INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: 220+ KEY
TERMS WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a proposed explanation of an event or
behaviour of an actor in the real world. Definitions range from "an unproven
assumption" to "a working hypothesis that proposed an explanation for an
action or behaviour." In international relations we have intuitive theories,
empirical theories, and normative theories.
Sovereignty - CORRECT 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 political constraints.
Civil society - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅(1) The totality of all individuals and
groups in a society who are not acting as participants in any government
institutions, or (2) all individuals and groups who are neither participants in
government nor acting in the interests of commercial companies.
Ethic of responsibility - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅For historical realists, an
ethic of responsibility represents the limits of ethics in international politics; it
involves the weighing up of consequences and the realization that positive
outcomes may result from amoral actions.
Security dilemma - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅in an anarchic international
system one with no common central power, when one state seeks to improve
its security it creates insecurity in other states.
,Anarchic system - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a realist description of the
international system that suggest there is no common power or central
governing structure
Classical Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the drive for power and the
will to dominate are the fundamental aspects of human nature. The behaviour
of the state as a self-seeking egoist is understood to be merely a reflection of
the characteristics of the people that comprise that state.
Moral relativism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅If all states have a right to do
anything to survive, then there is no moral constant of behaviour to obey
Structural Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅international politics is
essentially a struggle for power, but they do not endorse the classical realist
assumption that this is a result from human nature. They attribute security
competition and interstate conflict to the lack of an overarching authority
above states and the relative distribution of power in the international system.
Neoclassical Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a version of realism that
combines both structural factors such as the distribution of power and unit-
level factors such as the interest of states.
Liberalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a political orientation that favors
social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution. In
essence it argues for human rights, parliamentary democracy, and free trade -
while also maintaining that all such goals must begin within a state.
Multilateralism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the process by which states
work together to solve a common problem
,Liberal internationalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a perspective that seeks
to transform international relations to emphasize peace, individual freedom,
and prosperity, and to replicate domestic models of liberal democracy at the
international level
Weapons of mass destruction - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅Classified by the
UN as weapons that could really **** **** up
Anarchy - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a system operating in the absence of
any central government. It does not imply chaos but, in realist theory, the
absence of political authority
Imperialism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the practice of foreign conquest
and rule in the context of global relations of hierarchy and subordination. It
can lead to the establishment of an empire.
Enlightenment - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅associated with rationalist
thinkers of the 18th century. Key ideas include: secularism, progress, reason,
science, knowledge and freedom
Democratic peace thesis - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅Makes two claims (1)
liberal polities exhibit restraint in their relations with other liberal polities (2)
they are imprudent in relations with authoritarian states
Free trade - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅an essential element of capitalism
that argues for no barriers to the exchange of goods, services, and investments
between states
Empire - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a distinct type o political entity, which
may or may not be a state, possessing both a home territory and foreign
territories. This may include conquered nations and colonies
, Collective security - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a security arrangement in
which all states cooperate collectively to provide security for all by the actions
of all against any states within the groups which might challenge the existing
order by using sanctions and force.
Integration - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a process of ever-closer union
between states, in a regional or international context. The process often begins
with cooperation to solve technical problems.
Functionalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅An idea that suggests that
cooperation should begin with efforts aimed at resolving specific regional or
transnational problems.
Transnational non-state actor - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅any non-state
actor or nongovernmental actor from one country that has relations with any
actor from another country or with an international organization.
Pluralism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅political power and influence in
society does no belong just to the elite groups in various sectors of society, but
I distributed among a wide number of groups in society. It can also mean
recognition of ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity.
Interdependence - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅condition where states (or
people) are affected by decisions taken by others. Can be symmetric or
asymmetric.
Relative gains - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅states are less concerned about
whether everyone benefits (absolute gains) and more concerned about
whether someone may benefit more than someone else.
TERMS WITH ANSWERS AND RATIONALES
Theory - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a proposed explanation of an event or
behaviour of an actor in the real world. Definitions range from "an unproven
assumption" to "a working hypothesis that proposed an explanation for an
action or behaviour." In international relations we have intuitive theories,
empirical theories, and normative theories.
Sovereignty - CORRECT 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 political constraints.
Civil society - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅(1) The totality of all individuals and
groups in a society who are not acting as participants in any government
institutions, or (2) all individuals and groups who are neither participants in
government nor acting in the interests of commercial companies.
Ethic of responsibility - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅For historical realists, an
ethic of responsibility represents the limits of ethics in international politics; it
involves the weighing up of consequences and the realization that positive
outcomes may result from amoral actions.
Security dilemma - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅in an anarchic international
system one with no common central power, when one state seeks to improve
its security it creates insecurity in other states.
,Anarchic system - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a realist description of the
international system that suggest there is no common power or central
governing structure
Classical Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the drive for power and the
will to dominate are the fundamental aspects of human nature. The behaviour
of the state as a self-seeking egoist is understood to be merely a reflection of
the characteristics of the people that comprise that state.
Moral relativism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅If all states have a right to do
anything to survive, then there is no moral constant of behaviour to obey
Structural Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅international politics is
essentially a struggle for power, but they do not endorse the classical realist
assumption that this is a result from human nature. They attribute security
competition and interstate conflict to the lack of an overarching authority
above states and the relative distribution of power in the international system.
Neoclassical Realism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a version of realism that
combines both structural factors such as the distribution of power and unit-
level factors such as the interest of states.
Liberalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a political orientation that favors
social progress by reform and by changing laws rather than by revolution. In
essence it argues for human rights, parliamentary democracy, and free trade -
while also maintaining that all such goals must begin within a state.
Multilateralism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the process by which states
work together to solve a common problem
,Liberal internationalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a perspective that seeks
to transform international relations to emphasize peace, individual freedom,
and prosperity, and to replicate domestic models of liberal democracy at the
international level
Weapons of mass destruction - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅Classified by the
UN as weapons that could really **** **** up
Anarchy - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a system operating in the absence of
any central government. It does not imply chaos but, in realist theory, the
absence of political authority
Imperialism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅the practice of foreign conquest
and rule in the context of global relations of hierarchy and subordination. It
can lead to the establishment of an empire.
Enlightenment - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅associated with rationalist
thinkers of the 18th century. Key ideas include: secularism, progress, reason,
science, knowledge and freedom
Democratic peace thesis - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅Makes two claims (1)
liberal polities exhibit restraint in their relations with other liberal polities (2)
they are imprudent in relations with authoritarian states
Free trade - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅an essential element of capitalism
that argues for no barriers to the exchange of goods, services, and investments
between states
Empire - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a distinct type o political entity, which
may or may not be a state, possessing both a home territory and foreign
territories. This may include conquered nations and colonies
, Collective security - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a security arrangement in
which all states cooperate collectively to provide security for all by the actions
of all against any states within the groups which might challenge the existing
order by using sanctions and force.
Integration - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅a process of ever-closer union
between states, in a regional or international context. The process often begins
with cooperation to solve technical problems.
Functionalism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅An idea that suggests that
cooperation should begin with efforts aimed at resolving specific regional or
transnational problems.
Transnational non-state actor - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅any non-state
actor or nongovernmental actor from one country that has relations with any
actor from another country or with an international organization.
Pluralism - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅political power and influence in
society does no belong just to the elite groups in various sectors of society, but
I distributed among a wide number of groups in society. It can also mean
recognition of ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity.
Interdependence - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅condition where states (or
people) are affected by decisions taken by others. Can be symmetric or
asymmetric.
Relative gains - CORRECT ANSWER ✅✅✅states are less concerned about
whether everyone benefits (absolute gains) and more concerned about
whether someone may benefit more than someone else.
