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IR theories: Realism

IR theories: Realism. Three perspectives on international politics. Ali G at the UN: here . Events of the day/week Digital Camera: gallery (spelling correct?) Gaza, elections in Serbia, Kenya, etc. Issues from last week: Israel, European integration BBC documentaries

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IR theories: Realism

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  1. IR theories: Realism Three perspectives on international politics

  2. Ali G at the UN: here. • Events of the day/week • Digital Camera: gallery (spelling correct?) • Gaza, elections in Serbia, Kenya, etc. • Issues from last week: Israel, European integration • BBC documentaries • Levels of Analysis • Prisoners’ Dilemma • Theories of IR Hans Peter Schmitz

  3. Third Image: Qualities of the international system Second Image: Qualities of the domestic political system Levels of Analysis First Image: Qualities of state leadership

  4. Who, what, why, and how? Hans Peter Schmitz

  5. Understanding the Prisoners’ Dilemma • International politics: a unique sphere of social interactions among states: • absence of higher authority • Main actors (states) are functionally similar • Realism: Anarchy drives states to arm themselves and face a perpetual PD. • Security Dilemma explained, Nau, p. 23 Hans Peter Schmitz

  6. How to overcome the PD • Two suggestions: • Liberalism: Accept the basic assumption of PD/realism and show how states can use international institutions to overcome it. • Constructivism/Idealism/Identity: Dispute the underlying assumptions of PD and realism. Hans Peter Schmitz

  7. A realist perspective: Security dilemma • Anarchy > Insecurity > Self-defense > Deterrence > Conflict > more anarchy • Define anarchy: “a state of lawlessness and disorder”, Nau, p. 20 Hans Peter Schmitz

  8. Anarchy and Power • What matters 1. The system and its principles (anarchy) 2. The units and their capabilities Hans Peter Schmitz

  9. Domestic Hierarchy Centralized decision-making Monopoly of violence/enforcement Division of labor, dissimilar units International Anarchy No rules or enforcers Means of violence dispersed Similar units competing for the same goods Best case: balance of power Worst case: War 1. Principles of the system Hans Peter Schmitz

  10. The Security Dilemma • Anarchy is the ordering principle of international politics. • Anarchy creates insecurity among units (states). • Under anarchy, states strive for security defined as independence and functional integrity. • States can either increase their security by maximizing autonomy or influence. • Dilemma: Each state’s natural efforts to increase security translates into a security threat to others. Hans Peter Schmitz

  11. Anarchy and Power: Neorealism The International System States Anarchy The Security Dilemma Insecurity Power Focus on security (survival) Strife for power Conflict Hans Peter Schmitz

  12. Security strategies/realism • Internal balancing: • Defensive military build-up • External balancing: • Forging short term military alliances Hans Peter Schmitz

  13. Balance of power • Unipolar system: post-Cold War • Bipolar system: Cold War • Multipolar system: prior to WWI and WWII • From a realist perspective, which system is more likely to produce peace?, Nau, p. 24-25 Hans Peter Schmitz

  14. The core assumptions What realists and liberals share: • States are the main players. • States are rational and unitary actors. • States seek security and material gains. • Anarchy is the main obstacle to cooperation. Hans Peter Schmitz

  15. Weaknesses of realism • Neorealism can’t account forcooperation among states. • Military power can’t solve many of today’sproblems (climate change, refugee flows). • European integration makes no sense. • Non-state actors become more and more visible in global affairs. Hans Peter Schmitz

  16. Solving the Prisoners’ Dilemma: Liberalism • Cooperation under anarchy (Nau, p. 17): • Communication • Common problems/goals • Technological change • Strategies: ‘tit-for-tat’ and reciprocity/creation of international institutions Hans Peter Schmitz

  17. A liberal perspective: interdependence • Shared problems > interdependence > cooperation > institutions > peace and security • Define interdependence: “a reciprocal relationship between independent entities” Hans Peter Schmitz

  18. Security strategies/liberalism • Create international institutions • Build trust among states • Use trade to spread democracy and wealth • Trade creates more interdependence and makes war less likely Hans Peter Schmitz

  19. Role of institutions • International institutions are instrumental in facilitating cooperation by: • Lowering transaction costs and providing an arena for cooperation. • Providing information and transparency. • distributing the costs of cooperation evenly. • monitoringcompliance with agreements. • providing impartial adjudication. Hans Peter Schmitz

  20. Role of trade: comparative advantage • If country A is relatively better at making wine, then it makes sense to put more resources into wine production, and to export some of the wine to pay for imports. Country A does not have to be the best in producing wine (absolute advantage), but only relatively better than others in order to gain from trade. • The gains follow from specializing in those goods which, at world prices, the country is relatively stronger at producing. Hans Peter Schmitz

  21. Contesting the Prisoners’ Dilemma: Identity • Neither anarchy nor interdependence….. • Identity • Beliefs • Norms • Strategies: socialization and persuasion Hans Peter Schmitz

  22. Constructed reality Anarchy is neither destiny (realism), nor a disincentive to cooperation (institutionalism). • “Anarchy is what states make of it.” Alexander Wendt Hans Peter Schmitz

  23. Doing what is “right” • States are neither in a perpetual state of war (realism), nor do they only cooperate for their own profit (liberalism). • Most states follow most international rules most of the time (Theodor Meron). • Norms work without enforcement (realism) and sometimes even without economic incentives and self-interest (liberal institutionalism). Hans Peter Schmitz

  24. A constructivist perspective: norms and identity • Shared norms> socialization through IGOs and NGOs > common identity > interests > global policies (world government) • Define norms: “collectively shared understandings of appropriate behavior” Hans Peter Schmitz

  25. Definitions • Norms: Collectively shared understandings of appropriate behavior. • Institutions: Sets of rules which stipulate how to cooperate/compete. • Organizations: Institutions endowed with autonomy and actor qualities. Hans Peter Schmitz

  26. Why norms matter • Realism • Fear of penalty/coercion by someone else; passive resistance likely (obedience) • Liberal instiutionalism • In my best interest, compliance is a means; (autonomous compliance) • Idealism/Constructivism • Internalized, compliance is an end in itself; (habit-driven conformity) Hans Peter Schmitz

  27. IR theories and institutions • Realism • Instruments of powerful states • Liberalism • Arenas for inter-state cooperation • Idealism/Constructivism • Actors independent of states Hans Peter Schmitz

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