international politics are governed by universal laws based on national interests; no nation has “God on its side”.

  6. Realism • Power • The ability to get another actor to do what it would not otherwise have done. • If one gets its way a lot, then it must be powerful. • Factors affecting power • Size, income level, armed forces

  7. Realism • Example of power • Bombing of Pearl Harbor • Destroyed US military capabilities in the Pacific; gave Japan short term superiority. • US had greater power resources due to income levels and rebuilt. • in the long term, US matched and overwhelmed Japanese power.

  8. Realism • Key terms • Sovereignty – the right of a state to rule its own territory • Balance of power – one or more states use their power to balance that of another group of states. • Security dilemma – when actions taken by one state (e.g. military force)threaten the security of other states. • Alliances – coalition of states that coordinate their actions to accomplish a common goal.

  9. Liberalism • Liberal approaches to IR are more optimistic than realism. • 21st century has seen shift towards more liberal views; fewer large scale wars being fought. • Tries to explain how peace and cooperation are possible

  10. Liberalism • Immanuel Kant (19th cent) • offered 3 suggestions for how peace could be obtained • Reciprocity principle; suggested a world federation similar to the modern UN • Peace depends on internal character of govt. • Trade would promote peace by allowing both states to increase wealth. (realists disagree)

  11. Liberalism • Key theories • International regimes: rules govern how states interact; each state expects all will play by the same rules. • Collective security: broad alliance of major states in international system to protect selves from aggressive actor. (UN Security Council) • Democratic peace: democracies almost never fight each other; the more democracies, the less wars.

  12. Social • Constructivism • Draws heavily on identity principle • Asks how actors define their national interests, threats to those interests, and relationships to one another. • What past generation thought was threatening may not be so with later generations

  13. Social • Changing views on what we see as threatening • Pirates invaded ports, pillaged, murdered, and disobeyed international law • States used navies to stop them, costing lives and resources • Blackbeard once held the entire city of Charleston SC hostage to get medical supplies • Today: sports teams, movies, kids shows, Halloween costumes.

  14. Social • Marxism • More powerful classes suppress and exploit the less powerful by denying them the surplus they create. • Class struggle leads to revolution which can have an affect on IR. • Revolution usually happens in backward countries (Russia at turn of 20th century, China in mid 20th century)

  15. Social • Peace Studies • Focuses on social relations at the individual, domestic, and global level. • Conflict resolution – non-violent means to settle disputes, usually through mediation. • Argues militarism is what leads to war, not necessarily power. • Costa Rica has had no army for 50 years but never been invaded despite war in neighboring states

  16. Summary • Realism = dominance principle (US is powerful because of it’s military, which gives it power over others) • Liberalism = reciprocity principle (European Union allows many European states to benefit from trade, tourism) • Social = identity principle (developing nations have common goals and may work together)

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