Essentials of International Relations Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed
Anarchy - Answers The absence of governmental authority (7)
Balance of Power - Answers Any system in which actors (e.g. states) enjoy relatively equal power, such
that no single state or coalition of states is able to dominate other actors in the system. (33)
Behavioralism - Answers An approach to the study of social science and international relations that
posits that individuals and units like states act in regularized ways; leads to a belief that behaviors can
be described, explained, and predicted. (9)
Bureaucratic Politics - Answers The model of foreign-policy decision making that posits that national
decisions are the outcomes of bargaining among bureaucratic groups having competing interests;
decisions reflect that relative strength of the individual bureaucratic players or of the organizations they
represent. (140)
Capitalism - Answers The economic system in which the ownership of the means of production is in
private hands; the system operates according to market forces whereby capital and labor move freely;
according to radicals, an exploitative relationship between the owners of production and the workers.
(45)
Cold War - Answers The era in international relations between the end of World War II and 1990,
distinguished by ideological, economic, political, and military rivalry between the Soviet Union and the
United States. (43)
Collective Security - Answers The concept that aggression against on state is aggression against all; basis
of League of Nations and united nations. (78)
Colonialism - Answers The 15th-20th century practice of founding, maintaining, and expanding colonies
abroad. Colonialism, now universally delegitimized, was marked by two main motivations: (1) showing
indigenous peoples how best to live (a "civilizing mission"); and (2) exploiting indigenous people and
their territory for labor and material resources in order to increase the power of the colonial authority.
(30)
Compellence - Answers The use of threats to coerce another into taking an action it otherwise would not
take. (134)
Containment - Answers A foreign policy designed to prevent the expansion of an adversary by blocking
its opportunities to expand, by supporting weaker states through foreign aid programs, and by the use
of coercive force only to oppose an active attempt by an adversary to physically expand; the major U.S.
Policy toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. (44)
Democratic Peace - Answers Theory supported by empirical evidence that democratic states do not fight
wars against each other, but do fight wars against authoritarian states. (136, 233)
,Detente - Answers The easing of tense relations; in the context of this volume, detente refers to the
relaxation and reappraisal of threat assessments by political rivals, for example, the United States and
Soviet Union during the later years of the Cold War. (55)
Deterrence - Answers The policy of maintaining a large military force and arsenal to discourage any
potential aggressor from taking action; states commit themselves to punish an aggressor state. (56)
Diplomacy - Answers The practice of states trying to influence the behavior of other states by
bargaining, negotiating, taking specific non-coercive actions or refraining from such action, or appealing
to the foreign pubic for support of a position. (129)
Diversionary War - Answers The theory that leaders start conflicts to divert attention from domestic
problems. (237)
Domino Effect - Answers A metaphor that posits that the loss of influence over one state to an adversary
will necessarily lead to a subsequent loss of control over neighboring states, just as dominos fall one
after the other; used by the United States as a justification to support South Vietnam, fearing that if that
country became communist, neighboring countries would also fall under communist influence. (53)
Ethnonational Movements - Answers The participation in organized political activity of self-conscious
communities sharing an ethnic affiliation; some movements seek autonomy within an organized state;
others desire separation and the formation of a new state; still others want to join with a different state.
(150)
European Union (EU) - Answers A union of twenty-seven (27) European states, formerly the European
Economic Community; designed originally during the 1950s for economic integration, but since
expanded into a closer political and economic union. (205)
Evoked Set - Answers The tendency to look for details in a contemporary situation that are similar to
information previously obtained. (166)
Externalities - Answers In economics, unintended side effects that can have positive or negative
consequences.
First-Generation Human Rights - Answers Political or civil rights citizens that prevent governmental
authority from interfering with private individuals or civil society (negative rights). (350)
First-Strike Capability - Answers The ability to launch a nuclear attack capable of completely preventing a
retaliatory strike. (135)
What is a drawback to the historical approach to international relations? - Answers The lessons of
history may be misapplied.
Thucydides concluded that the underlying cause of the Peloponnesian War was... - Answers A changing
distribution of power between Athens and Sparta.
, The behavioral revolution in American social sciences was spawned primarily by scholars'... - Answers
belief that more scientific study of international relations would find underlying patterns of behavior.
Critics of a behavioral approach to the study of international relations argue that... - Answers
behavioralists' attention to methods has overwhelmed the substance of their research.
The authority of a state to govern matters within its own borders is known as - Answers sovereignty
________ thinkers maintained that individuals are rational, able to understand the laws that govern
them, and capable of working to improve their condition in society. - Answers Enlightenment
Containment, designed to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence was - Answers the fundamental
doctrine of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War era.
Among the factors leading to World War I and ending Europe's balance of power system was - Answers
the solidification of previously flexible alliances between the European powers
The most important historical outcome of World War II was - Answers the emergence of two
superpowers and the decline of Europe as the epicenter of world
Why is 1648 a seminal year for scholars of international relations? - Answers It marked a decrease of
religious authority in Europe, and the rise of secular authority in the form of sovereign states.
Neoliberal institutionalists argue that international actors cooperate with each other not because they
are innately good, but rather because... - Answers it is in the self-interest of each to cooperate.
International institutions are important to neoliberal institutionalists in that they... - Answers provide a
framework for ongoing interactions between states.
Which of the following is associated most closely with realist thinking? - Answers balance of power
Containment, a policy designed to prevent the expansion of Soviet power beyond its immediate sphere
of influence, is an example of... - Answers a policy prescription offered by realist theory.
Neorealists such as Kenneth Waltz focus primarily on - Answers The international system's structure
Despite their many differences, both realism and liberalism view people as rational actors. - Answers
true
Constructivism's major theoretical proposition is that... - Answers state behavior is shaped by elite
beliefs, identities, and social norms.
Radicals view ________ as the main means of power in the world. - Answers economic techniques
Marxists believe that imperialism, the expansion of certain economic forms into other parts of the
world, was important for all of the following reasons EXCEPT which one? - Answers It gave colonies the
chance to challenge Europe economically
Anarchy - Answers The absence of governmental authority (7)
Balance of Power - Answers Any system in which actors (e.g. states) enjoy relatively equal power, such
that no single state or coalition of states is able to dominate other actors in the system. (33)
Behavioralism - Answers An approach to the study of social science and international relations that
posits that individuals and units like states act in regularized ways; leads to a belief that behaviors can
be described, explained, and predicted. (9)
Bureaucratic Politics - Answers The model of foreign-policy decision making that posits that national
decisions are the outcomes of bargaining among bureaucratic groups having competing interests;
decisions reflect that relative strength of the individual bureaucratic players or of the organizations they
represent. (140)
Capitalism - Answers The economic system in which the ownership of the means of production is in
private hands; the system operates according to market forces whereby capital and labor move freely;
according to radicals, an exploitative relationship between the owners of production and the workers.
(45)
Cold War - Answers The era in international relations between the end of World War II and 1990,
distinguished by ideological, economic, political, and military rivalry between the Soviet Union and the
United States. (43)
Collective Security - Answers The concept that aggression against on state is aggression against all; basis
of League of Nations and united nations. (78)
Colonialism - Answers The 15th-20th century practice of founding, maintaining, and expanding colonies
abroad. Colonialism, now universally delegitimized, was marked by two main motivations: (1) showing
indigenous peoples how best to live (a "civilizing mission"); and (2) exploiting indigenous people and
their territory for labor and material resources in order to increase the power of the colonial authority.
(30)
Compellence - Answers The use of threats to coerce another into taking an action it otherwise would not
take. (134)
Containment - Answers A foreign policy designed to prevent the expansion of an adversary by blocking
its opportunities to expand, by supporting weaker states through foreign aid programs, and by the use
of coercive force only to oppose an active attempt by an adversary to physically expand; the major U.S.
Policy toward the Soviet Union during the Cold War era. (44)
Democratic Peace - Answers Theory supported by empirical evidence that democratic states do not fight
wars against each other, but do fight wars against authoritarian states. (136, 233)
,Detente - Answers The easing of tense relations; in the context of this volume, detente refers to the
relaxation and reappraisal of threat assessments by political rivals, for example, the United States and
Soviet Union during the later years of the Cold War. (55)
Deterrence - Answers The policy of maintaining a large military force and arsenal to discourage any
potential aggressor from taking action; states commit themselves to punish an aggressor state. (56)
Diplomacy - Answers The practice of states trying to influence the behavior of other states by
bargaining, negotiating, taking specific non-coercive actions or refraining from such action, or appealing
to the foreign pubic for support of a position. (129)
Diversionary War - Answers The theory that leaders start conflicts to divert attention from domestic
problems. (237)
Domino Effect - Answers A metaphor that posits that the loss of influence over one state to an adversary
will necessarily lead to a subsequent loss of control over neighboring states, just as dominos fall one
after the other; used by the United States as a justification to support South Vietnam, fearing that if that
country became communist, neighboring countries would also fall under communist influence. (53)
Ethnonational Movements - Answers The participation in organized political activity of self-conscious
communities sharing an ethnic affiliation; some movements seek autonomy within an organized state;
others desire separation and the formation of a new state; still others want to join with a different state.
(150)
European Union (EU) - Answers A union of twenty-seven (27) European states, formerly the European
Economic Community; designed originally during the 1950s for economic integration, but since
expanded into a closer political and economic union. (205)
Evoked Set - Answers The tendency to look for details in a contemporary situation that are similar to
information previously obtained. (166)
Externalities - Answers In economics, unintended side effects that can have positive or negative
consequences.
First-Generation Human Rights - Answers Political or civil rights citizens that prevent governmental
authority from interfering with private individuals or civil society (negative rights). (350)
First-Strike Capability - Answers The ability to launch a nuclear attack capable of completely preventing a
retaliatory strike. (135)
What is a drawback to the historical approach to international relations? - Answers The lessons of
history may be misapplied.
Thucydides concluded that the underlying cause of the Peloponnesian War was... - Answers A changing
distribution of power between Athens and Sparta.
, The behavioral revolution in American social sciences was spawned primarily by scholars'... - Answers
belief that more scientific study of international relations would find underlying patterns of behavior.
Critics of a behavioral approach to the study of international relations argue that... - Answers
behavioralists' attention to methods has overwhelmed the substance of their research.
The authority of a state to govern matters within its own borders is known as - Answers sovereignty
________ thinkers maintained that individuals are rational, able to understand the laws that govern
them, and capable of working to improve their condition in society. - Answers Enlightenment
Containment, designed to prevent the expansion of Soviet influence was - Answers the fundamental
doctrine of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War era.
Among the factors leading to World War I and ending Europe's balance of power system was - Answers
the solidification of previously flexible alliances between the European powers
The most important historical outcome of World War II was - Answers the emergence of two
superpowers and the decline of Europe as the epicenter of world
Why is 1648 a seminal year for scholars of international relations? - Answers It marked a decrease of
religious authority in Europe, and the rise of secular authority in the form of sovereign states.
Neoliberal institutionalists argue that international actors cooperate with each other not because they
are innately good, but rather because... - Answers it is in the self-interest of each to cooperate.
International institutions are important to neoliberal institutionalists in that they... - Answers provide a
framework for ongoing interactions between states.
Which of the following is associated most closely with realist thinking? - Answers balance of power
Containment, a policy designed to prevent the expansion of Soviet power beyond its immediate sphere
of influence, is an example of... - Answers a policy prescription offered by realist theory.
Neorealists such as Kenneth Waltz focus primarily on - Answers The international system's structure
Despite their many differences, both realism and liberalism view people as rational actors. - Answers
true
Constructivism's major theoretical proposition is that... - Answers state behavior is shaped by elite
beliefs, identities, and social norms.
Radicals view ________ as the main means of power in the world. - Answers economic techniques
Marxists believe that imperialism, the expansion of certain economic forms into other parts of the
world, was important for all of the following reasons EXCEPT which one? - Answers It gave colonies the
chance to challenge Europe economically
