Introduction to International Politics

Includes a definition for international relations. Includes a list of essential questions to ask when studying international relations, questions that are especially helpful as you begin your study of international relations. Lists the key theories of international relations. Discusses tools for stu...

Explains the radical and non-mainstream theories of international relations, including Marxism, Dependency Theory, and Feminist Critiques. Includes definitions for proletariat, difference feminism, and liberal feminism.

Provides descriptions and characteristics of liberalism, neoliberal institutionalism, and general characteristics of other liberal theories. Defines reciprocity principle, identity principle, complex interdependence, democratic peace, and commercial peace.

Explains how history relates to the study of international relations and why it is important to study history in order to fully understand international relations. Identifies and explains significant historical events that have had a lasting impact on the field of international relations. Defines so...

Explains and describes characteristics and core tenets of the constructivist school of thought. Defines soft power.

Describes how states cooperate and the problems associated with international cooperation. Explains the Kantian triangle of peace, and explains how the major motivating factor for international cooperation among states is self-interest. Defines relative gains and democracy.

Explains different types of international law, including criminal law and maritime law. Identifies sources of international law. Explains vertical and horizontal enforcement. Defines treaty, vertical enforcement, horizontal enforcement, extradition treaties, substantive treaties, mutual legal assist...

Explains the international, state, and individual levels of system analysis. Defines and explains the parts of a system and how a system works. Explains multipolarity, bipolarity, and unipolarity. Provides arguments as for why each type of polarity (multipolar, bipolar, unipolar) should be the most ...

Describes national security, types of wars, characteristics of war, elements of terrorism, cyberwarfare, the causes of war, deterrence, jus ad bellum, and jus in bello. Defines war, interstate war, intrastate/civil war, terrorism, cyberwarfare, cyberspace, deterrence, jus ad bellum, and jus in bello...

Describes the characteristics of intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations (IGOs and NGOs), how each operates at the international and state levels, and compares how the three major theoretical perspectives (liberalism, realism, constructivism) view IGOs and NGOs.

Explains traditional peacekeeping and complex peacekeeping

Describes economic statecraft, use of force, and the models of foreign policy decision making: bureaucratic/organizational, pluralist, rational, and constructivist. Defines positive sanctions, negative sanctions, smart sanctions, compellence, deterrence, globalization, transnational movements, ethno...

Identifies each part of the United Nations: Security Council, General Assembly, Secretariat, Economic and Social Council, and International Court of Justice. Describes characteristics of each part, including: the permanent and nonpermanent members of the Security Council, the abilities of each body,...

Explains the basic concepts of human rights, the historical evolution of human rights, the roles that IGOs and NGOs play in human rights, the increase of women's rights as human rights, and Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Defines first-generation rights, second-generation rights, third-generation ...