CHAPTER 1: Approaches to International Relations
TRUE/FALSE
1. All of the following actors affect international relations in important ways: heads of state, central
governments, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, and individuals.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
2. Understanding behavior between states is the sole focus of the study of international relations.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
3. Realist and liberal theories argue that the key structures in the international system are material.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
4. Radical theory is rooted in economics.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
5. If only we had looked at the analogy to the Vietnam War, we would have been able to have the
“correct” policy prescription to know how to act in the 2003 Iraq War because these wars shared
all the exact same characteristics.
, ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 7–8 TOP: History
MSC: Understanding | Applying
6. Today’s key issues can be easily understood without any reference to history.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 7 TOP: History
MSC: Understanding
7. At least two key theories in international relations have origins embedded in the work of
philosophers.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7 TOP: History
MSC: Applying
8. Behavioralists have proven all of their hypotheses on the causes of war.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 12
TOP: The Scientific Method—Behavioralism MSC: Remembering
9. The postmodern approach to international relations calls for an inclusion of traditionally
“voiceless” actors such as the women of the Greenham Common Peace Camp.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 17 TOP: Alternative Approaches
MSC: Remembering
10. Important questions of international relations today can be answered with exclusive reliance on
the behavioralist approach.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Page 17 TOP: Alternative Approaches
MSC: Applying
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is true of the international system today?
a. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has declined since the Cold War.
b. The number of interstate wars has increased, but the number of civil wars has declined
since the Cold War.
c. The number of civil wars has increased, but the number of interstate wars has declined
since the Cold War.
d. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has increased since the Cold War.
e. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has not changed since the Cold War.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Page 3 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
2. Which of the following actors do not participate in international politics?
a. states d. locally focused business associations
b. international organizations e. nongovernmental organizations
c. individuals
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
3. International relations
a. is not an interdisciplinary field.
b. is the study of the behavior and interaction of actors.
c. only uses concepts from political science.
, d. does not use concepts from history or anthropology.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
4. One reason political scientists develop theories is to
a. understand the causes of events.
b. give direct advice to the government on policies to follow.
c. justify specific government policies.
d. influence citizens to support government policies.
e. predict what year the next world war will begin.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Understanding
5. Several of the more prominent theoretical approaches used to study international relations are
a. statism, liberalism, and environmentalism.
b. realism, radical theory, and environmentalism.
c. constructivism, radical theory, and statism.
d. liberalism, realism, and radical theory.
e. realism, environmentalism, and constructivism.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
6. The theory most focused on the idea that states define their interests in terms of power is
a. realism. d. constructivism.
TRUE/FALSE
1. All of the following actors affect international relations in important ways: heads of state, central
governments, nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, and individuals.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
2. Understanding behavior between states is the sole focus of the study of international relations.
ANS: F DIF: Moderate REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
3. Realist and liberal theories argue that the key structures in the international system are material.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
4. Radical theory is rooted in economics.
ANS: T DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
5. If only we had looked at the analogy to the Vietnam War, we would have been able to have the
“correct” policy prescription to know how to act in the 2003 Iraq War because these wars shared
all the exact same characteristics.
, ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Pages 7–8 TOP: History
MSC: Understanding | Applying
6. Today’s key issues can be easily understood without any reference to history.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 7 TOP: History
MSC: Understanding
7. At least two key theories in international relations have origins embedded in the work of
philosophers.
ANS: T DIF: Difficult REF: Page 7 TOP: History
MSC: Applying
8. Behavioralists have proven all of their hypotheses on the causes of war.
ANS: F DIF: Easy REF: Page 12
TOP: The Scientific Method—Behavioralism MSC: Remembering
9. The postmodern approach to international relations calls for an inclusion of traditionally
“voiceless” actors such as the women of the Greenham Common Peace Camp.
ANS: T DIF: Moderate REF: Page 17 TOP: Alternative Approaches
MSC: Remembering
10. Important questions of international relations today can be answered with exclusive reliance on
the behavioralist approach.
ANS: F DIF: Difficult REF: Page 17 TOP: Alternative Approaches
MSC: Applying
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Which of the following is true of the international system today?
a. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has declined since the Cold War.
b. The number of interstate wars has increased, but the number of civil wars has declined
since the Cold War.
c. The number of civil wars has increased, but the number of interstate wars has declined
since the Cold War.
d. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has increased since the Cold War.
e. The number of wars (both interstate and civil wars) has not changed since the Cold War.
ANS: A DIF: Easy REF: Page 3 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
2. Which of the following actors do not participate in international politics?
a. states d. locally focused business associations
b. international organizations e. nongovernmental organizations
c. individuals
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
3. International relations
a. is not an interdisciplinary field.
b. is the study of the behavior and interaction of actors.
c. only uses concepts from political science.
, d. does not use concepts from history or anthropology.
ANS: B DIF: Easy REF: Page 4 TOP: Introduction
MSC: Remembering
4. One reason political scientists develop theories is to
a. understand the causes of events.
b. give direct advice to the government on policies to follow.
c. justify specific government policies.
d. influence citizens to support government policies.
e. predict what year the next world war will begin.
ANS: A DIF: Moderate REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Understanding
5. Several of the more prominent theoretical approaches used to study international relations are
a. statism, liberalism, and environmentalism.
b. realism, radical theory, and environmentalism.
c. constructivism, radical theory, and statism.
d. liberalism, realism, and radical theory.
e. realism, environmentalism, and constructivism.
ANS: D DIF: Easy REF: Page 5 TOP: Thinking Theoretically
MSC: Remembering
6. The theory most focused on the idea that states define their interests in terms of power is
a. realism. d. constructivism.
