POSC 2601 Midterm 1 Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed
collective action problem - Answers the biggest problem in IR; the problem of how to provide
benefits to all members of a group regardless to whether all members contribute or not
free rider problem
cost-benefit problem - Answers two key issues of the collective action problem
easier to provide goods and services to a small group size - Answers what is the impact of
group size on solving the collective action problem?
security dilemma - Answers the most important collective action problem in IR; a situation in
which actions that states take to ensure their own security are perceived as threats to the
security of other states
dominance
reciprocity
identity - Answers the three core principles of IR
dominance relies on a power hierarchy acting as a central authority and reciprocity operates
without any central authority - Answers how do dominance and reciprocity differ as solutions to
collective goods problems?
the identity principle does not rely on self-interest and the dominance and reciprocity principles
rely on achieving self-interest - Answers how is the identity principle distinguished from the
dominance and reciprocity principles?
reciprocity - Answers the advantages of "mutual cooperation" and the disadvantages of
"downward spirals" are related to which core principle of IR?
trade agreement - Answers example of mutual cooperation
arms race - Answers example of downward spiral
global level
interstate/systemic level
state/domestic level
individual level - Answers the four levels of analysis
global level of analysis - Answers trends that transcend beyond any one
state/individual/group/organization
, interstate/systemic level of analysis - Answers the influence of the international system on
outcomes
state/domestic level of analysis - Answers consideration of the political organizations,
government agencies, and economic sectors
individual level of analysis - Answers the perceptions, choices, and actions of humans
global - Answers the ______ level of analysis describes the north-south gap
north-south gap - Answers the disparity between the relatively rich industrialized countries in the
global north and relatively poor countries in the global south
state actors
non-state actors - Answers the two types of actors in the international system
non-state actor - Answers any actor that is not a state government that operates within a state
or across state borders (ex: NGOs, IGOs, MNCs, individuals)
state - Answers inhabited territorial entity controlled by a government that exercises sovereignty
over its territory and population
nation - Answers composed of a group of people who share a common descent, history, culture
or language within a given territory or state
a nation lacks sovereignty - Answers the key difference between a state and a nation
sovereignty - Answers a state's right, at least in principle, to do whatever it wants
states - Answers the key actors under realism
relative power - Answers the most important figure of IR according to a realist
total GDP - Answers according to the text, the best single indicator of a state's power
mutual interest - Answers according to offensive realism (mearsheimer 2014) this does NOT
explain state behavior
increase; maintain - Answers offensive realists believe states want to _______ power, whereas
defensive realists argue states want to ________ power.
multipolar - Answers prior to the world wars, there was a _______ international system.
multipolar system - Answers 5 to 6 centers of power that are not grouped into an alliance
unipolar - Answers since the cold war ended, we have been living in a _______ international
system.
collective action problem - Answers the biggest problem in IR; the problem of how to provide
benefits to all members of a group regardless to whether all members contribute or not
free rider problem
cost-benefit problem - Answers two key issues of the collective action problem
easier to provide goods and services to a small group size - Answers what is the impact of
group size on solving the collective action problem?
security dilemma - Answers the most important collective action problem in IR; a situation in
which actions that states take to ensure their own security are perceived as threats to the
security of other states
dominance
reciprocity
identity - Answers the three core principles of IR
dominance relies on a power hierarchy acting as a central authority and reciprocity operates
without any central authority - Answers how do dominance and reciprocity differ as solutions to
collective goods problems?
the identity principle does not rely on self-interest and the dominance and reciprocity principles
rely on achieving self-interest - Answers how is the identity principle distinguished from the
dominance and reciprocity principles?
reciprocity - Answers the advantages of "mutual cooperation" and the disadvantages of
"downward spirals" are related to which core principle of IR?
trade agreement - Answers example of mutual cooperation
arms race - Answers example of downward spiral
global level
interstate/systemic level
state/domestic level
individual level - Answers the four levels of analysis
global level of analysis - Answers trends that transcend beyond any one
state/individual/group/organization
, interstate/systemic level of analysis - Answers the influence of the international system on
outcomes
state/domestic level of analysis - Answers consideration of the political organizations,
government agencies, and economic sectors
individual level of analysis - Answers the perceptions, choices, and actions of humans
global - Answers the ______ level of analysis describes the north-south gap
north-south gap - Answers the disparity between the relatively rich industrialized countries in the
global north and relatively poor countries in the global south
state actors
non-state actors - Answers the two types of actors in the international system
non-state actor - Answers any actor that is not a state government that operates within a state
or across state borders (ex: NGOs, IGOs, MNCs, individuals)
state - Answers inhabited territorial entity controlled by a government that exercises sovereignty
over its territory and population
nation - Answers composed of a group of people who share a common descent, history, culture
or language within a given territory or state
a nation lacks sovereignty - Answers the key difference between a state and a nation
sovereignty - Answers a state's right, at least in principle, to do whatever it wants
states - Answers the key actors under realism
relative power - Answers the most important figure of IR according to a realist
total GDP - Answers according to the text, the best single indicator of a state's power
mutual interest - Answers according to offensive realism (mearsheimer 2014) this does NOT
explain state behavior
increase; maintain - Answers offensive realists believe states want to _______ power, whereas
defensive realists argue states want to ________ power.
multipolar - Answers prior to the world wars, there was a _______ international system.
multipolar system - Answers 5 to 6 centers of power that are not grouped into an alliance
unipolar - Answers since the cold war ended, we have been living in a _______ international
system.
