INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS UNIT 1 EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Sate - ANSWER-a legal territorial entity composed of a stable population and a
government; it possesses a monopoly over the legitimate use of force; its sovereignty is
recognized by other states in the international system
Nation-State - ANSWER-a political community in which the state claims legitimacy on
the grounds that it represents all citizens, including those who may identify as a
separate community or nation
Sovereignty - ANSWER-the condition of a state having control and authority over its
own territory and being free from any higher legal authority. it is related to , but distinct
from, the condition of a government being free from any external political constraints
Imperialism - ANSWER-the practice of foreign conquest and rule in the context of global
relations in hierarchy and subordination. it can lead to the establishment of an empire
Theory - ANSWER-a proposed explanation of an event or behavior
Idealism - ANSWER-referred to by realists as utopianism since it underestimates the
logic of power politics and the constraints this imposes on political action. Id easily as a
substantive theory of international relations is generally associated with the claim that it
is possible to create a world of peace based on the rule of law
Normative Theory - ANSWER-the systematic analyses of the ethical, moral, and
political principles that either govern or ought to govern the organization or conduct of
global politics. The belief that theories should be concerned with what ought to be rather
than merely diagnosing what is
Realism - ANSWER-A theory that analyzes all international relations as the relation of
states engaged in the pursuit of power. Realists see the international system as
anarchic or without a common power, and they believe conflict is endemic in the
international system
Liberalism - ANSWER-A theory that argues for human rights, parliamentary democracy,
and free trade--while also maintaining that all such goals must begin within a state
Marxist theory - ANSWER-a theory critical of the status quo, or dominant capitalist
paradigm. it is a critique of the capitalist political economy from the view of the
revolutionary proletariat, or workers. marxists' ideal is a stateless and classless society
, Constructivism - ANSWER-an approach asserting that ideas construct or shape how we
view the world; concerned with the relationship between agents and structures and the
notion that ideas define and can transform global politics
Feminist Theory - ANSWER-A theory critical of the biases of the discipline. Many
feminists focus on the areas where women are excluded form the analysis of major
international issues and concerns
Interparadigm debate - ANSWER-the debate between or among the main theoretical
approaches in the field of global politics
Paradigm - ANSWER-a model or example. in the case of international relations theory,
the term is a rough synonym for "academic perspective". Provides the basis for a
theory, describing what is real and significant in a given area so that we can select
appropriate research questions
Levels of Analysis - ANSWER-analysts of global politics may examine factors at various
levels--such as individual, domestic, systemic, and global--to explain actions and
events. Each level provides possible explanations on a different scale
Globalization - ANSWER-a historical process involving a fundamental shift or
transformation in the spatial scale of human social organization that links distant
communities and expands the reach of power relations across regions and continents
Global Polity - ANSWER-The collective structures and processes by which "interests
are articulated and aggregated, decisions are made, values allocated and policies
conducted through international or transnational political processes"
Cosmopolitan Culture - ANSWER-a pattern of relations within which people share the
same goals and aspirations, generally to improve that culture for all members
Risk culture - ANSWER-A pattern of relations within which people share the same perils
Global Governance - ANSWER-governance that involves the regulation and
coordination of transnational issue areas by nation-states. International and regional
organizations, and private agencies through the establishment of international regimes.
These regimes may focus on problem solving or the simple enforcement of rules and
regulations
Cosmopolitan democracy - ANSWER-A condition in which international organizations,
transnational corporations, and global markets are accountable to the peoples of the
world
Paradox - ANSWER-a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that when
investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true
RELATIONS UNIT 1 EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Sate - ANSWER-a legal territorial entity composed of a stable population and a
government; it possesses a monopoly over the legitimate use of force; its sovereignty is
recognized by other states in the international system
Nation-State - ANSWER-a political community in which the state claims legitimacy on
the grounds that it represents all citizens, including those who may identify as a
separate community or nation
Sovereignty - ANSWER-the condition of a state having control and authority over its
own territory and being free from any higher legal authority. it is related to , but distinct
from, the condition of a government being free from any external political constraints
Imperialism - ANSWER-the practice of foreign conquest and rule in the context of global
relations in hierarchy and subordination. it can lead to the establishment of an empire
Theory - ANSWER-a proposed explanation of an event or behavior
Idealism - ANSWER-referred to by realists as utopianism since it underestimates the
logic of power politics and the constraints this imposes on political action. Id easily as a
substantive theory of international relations is generally associated with the claim that it
is possible to create a world of peace based on the rule of law
Normative Theory - ANSWER-the systematic analyses of the ethical, moral, and
political principles that either govern or ought to govern the organization or conduct of
global politics. The belief that theories should be concerned with what ought to be rather
than merely diagnosing what is
Realism - ANSWER-A theory that analyzes all international relations as the relation of
states engaged in the pursuit of power. Realists see the international system as
anarchic or without a common power, and they believe conflict is endemic in the
international system
Liberalism - ANSWER-A theory that argues for human rights, parliamentary democracy,
and free trade--while also maintaining that all such goals must begin within a state
Marxist theory - ANSWER-a theory critical of the status quo, or dominant capitalist
paradigm. it is a critique of the capitalist political economy from the view of the
revolutionary proletariat, or workers. marxists' ideal is a stateless and classless society
, Constructivism - ANSWER-an approach asserting that ideas construct or shape how we
view the world; concerned with the relationship between agents and structures and the
notion that ideas define and can transform global politics
Feminist Theory - ANSWER-A theory critical of the biases of the discipline. Many
feminists focus on the areas where women are excluded form the analysis of major
international issues and concerns
Interparadigm debate - ANSWER-the debate between or among the main theoretical
approaches in the field of global politics
Paradigm - ANSWER-a model or example. in the case of international relations theory,
the term is a rough synonym for "academic perspective". Provides the basis for a
theory, describing what is real and significant in a given area so that we can select
appropriate research questions
Levels of Analysis - ANSWER-analysts of global politics may examine factors at various
levels--such as individual, domestic, systemic, and global--to explain actions and
events. Each level provides possible explanations on a different scale
Globalization - ANSWER-a historical process involving a fundamental shift or
transformation in the spatial scale of human social organization that links distant
communities and expands the reach of power relations across regions and continents
Global Polity - ANSWER-The collective structures and processes by which "interests
are articulated and aggregated, decisions are made, values allocated and policies
conducted through international or transnational political processes"
Cosmopolitan Culture - ANSWER-a pattern of relations within which people share the
same goals and aspirations, generally to improve that culture for all members
Risk culture - ANSWER-A pattern of relations within which people share the same perils
Global Governance - ANSWER-governance that involves the regulation and
coordination of transnational issue areas by nation-states. International and regional
organizations, and private agencies through the establishment of international regimes.
These regimes may focus on problem solving or the simple enforcement of rules and
regulations
Cosmopolitan democracy - ANSWER-A condition in which international organizations,
transnational corporations, and global markets are accountable to the peoples of the
world
Paradox - ANSWER-a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement that when
investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true
