Lecture
Realism
- States can never be certain about the intentions of others
- War is a constant possibility under anarchy
‒ Military balance and deterrence as key ways in which nations interact
- Competition and and mistrust between states under anarchy
Liberal institutionalism
‒ States are bound by international law
‒ Communication helps to understand the intentions of the other side
Communication between states can be done through cooperation
- The role of civil society and non-state actors
- Domestic processes are key to understand how states behave
Constructivism
- Confrontation between states may not be unavoidable
- The ‘nuclear taboo’ as a powerful norm in international affairs
- Norms, ideas and identity in uence states behaviour
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, 3 different ways to deal with security issues throughout History:
Peace of Westphalia (1648)
Context:
- Conquest of new territories
- Religious War (catholics vs protestants)
Results:
Key principles…
- Sovereignty: no external interference
- Territoriality: clear borders, “one leader, one religion”
- Equality: treaty making
= > birth of the modern state system
Invention of Nation States…
✤ Decline of multilateral empires
Ex: Ottoman Empire
✤ Bottom-up development
No more monarchy (divine rule)
Print product - > common discourse spread quicker
✤ Top- down development
Promotion of national languages / armies
Powerful bureaucratie
Nation- sates as a powerful form of social organization:
- Resources: laying of taxes
- Organization: bureaucracy / armies
- Loyalty: nationalism / democracy
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, Emergence of inter-national relations…
- diplomacy and wars
- Absence of authority “above” the state
- Few and “thin” norms govern
- States have different sizes and capabilities / possibilities for con ict and conquest
= > security problem
Congress of Vienna (1815)
Context:
- Concert of 5 major European powers
- Restitution of the order after Napoleon conquests
Results:
- legitimisation of colonialism
- Unable to prevent con icts between its members - > WW I
Leagues of Nation ( 1919) United Nation (1945)
★ Collective security ★ Collective security
★ Ban use of force = peaceful resolution ★ Power w Nuclear power 💣
★ Exclusion of big power
★ Security council (sanctions)
ex: US + GR But …
★ Didn’t stop fascist states
★ Weakness in many crisis (veto)
★ Biased representation … w the permanent
member problem
ex: Russia in the period of war w Ukraine
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