INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEORIES
AND CONCEPTS EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Neorealism - ANSWER-Neorealism The view that the self-interested struggle for power
among countries is caused by the anarchical nature of the international system, which
leaves each state solely responsible for its safety and welfare and forces each state to
pursue its interests in competition with other states.
Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) - ANSWER-Nongovernmental Organization
(NGO) International (transnational), nongovernmental (not a part of the state)
organizations with private memberships. There are local NGOs (LNGOs) and
international NGOs (INGOs)
Nonzero-sum game - ANSWER-A contest in which gains by one or more players can be
achieved without offsetting losses for any other player or players. See Zero-sum game.
Political theory - ANSWER-An idea or connected set of ideas about why things happen
and how events related to one another.
Postmodernism - ANSWER-Postmodernism This theory holds that reality does not exist
as such. Rather, reality is created by how we think and our discourse (writing, talking).
As applied to world politics, postmodernism is the belief that we have become trapped
by stale ways of conceiving of how we organize and conduct ourselves. Postmodernists
wish, therefore, to "deconstruct" discourse.
Sovereignty - ANSWER-The most essential characteristic of a state. The term strongly
implies political independence from any higher authority and also suggests at least
theoretical equality.
State - ANSWER-State A political actor that has sovereignty and a number of
characteristics, including territory, population, organization (political and economic),
domestic support and recognition.
Zero-Sum Game - ANSWER-Zero-Sum Game A contest in which gains by one player
can only be achieved by equal losses for other players. A non-zero-sum game is a
situation in which one or more players, even all players, can gain without offsetting
losses for any other player or players.
Anarchical political system - ANSWER-An anarchical system is one in which there is no
central authority to make rules, to enforce rules, or to resolve disputes about the actors
in the political system. Many people believe that a system without central authority is
inevitably one either of chaos or one in which the powerful prey on the weak. There is,
, however, an anarchist political philosophy that contends that the natural tendency of
people to cooperate has been corrupted by artificial political, economic, or social
institutions. Therefore, anarchists believe that the end of these institutions will lead to a
cooperative society. Marxism, insofar as it foresees the collapse of the state once
capitalism is destroyed and workers live in proletariat harmony, has elements of
anarchism.
Appeasement policy - ANSWER-A policy advocated by the British and French toward
the Germans following World War I. The hope was to maintain peace by allowing Hitler
to annex the Sudetenland part of Czechoslovakia.
Asymmetrical warfare - ANSWER-A strategy by which a national military or other armed
force, including a terrorists organization, that is relatively small and lightly equipped
attacks a militarily stronger opponent by using unconventional means, such as
terrorism, or with limited unconventional weapons, such as nuclear explosives and
material, biological agents, or chemical weapons.
Balance of power - ANSWER-A concept that describes the degree of equilibrium
(balance) or disequilibrium (imbalance) of power in the global or regional system.
Bipolar system - ANSWER-A world political system in which two international actors
primarily hold power.
Cold war - ANSWER-The confrontation that emerged following World War II between
the bipolar superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States. Although no direct
conflict took place between these countries, it was an era of great tensions and global
division.
Containment doctrine - ANSWER-U.S. policy that sought to contain communism, during
the cold war.
Détente - ANSWER-A cold war policy involving the United States, the Soviet Union, and
China, which sought to open relations among the countries and ease tensions.
East-West Axis - ANSWER-A term used to describe the ideological division between
hemispheres following World War II. The East was associated with communism, while
the West was associated with democracy.
Economic Interdependence - ANSWER-The close interrelationship and mutual
dependence of two or more domestic economies on each other.
Economically developed countries (EDCs) - ANSWER-Industrialized countries, which
are mainly found in the Northern Hemisphere.
AND CONCEPTS EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS
Neorealism - ANSWER-Neorealism The view that the self-interested struggle for power
among countries is caused by the anarchical nature of the international system, which
leaves each state solely responsible for its safety and welfare and forces each state to
pursue its interests in competition with other states.
Nongovernmental Organization (NGO) - ANSWER-Nongovernmental Organization
(NGO) International (transnational), nongovernmental (not a part of the state)
organizations with private memberships. There are local NGOs (LNGOs) and
international NGOs (INGOs)
Nonzero-sum game - ANSWER-A contest in which gains by one or more players can be
achieved without offsetting losses for any other player or players. See Zero-sum game.
Political theory - ANSWER-An idea or connected set of ideas about why things happen
and how events related to one another.
Postmodernism - ANSWER-Postmodernism This theory holds that reality does not exist
as such. Rather, reality is created by how we think and our discourse (writing, talking).
As applied to world politics, postmodernism is the belief that we have become trapped
by stale ways of conceiving of how we organize and conduct ourselves. Postmodernists
wish, therefore, to "deconstruct" discourse.
Sovereignty - ANSWER-The most essential characteristic of a state. The term strongly
implies political independence from any higher authority and also suggests at least
theoretical equality.
State - ANSWER-State A political actor that has sovereignty and a number of
characteristics, including territory, population, organization (political and economic),
domestic support and recognition.
Zero-Sum Game - ANSWER-Zero-Sum Game A contest in which gains by one player
can only be achieved by equal losses for other players. A non-zero-sum game is a
situation in which one or more players, even all players, can gain without offsetting
losses for any other player or players.
Anarchical political system - ANSWER-An anarchical system is one in which there is no
central authority to make rules, to enforce rules, or to resolve disputes about the actors
in the political system. Many people believe that a system without central authority is
inevitably one either of chaos or one in which the powerful prey on the weak. There is,
, however, an anarchist political philosophy that contends that the natural tendency of
people to cooperate has been corrupted by artificial political, economic, or social
institutions. Therefore, anarchists believe that the end of these institutions will lead to a
cooperative society. Marxism, insofar as it foresees the collapse of the state once
capitalism is destroyed and workers live in proletariat harmony, has elements of
anarchism.
Appeasement policy - ANSWER-A policy advocated by the British and French toward
the Germans following World War I. The hope was to maintain peace by allowing Hitler
to annex the Sudetenland part of Czechoslovakia.
Asymmetrical warfare - ANSWER-A strategy by which a national military or other armed
force, including a terrorists organization, that is relatively small and lightly equipped
attacks a militarily stronger opponent by using unconventional means, such as
terrorism, or with limited unconventional weapons, such as nuclear explosives and
material, biological agents, or chemical weapons.
Balance of power - ANSWER-A concept that describes the degree of equilibrium
(balance) or disequilibrium (imbalance) of power in the global or regional system.
Bipolar system - ANSWER-A world political system in which two international actors
primarily hold power.
Cold war - ANSWER-The confrontation that emerged following World War II between
the bipolar superpowers, the Soviet Union and the United States. Although no direct
conflict took place between these countries, it was an era of great tensions and global
division.
Containment doctrine - ANSWER-U.S. policy that sought to contain communism, during
the cold war.
Détente - ANSWER-A cold war policy involving the United States, the Soviet Union, and
China, which sought to open relations among the countries and ease tensions.
East-West Axis - ANSWER-A term used to describe the ideological division between
hemispheres following World War II. The East was associated with communism, while
the West was associated with democracy.
Economic Interdependence - ANSWER-The close interrelationship and mutual
dependence of two or more domestic economies on each other.
Economically developed countries (EDCs) - ANSWER-Industrialized countries, which
are mainly found in the Northern Hemisphere.
