POLS 102 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2025
Whataareatheadifferencesabetweenacomparativeapoliticsaandainternationalarelations?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-comparativeapolitics:atakesaplaceainaaasettledaorder
Internationalarelations:ahasamuchalessaorderaandamoreafluiditya(theaactionsaofasomeastatesa
areaveryaunpredictable)
Whataareatheakeyasubfieldsaofainternationalarelations?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
internationalapoliticalaeconomya(globalization);aforeignapolicy/diplomacyaandasocialastudies
a(waraandapeace);ainternationalarelationsatheory
Whataeventaledatoatheacreationaofainternationalarelationsaasaaastudy?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
wwiabecauseaitaaffectedafouracontinents,aactedaasaaacatalystaforatheaformationaofairaasaaane
wafield
Whatadoaidealistaassumeawillaleadatoatheapreventionaofawar?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
arguesawasacanabeapreventedaifastatesafollowainternationalalawaandabackainternationalaorga
nization
Whichausapresidentawasakeyatoatheacreationaofaidealismaasaanainternationalarelationsaideolo
gy?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-woodrowawilson
Howadoaidealistaargueathataconflictacanabeaprevented?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
wilsonafeltawarawouldabealessalikelyaifastatesanegotiatedainaanaorganizedaforum;awilsonabelie
vedastatesawoulda"growaoutaof"aaaneedaforaconflict;awararesultsafromaaccidents,Ainsanity,aora
miscalculations
Whataareatheaguidingaprincipalsaofarealism?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
everythingaaastateadoesaisaaboutamaximizingasecurityaandapower;afewareligious,Amoral,aoral
egalaargumentsaforaaction;aargueaforabigadefenseabudgetsaandatheaneedaforaself-
sufficiencyainaagricultureaandasteel;aleaveabattlefieldsatoatheagenerals
Accordingatoarealists,awhatashouldastatesadoatoaguaranteeatheirasecurity?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-investainamilitaryaandadefense;abeareadyatoagoatoawar
Whataroleadoesahumananatureaplayainainternationalaconflict?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
leadersahaveabigaegosaandacanaactaagainstatheiranationsabestainterestatoagainaterritoryaorapr
estige
Howadoesastateatypeaandageographyadetermineathealikelihoodaofaconflict?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
undemocraticaregimesaengageainamoreawarfareabecauseaofatheiraneedatoamobilizeatheirapo
pulations;ademocraciesaalsoatendatoafightawithaotherademocracies;apooreracountriesatendato
afightaeachaotheraoveralimitedaresources
Howaisaaabalanceaofapowerameanatoasecureapeace?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
byabalancingaoutamilitaryapowerayouacanareduceathealikelihoodaofamilitaryaconflictabecausea
noacountryaisapowerfulaenoughatoaactaalone;ahaveabalanceaofapowerabyacreatingaalliancesao
faroughlyatheasameasize
, Whataisabandwagoning?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-balanceaofapowersainareverse--
weakeracountiesajoinaaavictoriousaallianceatoagainaspoilsaofawar,Aprestige,aorarebuildingacont
racts
Whyamustaworldaleadersaworkatoamakeasureatheiradecisionsaappeararational?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
manyaexecutiveadecisions,aunlessatheyaappeararational,awillanotabeaimplementedabyatheabu
reaucracyaoramilitary
Howadoasopsaworkatoaensurearationaladecisionamaking?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
Howadoesapublicaopinionashapeatheadecisionsathataworldaleadersamake?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
leadersamustatakeatheamediaaandacitizen'sareactionsaintoaaccountawhenamakingadecisions;a
leadersafrequentlyaprepareatheapublicaforacostlyadecisionsaoveratime
Whataareatheacausesaofawaraaccordingatoatheatextbook?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
Whyaisaanarchy,aaakeyathemeaofatheatextbook,aoftenaassumedatoabeatheaunderlyingadynami
csaofainternationalapolitics?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
absenceaofagovernmentascaresapeople;awhereayouagetaintoacrimeaandaconflict—
thisacausesaaaneedaandawantaforastability;Arealism=spendamoneyaonadefenseaandapolicy;Aid
ealism=internationalaorganization,Adon'tAuseAweapons
Howadoesamadaserveatoakeepatheapeaceabetweenamajoranuclearapowers?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
doctrineaofamilitaryastrategyaandanationalasecurityapolicyainawhichaaafull-
scaleauseaofanuclearaweaponsabyatwoaoramoreaopposingasidesawouldacauseatheacompleteaa
nnihilationaofabothatheaattackeraandatheadefender;abasedaonatheatheoryaofadeterrenceawhich
aholdsathatatheathreataof ausingastrongaweaponsaagainstatheaenemyapreventsatheaenemy'sau
seaofathoseasameaweapons
Whyaisapakistanaandaindia'sadevelopmentaofanuclearaweaponsamoreaworryingathanatheacol
dawararivalryabetweenatheaussraandausa?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
problemaofanuclearaproliferationa(whatahappensawhenarogueastatesamasteranuclearatechnol
ogy);aconflictabetweenaindiaaandapakistanacausesaproblemsabecauseatheyabothahaveanucle
araweapons,atheyaareageographicallyaclose,aandatheyahaveaaahistoryaofaconflict
Whatawasatheastrategicapurposeaofatheanon-
proliferationatreatyaandacomprehensiveatestabanatreaty?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
nptawasadesignedatoapreventatheaspreadaofanuclearaweaponsawhileaallowingaforapeacefulau
seaofanuclearatechnology;actbtawasadesignedatoapreventanuclearatesta(theoryaisathatawithouta
testing,anuclearaweaponsawillanotabecomeamoreapowerful)
Whataareasomeaofatheamainatypesaofainformationawarfareausedabyatheamajorapowers?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
intellectualapropertyatheft;aelectromagneticasurgesatoatakeaoutapoweraplantsaorafryahardadriv
es;abombsamadeaofaconcrete;atacticalaassaultalightaoperatorasuit
Explainahowadominoatheory,atheatrumanadoctrine,aandacontainmentaarearelateda-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
trumanadoctrine:acoldawar;aprovideapolitical,Amilitary,aandaeconomicaassistanceatoaallademo
craticanationsaunderathreatafromaexternalaorainternalaauthoritarianaforces
Dominoatheory:aonceacommunistsagetaintoaanyacountry,atheiraneighborsawillabecomeacomm
unistatoo
Containment:awantedatoacontainatheasovietsasoacommunismawouldn'taspread
ANSWERS 2025
Whataareatheadifferencesabetweenacomparativeapoliticsaandainternationalarelations?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-comparativeapolitics:atakesaplaceainaaasettledaorder
Internationalarelations:ahasamuchalessaorderaandamoreafluiditya(theaactionsaofasomeastatesa
areaveryaunpredictable)
Whataareatheakeyasubfieldsaofainternationalarelations?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
internationalapoliticalaeconomya(globalization);aforeignapolicy/diplomacyaandasocialastudies
a(waraandapeace);ainternationalarelationsatheory
Whataeventaledatoatheacreationaofainternationalarelationsaasaaastudy?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
wwiabecauseaitaaffectedafouracontinents,aactedaasaaacatalystaforatheaformationaofairaasaaane
wafield
Whatadoaidealistaassumeawillaleadatoatheapreventionaofawar?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
arguesawasacanabeapreventedaifastatesafollowainternationalalawaandabackainternationalaorga
nization
Whichausapresidentawasakeyatoatheacreationaofaidealismaasaanainternationalarelationsaideolo
gy?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-woodrowawilson
Howadoaidealistaargueathataconflictacanabeaprevented?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
wilsonafeltawarawouldabealessalikelyaifastatesanegotiatedainaanaorganizedaforum;awilsonabelie
vedastatesawoulda"growaoutaof"aaaneedaforaconflict;awararesultsafromaaccidents,Ainsanity,aora
miscalculations
Whataareatheaguidingaprincipalsaofarealism?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
everythingaaastateadoesaisaaboutamaximizingasecurityaandapower;afewareligious,Amoral,aoral
egalaargumentsaforaaction;aargueaforabigadefenseabudgetsaandatheaneedaforaself-
sufficiencyainaagricultureaandasteel;aleaveabattlefieldsatoatheagenerals
Accordingatoarealists,awhatashouldastatesadoatoaguaranteeatheirasecurity?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-investainamilitaryaandadefense;abeareadyatoagoatoawar
Whataroleadoesahumananatureaplayainainternationalaconflict?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
leadersahaveabigaegosaandacanaactaagainstatheiranationsabestainterestatoagainaterritoryaorapr
estige
Howadoesastateatypeaandageographyadetermineathealikelihoodaofaconflict?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
undemocraticaregimesaengageainamoreawarfareabecauseaofatheiraneedatoamobilizeatheirapo
pulations;ademocraciesaalsoatendatoafightawithaotherademocracies;apooreracountriesatendato
afightaeachaotheraoveralimitedaresources
Howaisaaabalanceaofapowerameanatoasecureapeace?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
byabalancingaoutamilitaryapowerayouacanareduceathealikelihoodaofamilitaryaconflictabecausea
noacountryaisapowerfulaenoughatoaactaalone;ahaveabalanceaofapowerabyacreatingaalliancesao
faroughlyatheasameasize
, Whataisabandwagoning?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-balanceaofapowersainareverse--
weakeracountiesajoinaaavictoriousaallianceatoagainaspoilsaofawar,Aprestige,aorarebuildingacont
racts
Whyamustaworldaleadersaworkatoamakeasureatheiradecisionsaappeararational?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
manyaexecutiveadecisions,aunlessatheyaappeararational,awillanotabeaimplementedabyatheabu
reaucracyaoramilitary
Howadoasopsaworkatoaensurearationaladecisionamaking?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
Howadoesapublicaopinionashapeatheadecisionsathataworldaleadersamake?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
leadersamustatakeatheamediaaandacitizen'sareactionsaintoaaccountawhenamakingadecisions;a
leadersafrequentlyaprepareatheapublicaforacostlyadecisionsaoveratime
Whataareatheacausesaofawaraaccordingatoatheatextbook?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
Whyaisaanarchy,aaakeyathemeaofatheatextbook,aoftenaassumedatoabeatheaunderlyingadynami
csaofainternationalapolitics?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
absenceaofagovernmentascaresapeople;awhereayouagetaintoacrimeaandaconflict—
thisacausesaaaneedaandawantaforastability;Arealism=spendamoneyaonadefenseaandapolicy;Aid
ealism=internationalaorganization,Adon'tAuseAweapons
Howadoesamadaserveatoakeepatheapeaceabetweenamajoranuclearapowers?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
doctrineaofamilitaryastrategyaandanationalasecurityapolicyainawhichaaafull-
scaleauseaofanuclearaweaponsabyatwoaoramoreaopposingasidesawouldacauseatheacompleteaa
nnihilationaofabothatheaattackeraandatheadefender;abasedaonatheatheoryaofadeterrenceawhich
aholdsathatatheathreataof ausingastrongaweaponsaagainstatheaenemyapreventsatheaenemy'sau
seaofathoseasameaweapons
Whyaisapakistanaandaindia'sadevelopmentaofanuclearaweaponsamoreaworryingathanatheacol
dawararivalryabetweenatheaussraandausa?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
problemaofanuclearaproliferationa(whatahappensawhenarogueastatesamasteranuclearatechnol
ogy);aconflictabetweenaindiaaandapakistanacausesaproblemsabecauseatheyabothahaveanucle
araweapons,atheyaareageographicallyaclose,aandatheyahaveaaahistoryaofaconflict
Whatawasatheastrategicapurposeaofatheanon-
proliferationatreatyaandacomprehensiveatestabanatreaty?A-ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
nptawasadesignedatoapreventatheaspreadaofanuclearaweaponsawhileaallowingaforapeacefulau
seaofanuclearatechnology;actbtawasadesignedatoapreventanuclearatesta(theoryaisathatawithouta
testing,anuclearaweaponsawillanotabecomeamoreapowerful)
Whataareasomeaofatheamainatypesaofainformationawarfareausedabyatheamajorapowers?A-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
intellectualapropertyatheft;aelectromagneticasurgesatoatakeaoutapoweraplantsaorafryahardadriv
es;abombsamadeaofaconcrete;atacticalaassaultalightaoperatorasuit
Explainahowadominoatheory,atheatrumanadoctrine,aandacontainmentaarearelateda-
ACORRECTAANSWERSA-
trumanadoctrine:acoldawar;aprovideapolitical,Amilitary,aandaeconomicaassistanceatoaallademo
craticanationsaunderathreatafromaexternalaorainternalaauthoritarianaforces
Dominoatheory:aonceacommunistsagetaintoaanyacountry,atheiraneighborsawillabecomeacomm
unistatoo
Containment:awantedatoacontainatheasovietsasoacommunismawouldn'taspread