INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
DEFINITION OF TERMS #8
International Relations - correct answer the diplomatic-strategic relations of states as
understood in diplomatic, military and strategic terms; stresses a relationship of
anarchy; self-help system; try to control borders over which transactions are made;
regulate international activities of their citizens--issue passports and visas; make
treaties with one another to manage trade flow; set up international institutions; complex
interdependence
Anarchy - correct answer The absence of a formal system of government; lack of
government completely.
Self-help system - correct answer A state system where participants in international
relations look after their own interests and pursue them by employing their own
resources. Creates a state-centric view of international relations, wherein the state is
the key international actor.
Sovereignty - correct answer distinguishing feature of the state; idea of legal autonomy;
no higher body has the right to issue orders to the state.
Means that there is no domestic equal and no international superior; there are two parts
of sovereignty: juridical status--legal position so that there is no legal superior and its
power is unqualified and a political concept--possesses certain capacities but is also a
matter of degree.
Pooling of sovereignty is necessary to achieve all goals and to establish international
bodies. They won't sacrifice their juridical sovereignty but will sacrifice the political
concept.
Structuralism - correct answer center-periphery analysis; stresses the existence of
global forces, a world structure in which dominant interests are located in the advanced
world, dominate and exploit the rest of the world, using economic, political and military
means; a neo-Marxist view; stratified global system; creates allegedly-separate
societies.
Types of theories - correct answer explanatory: explain why and under what
circumstances, wars happen; normative or prescriptive: tell us what our attitude about
war should be; interpretive: give meaning to certain events; all theories are related to
one another.
American exceptionalism - correct answer Where America protects its interests in the
world, but it also sees itself as promoting democracy and human rights which are taken
to be universally desired; USA is acting in the assumed "global interest"; reverse--
everything bad in the world is attributed to the American government.
, Liberal Internationalism - correct answer the adaptation of broadly liberal political
principles to the management of the international system; promotion of democratic
political systems (liberal-democratic, constitutional regimes) and national self-
determination; critiques pre-1914 world especially secret diplomacy; League of Nations;
Woodrow Wilson; law not war
Classical Realism - correct answer Hans Morgenthau--German immigrant prior to WW2,
Politics Among Nations; politics is governed by laws rooted in human nature; states are
guided by interests defined in terms of power; the state's most important goal is to
survive; no nation's moral principles should be universalized; no way to escape power
politics; Thomas Hobbes--English, Leviathan; based on human nature with a focus on
their aggressive aspects; power struggle because people are inclined to struggle for
power. Focuses largely on human nature.
High politics - correct answer changes in the world of great power diplomacy;
international
Low politics - correct answer less dramatic socio-economic changes; domestic
Liberalism - correct answer Neoliberalism/institutionalist: direct rival of neorealism, if
states create institutions (organizations, international law/rules/norms) they create the
environment for states to escape the security dilemma, focus on the liberal political
economy, most influential response to globalization; Democratic Peace: democracies
don't fight one another, different from authoritarian states, opponents are ALWAYS non-
democratic, "perpetual peace", an all democratic world would not have wars.
Democracies are just as violent as non-democracies they just don't fight against one
another, and they settle disputes through nonviolent means which is a normative
explanation, another piece is that people have the ability to recall the leaders of a
democratic nation;Economic: economic interdependence can eliminate war, benefit so
much from peaceful relations they cannot afford to fight a war.
Pluralism - correct answer complex interdependence; assumes that there are multiple
channels of access between societies including different branches of the state
apparatus as well as non-state actors, as opposed to the unitary state assumption
characteristic of realism; issues are seen as disaggregated and separate; issue-areas;
agenda-setting is a matter of significance, the ways in which actors are able to set the
agenda is important
Rational Choice Theory - correct answer the presumption of this theory is that politics
can be understood in terms of goal-directed behavior of individuals who act rationally in
the minimal sense that they make ends-means calculations designed to maximize the
benefits they expect to accrue from particular situations (or to minimize losses)
Constructivism - correct answer interactions produce identities, which determine
interests; most important factors: ideas, norms and identities; most important issues:
those that offer insight to the role of legitimacy; world is a social construction; because
DEFINITION OF TERMS #8
International Relations - correct answer the diplomatic-strategic relations of states as
understood in diplomatic, military and strategic terms; stresses a relationship of
anarchy; self-help system; try to control borders over which transactions are made;
regulate international activities of their citizens--issue passports and visas; make
treaties with one another to manage trade flow; set up international institutions; complex
interdependence
Anarchy - correct answer The absence of a formal system of government; lack of
government completely.
Self-help system - correct answer A state system where participants in international
relations look after their own interests and pursue them by employing their own
resources. Creates a state-centric view of international relations, wherein the state is
the key international actor.
Sovereignty - correct answer distinguishing feature of the state; idea of legal autonomy;
no higher body has the right to issue orders to the state.
Means that there is no domestic equal and no international superior; there are two parts
of sovereignty: juridical status--legal position so that there is no legal superior and its
power is unqualified and a political concept--possesses certain capacities but is also a
matter of degree.
Pooling of sovereignty is necessary to achieve all goals and to establish international
bodies. They won't sacrifice their juridical sovereignty but will sacrifice the political
concept.
Structuralism - correct answer center-periphery analysis; stresses the existence of
global forces, a world structure in which dominant interests are located in the advanced
world, dominate and exploit the rest of the world, using economic, political and military
means; a neo-Marxist view; stratified global system; creates allegedly-separate
societies.
Types of theories - correct answer explanatory: explain why and under what
circumstances, wars happen; normative or prescriptive: tell us what our attitude about
war should be; interpretive: give meaning to certain events; all theories are related to
one another.
American exceptionalism - correct answer Where America protects its interests in the
world, but it also sees itself as promoting democracy and human rights which are taken
to be universally desired; USA is acting in the assumed "global interest"; reverse--
everything bad in the world is attributed to the American government.
, Liberal Internationalism - correct answer the adaptation of broadly liberal political
principles to the management of the international system; promotion of democratic
political systems (liberal-democratic, constitutional regimes) and national self-
determination; critiques pre-1914 world especially secret diplomacy; League of Nations;
Woodrow Wilson; law not war
Classical Realism - correct answer Hans Morgenthau--German immigrant prior to WW2,
Politics Among Nations; politics is governed by laws rooted in human nature; states are
guided by interests defined in terms of power; the state's most important goal is to
survive; no nation's moral principles should be universalized; no way to escape power
politics; Thomas Hobbes--English, Leviathan; based on human nature with a focus on
their aggressive aspects; power struggle because people are inclined to struggle for
power. Focuses largely on human nature.
High politics - correct answer changes in the world of great power diplomacy;
international
Low politics - correct answer less dramatic socio-economic changes; domestic
Liberalism - correct answer Neoliberalism/institutionalist: direct rival of neorealism, if
states create institutions (organizations, international law/rules/norms) they create the
environment for states to escape the security dilemma, focus on the liberal political
economy, most influential response to globalization; Democratic Peace: democracies
don't fight one another, different from authoritarian states, opponents are ALWAYS non-
democratic, "perpetual peace", an all democratic world would not have wars.
Democracies are just as violent as non-democracies they just don't fight against one
another, and they settle disputes through nonviolent means which is a normative
explanation, another piece is that people have the ability to recall the leaders of a
democratic nation;Economic: economic interdependence can eliminate war, benefit so
much from peaceful relations they cannot afford to fight a war.
Pluralism - correct answer complex interdependence; assumes that there are multiple
channels of access between societies including different branches of the state
apparatus as well as non-state actors, as opposed to the unitary state assumption
characteristic of realism; issues are seen as disaggregated and separate; issue-areas;
agenda-setting is a matter of significance, the ways in which actors are able to set the
agenda is important
Rational Choice Theory - correct answer the presumption of this theory is that politics
can be understood in terms of goal-directed behavior of individuals who act rationally in
the minimal sense that they make ends-means calculations designed to maximize the
benefits they expect to accrue from particular situations (or to minimize losses)
Constructivism - correct answer interactions produce identities, which determine
interests; most important factors: ideas, norms and identities; most important issues:
those that offer insight to the role of legitimacy; world is a social construction; because
