1. Absolute Advantage a country is said to have an absolute advantage
in a good if it is better able to produce that good (more efficient) than other
countries. It is in the best interests of a country to specialize in the
production of goods for which it has an absolute advantage.
2. Absolute Gains the net benefits that a state receives through
its interactions with others. States aim to achieve the best outcome for
themselves on an individual basis, irrespective of the gains other states have
made. This is typical of a liberal model of international relations.
3. Anarchy the idea that within the international system
there exists no overarching authority. Each state is an autonomous actor, with
no higher level of governance. The lack of higher authority renders the system
chaotic and unpredictable, but not necessarily destined for conflict.
(Mearsheimer, Waltz, Hobbes)
4. Appeasement the act of accommodating the demands of an
assertive power in an attempt to prevent conflict. Western Europe’s appeasement
of Hitler in the late 1930s is the classic example of appeasement and its
dangers. (Nye)
5. Asian Values emphasize the needs of the community as opposed
to those of the individual, which are central to Western thought. Neither
Westerners nor Asians should attempt to impose their concept on human rights on
the other (PM Lee Kwan Yew, Singapore)
6. Autarky a state of self-sufficiency. The term is most
commonly used when referring to economics, when a state's ability to produce
goods and services is above the subsistence level. However, autarky does not
have to refer to economics; a military autarky would be one that could defend
itself without outside help. [1]
7. Balance Of Power describes 1) the distribution of power in the
international system, 2) a policy of balancing foreign powers to prevent one
state from gaining a preponderance of power, or 3) the balances of military
power that existed in the multipolar system of Europe in the 19th century.
(Nye)
8. Balance of Threat, or balancing this concept is an expansion of traditional
balance of power theory by Kenneth Waltz (structural realism). Balancing says
that small states will align with each other so as to counter a rising threat
or power.
9. Bandwagoning an alternative to balancing in which states
align themselves with the rising threat or power, sacrificing potential
influence for security. This phenomenon is more common at the end of a conflict
when there is a clear victor. This concept is specifically associated with
realist balance of power theory. An example of bandwagoning is the alliance of
Bulgaria and Romania with the Third Reich in the absence of ideological
sympathies.
10. Billiard Ball Model says that the study of the internal politics of
states is unnecessary to understanding international relations. International
relations can instead be understood by examining the pressures states face and
the interactions between states. This concept is part of realist theory.
11. Bipolarity according to structural realists, this is the
distribution of capabilities in a system where there are two predominant
players. Generally considered the most stable system on the whole. Polarity is
a measure of distribution of capabilities.
12. Bretton Woods System founded in 1944 as a liberal international
economic order. At the core of Bretton woods was a system of exchange rates
pegged to the dollar, with the dollar serving as the world’s reserve currency.
Bretton Woods established the IMF, World Bank, and the GATT.
13. Buckpassing when a state waits for others to remedy a problem
and do the balancing (WWII). A perceived defensive advantage often leads to
this strategy.
14. Bureaucratic Politics of
Governmental Politics Model deals with
the outcomes of bargaining games between different government departments with
diverse goals. These departments are arranged hierarchically and competition
among them can result in piecemeal policy and an unintended result.
15. Chainganging when states become very close and too dependent
upon their allies, considered a situation of overbalancing. Chainganging is a
common result of a perceived offensive advantage. The opposite of chainganging
is buckpassing.
16. Chapter VII Authority written in 1945, this portion of the UN Charter
sets out the mandate of the Security Council. The council was created to handle
“Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression” and has
the authority to sanction military and non-military action to "restore
international peace and security." From http://www.un-documents.net/ch-07.htm
17. Clash of Civilizations Samuel Huntington’s prominent post-Cold War
paradigm. Huntington’s proposition says that 1) global politics is both
multipolar and multicivilizational, 2) the balance of power among civilizations
is shifting away from the West, 3) nation states will align themselves along
broad cultural faultlines, and 4) modern conflicts will be between
civilizations and cultures, not states.
18. Classical Realism Hobbes, Machiavelli, Morgenthau, Clausewitz – a
school of thought in which politics is analyzed independently of society and
economics. Grounded in the idea that objective laws are rooted in competitive
human nature. In this system, states actively pursue their own interests, with
those interests being framed in terms of maximized power. The ethics are
consequential, i.e. ends justify means.
19. Coercion when one state tries or succeeds in compelling
another state to change its actions by threatening to use force. One of the
four uses of force (coercion, deterrence, swaggering, defense).
20. Cold War 1945-1991, a period of reconstruction and
institutional and economic revitalization, characterized by rivalry between the
U.S. and the Soviet Union. This rivalry was effectively an ideological
competition between a capitalist democracy and a communist command economy.
Conflict occurred in the form of proxy wars and an arms race.
21. Collective Security refers to a system in which each state in the
system accepts that security is a collective concern and agrees to a joint
response to aggression. In this sense, it is distinct from collective defense
or alliance systems, in which groups of states ally with each other,
principally against possible external threats.
22. Commercial Liberalism British 19th century concept, arguing that due
to free trade and interdependence, war is obsolete. The Manchester school of
thought believed that while war wastes time and money, free trade aids and
profits all. Commercial liberalism argues that trade leads to peace.
23. Commons (Tragedy of) it is natural for all parties to try and
maximize their returns from resources. So when these resources are held
collectively, overconsumption and the depletion of these resources can occur,
to the detriment of all. A common solution to this problem is privatization,
but the recent "commons" case of global warming demonstrates that
this is impossible.
24. Comparative Advantage a country is said to have a comparative
advantage when it can produce a good at a lower cost than its competitors. It
is in the best interests of a country to produce the goods for which it has a
comparative advantage.
25. Concert of Europe formed in 1815 after Napoleon's defeat with the
intention of enforcing the decisions of the Congress of Vienna. The 'concert'
was composed of Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, the Quadruple Alliance.
The main priorities of the ‘concert’ included establishing a balance of power,
thereby preserving territorial status quo, and protecting legitimate
governments. The ‘concert’ represented a serious attempt at establishing a
lasting peace.
26. Constructivism disputes the idea that anarchy is unavoidable
and instead argues that it is what states make of it. People within states are
active agents whose understanding of the world can shape and reshape the
structure of the system in which they operate. According to this school of
thought, international relations is inter-subjunctive. Individuals and their
interactions with states are important. Facts are socially created and are only
whatever they mean to the actors involved.
27. Core & Periphery the core is highly developed and
industrialized, but the periphery is the developing world who export
commodities to the core. According to Marxist theory, the periphery is
exploited by the core. See dependency theory for more information.
28. Cuban Missile Crisis a standoff in October 1962 between the U.S. and
the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. In
response to this perceived security threat, President Kennedy placed an embargo
on Cuba. The crisis was resolved when the Soviets removed their missiles partly
in exchange for a secret agreement that the U.S. would remove its own missiles
placed in Turkey.
29. Cultural Relativism holds that morality is a product of culture and
that different societies will have different perspectives on morality. There is
no clear way to resolve these differences. Any attempt to impose universal
principles, such as those of human rights, runs the risk of imposing something
that is alien to other cultures. There are no objective, universal values.
Other cultures are not wrong, they are simply different.
30. Customs Union a union formed when two or more countries agree
to remove all barriers to trade with each other, while establishing a common
external tariff against other nations. A free trade area exists when nations
remove trade barriers with each other while retaining individual tariffs
against nonmembers.
31. Defense The defensive use of force is the deployment of
military power so as to be able to do two things - to ward off an attack and to
minimize damage to oneself if attacked. For defensive purposes a state will
direct its forces against those of a potential or actual attacker, but not against
his unarmed population. Defensive weapons differ from offensive ones in the
sense that it is possible for a state to make itself more secure without making
others less secure.
32. Democratic Peace Theory Based on the empirical observation that
democracies have historically tended not to fight wars against one another,
this theory suggests that the spread of democratic government can be the
antidote to war in the international system. Proponents of this theory point to
either democratic norms (such as a shared belief in human rights) or actual
democratic political structures to explain the lesser incidence of war between
democracies. This concept is highly debated. Realists suggest that this
phenomenon is actually caused by the prevalence of alliance ties between
democracies, which are a function of realist power concerns. John Mearsheimer
(a prominent realist) has suggested that democracies are few in number and thus
statistically have less opportunities to go to war. For a good analysis of the
validity of the democratic peace theory, see this [1]
33. Demonstration Effects Demonstration effects are effects on the
behavior of individuals caused by observation of the actions of others and
their consequences. Developments in one place will often act as a catalyst in
another place, it can be described as a domino effect.
34. Dependency theory A historical structuralist development theory
that argues that the world is hierarchically organized, with the leading
capitalist states in the core of the global economy dominating and exploiting
the poorer states in the periphery.
35. Détente This word comes from the French, meaning a
"relaxation of tensions." In political science, the term specifically
refers to the relaxation of Cold War tensions that took place between the US
and the Soviet Union during the 1970s. Taken from: How the World Works by
Russell Bova
36. Deterrence The deterrent use of force is the usage of
military power so as to be able to prevent an adversary from taking an
undesireable action that they might otherwise be tempted to do. Deterrence is
thus the threat of retaliation. The effectiveness of the threat depends upon a
state's ability to to convince a potential adversary that it has both the will
and the power to punish him severely if he undertakes the undesirable action in
question.
37. Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC) It was
established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ to
coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized
agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions. The Council
also receives reports from 11 UN funds and programmes. The Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) serves as the central forum for discussing international
economic and social issues, and for formulating policy recommendations
addressed to Member States and the United Nations system.
38. Economic Interdependence is a consequence of specialization and the high
degree of division of labor. It involves the trade of goods and services across
national borders. According to liberal theory the existence of economic
interdependence makes states less likely to go to war with each other.
39. Economic Sanctions Economic sanctions are domestic penalties
applied by either one country or a group of countries on another one for a
variety of reasons. Economic sanctions include, but are not limited to,
tariffs, trade barriers, import duties, and import or export quotas. The most
famous example of an economic sanction is the fifty-year-old United States
embargo against Cuba.
40. Emissions Trading (also known as cap and trade) is an
administrative approach used to control pollution by providing economic
incentives for achieving reductions in the emissions of pollutants. The
transfer of allowances is referred to as a trade. In effect, the buyer is
paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having
reduced emissions by more than was needed. Thus, in theory, those who can
reduce emissions most cheaply will do so, achieving the pollution reduction at
the lowest cost to society.
41. Ethnic Cleansing A 1993 United Nations Commission defined it
more specifically as, "the planned deliberate removal from a specific
territory, persons of a particular ethnic group, by force or intimidation, in
order to render that area ethnically homogenous."
42. European Union The EU became the successor organisation to the
European Community in 1993, largely as a result of the "Europe 92"
program. Europe 92 was designed to complete the establishment of a single
market by the removal of remaining fiscal, nontariff, and other barriers to
trade. The EU has moved to both widen and deepen the integration process in
Europe. As for widening, EU membership increased in several enlargements to 27
members in 2007. As for deepening, 13 members of the EU have joined in an
economic and monetary union (EMU) with a common currency (the euro).
43. Export-led growth An outward-looking economic development
strategy that emphasizes the production of industrial goods for export.
Export-led growth is commonly associated with the economic success of the NIEs
in East Asia.
44. Feminism In IR, feminism involves looking at how
international politics affects and is affected by both men and women. It also
analyses how the core concepts that are employed within the discipline of IR
(e.g. war, security, etc.) are themselves gendered. Feminist IR has not only
concerned itself with the traditional focus of IR on states, wars, diplomacy
and security, but feminist IR scholars have also emphasized the importance of
looking at how gender shapes the current international system.
45. Free Rider is an actor which takes advantage of public
resources by not contributing or collaborating with collective efforts and
norms. For example, a country in non-compliance with the Kyoto protocol would
still benefit from collective reductions in carbon emissions.
46. Free Trade-breaks
down trade barriers and creates international connections which lead to new
interests and priorities in the hopes of World peace
47. Free Trade Agreement/ Area
(FTA) The first
stage of regional integration, in which the member countries are to eliminate
tariffs on all (or substantially all) trade with one another. However, each
member country can continue to levy its own tariffs and follow its own trade
policies toward nonmembers.
48. G20 The Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and
Central Bank Governors (known as the G-20 and also the G20 or Group of Twenty)
is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies:
19 countries, plus the European Union. The current chair country of the G-20
for 2010 is South Korea. Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85% of
global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade)
and two-thirds of the world population. The G-20 is a forum for cooperation and
consultation on matters pertaining to the international financial system. With
the G-20 growing in stature since the 2008 Washington summit, its leaders
announced on September 25, 2009, that the group will replace the G8 as the main
economic council of wealthy nations.
49. G7 & G8 The G-7 includes the seven largest industrial
democracies, which account for about two-thirds of global output. It includes
the G-5 (the United States, Japan, Germany, France and Britain) plus Italy and
Canada. The G-8 includes the G-7 members plus Russia. Although Russia is
theoretically a full member, it does not participate fully in the G7's trade and
financial deliberations.
50. GATT The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
(GATT) is a provisional treaty that became the main global trade organization
in 1948 by default when a planned International Trade Organization did not
receive final approval. As an organization, GATT provided a written code of
behavior, a forum for multilateral negotiations, and a venue for dispute
settlement on trade issues. When the WTO was formed in 1995, GATT reverted to
its original status as a treaty to regulate trade in goods.
51. Glastnost and perestroika are, respectively, the policies of “openness”
and “restructuring,” which Mikhail Gorbachev pursued as a general secretary of
the Communist Party of the USSR between 1985 and 1991, which had the aim of
complementing one another towards renovating the Soviet political system and
society. Glastnost was analogous to the freedom of speech and publication. Its
immediate effect was and an flux of reports about corruption and criminality as
well as state crimes, while perestroika encouraged political democratization
through an introduction of contested election and new political institutions,
as well as economic liberalization through legalization of cooperative and
other semi-private business enterprises. The policies had a catastrophic effect
on Gorbachev’s political career, because they undermined public confidence in
his ability to govern successfully. See this [2]
52. Global Warminga term used
to describe a gradual increase in the temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and
oceans that is believed to be altering the climate. This increase in temperature
is said to be caused by human activity involving the burning of fossil fuels
and the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
53. Globalization “Globalization is a process that is making
people increasingly interdependent and is altering the structure of the
international system.” A working definition courtesy of Michael Frantantuono
54. Groupthink The tendency, most often found in small,
cohesive groups operating under conditions of stress, to abandon critical
thinking in favor of viewpoints that reflect group solidarity. The term was
coined by William Whyte, who claimed it was a "rationalized conformity—an
open, articulate philosophy which holds that group values are not only
expedient but right and good as well." The most prominent researcher of
groupthink was Irving Janis. Some scholars would point to the Bush
administration and certain of its poor decisions as an example of this
occurrence. See [3] from the New York Times, or this book
review [4] which gives a concise and thorough
overview of the topic.
55. Hegemonic Stability Theory In an anarchic system, the existence of a
single superpower will deter any shifts in the overall balance of power
ensuring long-term stability. In terms of economics, a relatively open and
stable international economic system is most likely to exist when a hegemonic
state is willing and able to provide leadership.
56. Hegemony Leadership, preponderant influence, or
dominance in the international system, usually (but always) associated with a
particular state. Gramscian theorists use the term in a cultural sense to
connote not only the dominance of a single world power but also the complex of
"ideas" social groups use to legitimize their authority.
57. High & Low PoliticsHigh
Politics- Refer to policies involving the State in the International Arena
usually concerning National Security and Defense. Low Politics- Refer to
government policies at the domestic level, usually concerning health care and
the economy.
58. Human Rights the definition of human or natural rights as
the rights of each person simply as a human being specifies their character;
they are rights. For the question of "what is it in human nature that
gives rise to human rights?", there are two basic answers; that HR arise
from human needs; and HR reflect the minimum requirements for human dignity or
moral personality. From: "Human Rights in World Politics" from
International Politics by Art and Jervis.
59. Human Securitysecurity
concerning individuals as the ultimate referent object of security. Protection
of the individual is in regards to human rights, humanitarianism, development,
and conflict resolutions primarily handled by the state. But, when the state
becomes the cause of human insecurity, the responsibility falls upon the
international security if they wish to act. "This idea of individuals
rather than the state as the primary object of security is meant to improve
both global and national stability.
60. Humanitarian Intervention refers to military intervention by an outside
state for the sake of human rights usually concerning crimes committed against
the people by the state. Humanitarian intervention also encompasses political
and economic intervention in times of disaster in which a state no longer can
offer security and human rights to its citizens. Humanitarian intervention
involves territorial intervention by the outside state.
61. IAEA The IAEA was created in 1957 and originated
from President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” speech to the UN General Assembly
in 1953. The Agency is the world’s nuclear inspectorate and inspects the
nuclear facilities of its member states to ensure nuclear materials are not
used for military purposes, pursuant to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
(NTP), which binds signatories to safeguard agreements for their nuclear
material and binds the five recognized nuclear powers (U.S., Russia, UK,
France, China) to not transfer their nuclear weapons or technology to
non-nuclear states.
62. IBRD The International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, known as IBRD, is one of the five institutions that comprise the
World Bank Group. The Bank was established immediately after the WWII to foster
economic growth in post-war Europe and Japan. Today, its main goal is to fight
poverty and encourage sustainable development through extension of loans to
creditworthy governments and public enterprises.
63. ICC The International Criminal Court was created in
1998 and is governed by the Rome Statute. It is the court of international
human rights law intended to try individuals (and not states) accused of
genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity.
64. ICJ The International Court of Justice (also known
as the World Court) is the general purpose global court with responsibility for
resolving disputes among states under international law. Created after WWII and
located in the Hague, Netherlands.
65. Idealism A perspective on world politics that emerged
after WWI as a challenge to realism. Idealism tends toward an optimistic view
of human nature and society, seeing cooperation as not only desirable but
natural. Liberalism and constructivism carry on the tradition of idealism.
66. IMF One of the key Bretton Woods Institutions. It
provides loans to countries facing persisting balance of payment difficulties
and those loans are usually granted under the condition that the countries
adopt certain policies prescribed by the IMF for the country to improve its
fundamental economic and financial situations.
67. Import substitution
industrialization An economic
development strategy that seeks to stimulate industrialization by erecting
barriers to imports and serving the local market through domestic production.
Largely abandoned by the 1980s in most of the world in favor of integration
into global economy and pursuit of export led growth.
68. Interdependence Refers to the web of mutually beneficial
relationships that bind states and societies together in the era of
globalization and that would be highly costly to break. It can be economic,
social, military, etc. The economic interdependence has been on the rise and it
is believed that interdependence leads to peace.
69. Intergovernmental Organizations The term intergovernmental organization (IGO)
refers to an entity created by treaty, involving two or more nations working on
issues of common interest. They are subject to international law and have the
ability to enter into agreements among themselves or with other states. They
often deal with the questions of global security and economic and social
prosperity.
70. International Organization Voluntary association of sovereign states
formally constituted for the purpose of achieving some common objective. They
can be 2 types: INGOs (non profits and corporations) and intergovernmental
organizations such as the EU and UN.
71. Just War Doctrine a theory claiming that an armed conflict must
meet set criteria when it comes to why and how war is conducted. Unlike
pacifism, it accepts that war can sometimes be necessary and just and in
contrast to amoral realism it follows a certain set of moral guidelines.
72. Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement
linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The major
feature of the Kyoto Protocol is that it sets binding targets for 37
industrialized countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions. Though it went into force in 2005, the US and many other
nations are not yet parties to it.
73. League of Nations an international organization created after the
First World War. The Covenant establishing the League was part of the Treaty of
Versailles. The aims of the League were to promote international co-operation
and to achieve international peace and security. It was inspired by Wilson’s 14
points. The League of Nations was an association of states, which had pledged
themselves not to go to war before submitting their disputes with each other.
When a state was not members of the League, it has the option to go to
arbitration or enquiry.
74. Leviathan book written by Thomas Hobbs in 1651, during
the English civil war. Hobbs explained that conflicts and competitions are
inevitable due to the state of nature, where human beings have equal rights.
Metaphorically the biblical creature “Leviathan” represented a strong central
government where citizens would give up some their right to object the
government in order to achieve safety and stability.
75. Liberal Institutionalism Created by Michael Doyle, liberal
institutionalism is a theory, according to which cooperation among
international institutions can reduce the effects of absence of regulation of
the international system. Namely, it proposes a formal system of international
law that can regulate and constrain the behavior of states. The ultimate goal
is to maintain peace and security through institutional cooperation.
76. Liberal Internationalism Founded by Michael Doyle and derived from
Kant’s notion of republican government as an important source of “perpetual
peace.” Kant argued that war does not do any good and democratic citizen avoid
war (democratic peace theory).
77. Liberalism: Originated from Immanuel Kant, liberalism
states that significant global cooperation is possible and that we can move
beyond the conflict over power. The key assumption is that peace and
institutional and economic cooperation among states can produce absolute gains
for all participants.
78. Linkage Henry Kissinger’s strategy in the 1970s of
linking Soviet access to U.S. trade to “good behavior” on the part of Soviet
Union around the world in order to ease tension related to the Vietnam War.
79. Long Peace The period of absence of a major war between
the U.S. and USSR during the 45 years of their enmity, after the end of WWII.
The Long Peace has been attributed to the bipolarity during the Cold War, which
was presumably inherently more stable than uni-polar or multi-polar systems.
80. Marxism the fundamental theory of communism, which is
founded on three main pillars. Firstly, a materialistic interpretation of
history, which contends that history is shaped by struggle between classes.
Secondly, critique of capitalism, which holds that capitalist societies cannot
achieve further development because ownership remains only in the hands of the
bourgeoisie. Thirdly, advancement of proletariat revolution, where the working
class seizes more power through a social revolution.
81. Mercantilism is economic nationalism, which is carried out
for the sake of increasing the wealth and the power of a nation. According to
Adam Smith, this type of system could muster economic power though increasing
exports and limiting imports.
82. Millennium Development Goals are eight development goals agreed upon by UN
member states and international organizations. The goals have to be achieved by
2015 and focus on reduction of poverty, provide universal child education,
promote gender equality, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health,
reduce disease epidemics, ensure environmental sustainability and global
partnership for development.
83. Multilateral Treaties A treaty among three or more sovereign states
which aims to set an example of behavior of the world as a whole. Like other
treaties, each party to a multilateral treaty owns some obligations to all
other states party to the treaty.
84. Multipolarity refers to a way in which power is distributed
in the international system among three or more nation-states, which possess
nearly equal amounts of military, economic and cultural power.
85. Mutual Assured Destruction
(MAD) after the
world witnessed the destructive power of aerial bombardment during WWII with
the conclusion of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear MAD became the new phenomena.
Today MAD exists as a condition of nuclear deterrence where each side has the
ability to inflict an unacceptable level of damage and thus prevents any
rational actor to resort to nuclear war.
86. Nation, State, and Nation-state
Nation: a community of people composed of one or more
nationalities a group of people who see themselves due to shared historical and
cultural experiences as members of a common group.
State: a politically organized body of people usually
occupying a definite territory
Nation-state: A state that exists to provide territory and
governance for a group of people who see themselves as a single nation
87. National Interest the objectives and needs that drive state
behavior in the international system
88. Nationalism The belief that people care about their
national identity and are motivated to seek national self-determination by
acquiring a state of their own.
89. NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
formed April 4, 1949 following WWII in an effort to counter the Soviet Union
and its expansion. It is a military alliance of democratic state of Europe and
North America. There are 28 members: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada,
Croatia, Czech Rep, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland,
Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United
States.
90. Neo-conservatism the assertive promotion of democracy and United
States national interest in international affairs including through military
means
91. Non-Governmental Organization
(NGO) [Non-governmental
organizations: interest groups that influence the state in 5 ways. It raises
issues that they like to see changed, changes how activity is talked about by
others, changes how issues are handled via diplomacy, changes behaviors of key
actors, and changes behavior of the public. NGOs lobby and participate in civil
disobedience to be heard and the power of NGOs stem from direct links to
citizens at the local, state, national, and transnational level.] From How The World Works:
Organization whose members are individuals rather than states, but whose
membership and organizational apparatus often can extend across the borders of
multiple states. Examples are Amnesty International and Al Qaeda.
92. Non-Discrimination The trade principle that requires all countries
that are members of GATTand the WTO to provide all other members equal access
to their home market. One cannot treat the imports of one GATT/WTO member more
favor-ably than those of another. From Russell Bova's How the World Works
93. Non-tariff barriers (NTBs) non-tariff forms of restricting trade. These
NTBs discriminate against imports and represent an exception to the free trade
concept instituted under the GATT. Forms of NTBs include quotas, anti-dumping
legislation, voluntary export restraints, and orderly market agreements, which
are effectively multi-country VERs.
94. NPT Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: signed in
July 1, 1968 by 98 countries that authorized only 5 nuclear powers (US, Russia,
UK, France, and China). Those who signed agreed to refrain from producing,
obtaining, and stockpiling nuclear weapons. Nuclear states agreed to help other
countries develop civilian nuclear power plants and to take measures to work
towards disarmament. The problem with this treaty is that there was no set
timeline are disarmament meaning that nuclear powers could keep their arsenals
indefinitely; also it allows members to withdraw from the treaty without
penalty.
95. Nuclear Proliferation/
Non-Proliferation spread of
technology, materials, knowledge of nuclear capabilities. Supporters for
non-proliferation argues that the existence of more nuclear weapons will result
in an endangerment to all states and warns of the dangers of having non-state
actors having access to these weapons and technology.
96. Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) cartel of
the world's largest global exporters of oil, created in September 1960. 12
members are Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates & Venezuela. OPEC seeks to
regulate oil production & sales, thereby stabilizing the global price of
oil. The cartel first demonstrated its influence by imposing an oil embargo
from October 1973- March 1974. It currently provides one-third of the world's
oil production. Saudi Arabia is the largest oil producer and most influential
member. See: www.opec.org/aboutus/
97. Organizational Process/
Standard Operation Procedures Where
formal organizations are the setting in which decisions are made, the
particular decisions or policies chosen by decision-makers can often be
explained through reference to the organization's particular structure and
procedural rules. Such explanations typically involve looking at the
distribution of responsibilities among organizational sub-units, the activities
of committees and ad hoc coordinating groups, meeting schedules, and rules of
order.
98. Organization for Security &
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)originated in 1973, to improve
relations between sides during the Cold War. After the end of the Cold War, the
OSCE adopted a more formal structure, including a rotating chairmanship, senior
council and parliamentary assembly. It is the world's largest intergovernmental
organization. Its member states comprise Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia
& North America. See: www.osce.org
99. Outsourcing & Offshoring Trend associated with globalization. Both of
these terms describe subcontracting to a third party. An American company may
outsource to a subsidiary company, located in a country with lower production
& labor standards. By engaging in these strategies, American companies
increase profit, but employ fewer American citizens.
100. P5 Permanent five members of the UN Security
Council: the United States, Great Britain, France, Russia & China, who
possess veto power on any decision. The UN Security Council is designed to
"prevent another 1914 or 1939, in which the most powerful nations would
exercise an effective monopoly on force." See: New York Times article
"Who Needs the U.N. Security Council?" http://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/17/magazine/17UNITED.html?scp=6&sq=UN%20p5&st=cse&pagewanted=all
101. Pax Britannica & Pax
Americana Pax
Britannica lasted between the Napoleonic Wars and World War I (1815-1914).
Britain established unparalleled global influence through naval power and trade
relationships. During Pax Britannica, Britain and the United States remained
peaceful and cooperative allies. World Wars I & World War II ended the Pax
Britannica.
Pax Americana starts after the end
of World War II (1945). The United States had grown in population, technology
& military strength. The United States gained additional influence through
contributing to the Marshall Plan, Japanese reconstruction, and international
institutions (UN, IMF, World Bank, NATO).
102. Peace Enforcement Application of military force, or the threat of
its use, normally pursuant to international authorization, to compel compliance
with resolutions or sanctions designed to maintain or restore peace and order.
103. Peacekeeping In peacekeeping operations, the UN intervenes
to maintain a peace already established via political negotiation or military
stalemate. The UN forces are typically there with the prior consent of all parties
to the conflict to play the role of an impartial buffer force. From Russell
Bova Chp 3 International Law and Organization
104. Peacemaking In peacemaking operatons, the UN intervenes
without a prior ceasefire having been established. The task is to impose a
peace with or without the consent of the parties to a conflict. The peace
making forces are more heavily armed than peace keeping forces and have been
used in places like Bosnia and Somalia. From Russell Bova Chp 3 International
Law and Organization
105. Peak Oil Concept formulated by M. King Hubbert in 1956,
stating that oil is a limited resource. A limited resource will be depleted
according to the following laws: Production/extraction starts at zero, rises to
a "peak" (maximum level), and after the peak, will decline until the
resource is depleted. Some scholars claim that we have already reached peak
oil, and from now on, production will decline. Others argue that we have not
reached the peak, and only need to discover new technology & extraction
sites around the world. See: Michael Klare, Resource Wars: The New Landscape of
Global Conflict.
106. Peloponnesian War Thucydides' account of the Melian dialogue from
the Peloponnesian War illustrates a key trend in International Relations,
namely that power trumps justice. The lesson learned from the dialogue between
the powerless Melians and the all powerful Athenians is that independence and
survival depend upon the accumulation of sufficient power. Appeals to justice
function in a domestic arena where there are institutions to enforce it, but in
the international arena an appeal to justice gives little protection to those
like the Melians who are threatened by other powerful nations. This represents
Realist ideals. From Russell Bova Chp 1 How to Think about World Politics
[Greece 431-404bc. Thucydides was the first to write a purely human viewpoint
in which he explianed the cause of the war was a distribution of power.
Representation of Realist ideals. Struggle between Athens and Sparta because
Sparta felt that Athens had become too powerful, the Coreyra/Corinth dispute,
the sacking of pontideaea, and trade sanctions on Pegara]
107. Positive-sum scenario in which all parties can gain or
profit. In the liberal model of comparative advantage, through trade, all
parties can benefit. In this scenario, one’s gain is not another’s loss. This
scenario considers absolute gains, whereby you are better off than you were
before, as opposed to relative gains.
108. Power Transition This is a theory about the cyclical nature of
war and how it relates to power in international relations. It states that war
is most probable when a challenger to the dominant power enters into
approximate parity with the dominant power and is not satisfied with the
existing system. Similarly it states that alliances will be most stable when
the parties involved are satisfied with the existing system.
109. Pre-emptive War when a state strategically attacks its rival,
convinced that war is imminent. The state could cite the rival's military troops
organizing and marching towards their shared border.
Preventive/ Preventative War when a state strategically attacks its rival,
convinced that war is not imminent, but eventual. The state could cite the
rival's past acts of aggression and its current increased military spending, to
predict the rival will commit future acts of aggression.
The George W. Bush administration
argued that in present international relations, pre-emptive & preventive
war cannot be distinguished. New actors (terrorists) and weapons (nuclear,
biological) mean that war is harder to foresee, and a state may be attacked
suddenly, without warning.
110. Prisoner's Dilemma Game theory scenario developed by Albert W.
Tucker. Two individuals are arrested by the police and accused of a crime. The
police need more evidence in order to make a conviction, separate the
individuals, and encourage each to testify against the other. If one individual
cooperates, he will walk free and the other will receive a 10-year sentence. If
neither cooperates, they will each receive a 6-month sentence. If both
cooperate, they will each receive a 5-year sentence. The Prisoner's Dilemma
scenario encourages insecurity & a zero-sum equation. It resembles a
security dilemma. See: Brian Skyrms, PDF article. http://www.lps.uci.edu/home/fac-staff/faculty/skyrms/StagHunt.pdf
111. Protectionism Any policy pursued by a foreign government to
insulate domestic industries from foreign competition. Prominent examples
include tariffs, import quotas, or domestic subsidies.
112. Rational Actor Model view of foreign policy decision-making that
rests on the assumption that policy-makers have a shared sense of the national
interest, which they seek to attain via a rational process of finding the most
efficient means to achieve those shared ends
113. Realism it analyzes politics in terms of 'interests' as
power. Realism tends toward a pessimistic view of human nature and society,
seeing conflict as inherent and inevitable. Classical Realism- Morganthau-
anarchy is assumed as a prominent concern in international relations,with the
international system as the focus of analysis. States are hard-wired for power
they seek more and more power and this leads to war. -power is mans control
over the minds and actions of other men -international relations is a struggle
for power -states cannot die for a moral reason and cannot sacrifice themselves
-no morality in international politics -States are suspicious of other states,
calculated, prudent and cautious, no permanent friends or enemies only
permanent interests
-Neo-realism: Waltz- realism is a
description of a system and states are trapped in a structure. like the
classical realists, neorealist believe that anarchy exists. Countries create a
distribution of capabilities and power--> relative gain. The primary goal is
survival and the focus of analysis is power, and there is a clear distincition
between domestic and international politics:
-International Politics: states are
actors, there is a lack of hierarchy, all states behave the same no matter
their structure of government
-Domestic politics: not all groups
are egual, they are different units
Realists – Bismark, Machiavelli,
Kissinger – analyze politics in terms of power; conflict is the natural way of
things
114. Realpolitik refers to a type of foreign policy, according
to which concern for the security of the state (raison d’etat) is primary to
any other concern, including ideology or moral dilemmas. Realpolitik also calls
for pragmatism in calculating power and national interests by building military
capabilities, creating alliances, or making concessions, which also reduce the
chance of conflict. [5]
115. Relative gains The benefits that accrue to a state from its
international interactions assessed in comparison to the benefits that accrue
to other states. Realists argue that states are most concerned with relative
gains and that this concern is a source of tension and conflict in world
politics. From: How the World Works by Russell Bova
116. Relative Power The perceived amount of power that one state
has in relation to another state. For classical realists, relative power
concerns are the defining factor in state's interests.
117. SALT & START SALT(Strategic Arms Limitation Talks): Discussions and agreements signed between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1970s intended to reduce the expansion of offensive nuclear weapons START (Strategic Arms Reduction Talks): Discussions and agreements between the US and the USSR in the 90s to reduce the number of nuclear warheads in their respective arsenals, resulted in the largest and most complex arms control treaty in history
118. Secure second strike
capability The ability
of a country with nuclear weapons to ride out an initial nuclear attack with
enough retaliatory capability left intact to do unacceptable damage to one's
adversary. From: How the World Works by Russell Bova
119. Security Competition
120. Security Dilemma A country can never fully know the intentions
of its neighbors, making defensive measures appear threatening or aggressive,
creating the security dilemma. This frequently leads to arms races, even if the
countries involved have no intention of using force.
121. Self-help this is the need states have to protect
themselves and their interests through accumulation of power and forging
alliances. Since the world exists in a state of anarchy, there is no
international authority to impose order, therefore states must depend on
self-help.
122. Soft Power states use soft power to influence others
positively through attraction rather than coercion. This can be through
political virtues, cultural achievements, or other positive examples.
123. Sovereignty Comes from within a territory, having the authority
to establish and enforce its own rules
124. Stability/ Instability Paradoxstability
is created through the presence of nuclear weapons, ensuring these powers will
not fight among themselves because no rational actor would allow a conflict to
escalate to nuclear war. Instability is created because these conflicts are
played out through proxy, conventional wars.
125. Stag Hunt Game theory scenario developed by Jean-Jacques
Rousseau. Two hunters must decide whether to hunt hare or stags, and whether to
hunt separately or together. They will each get something if they work
separately. However, they will each get more if they work together in capturing
a stag. This model encourages social cooperation and a positive-sum equation.
While the Prisoner's Dilemma scenario is widely-known and cited, the Stag Hunt
scenario is considered more realistic and helpful in IR theory. See: Brian
Skyrms, PDF article. http://www.lps.uci.edu/home/fac-staff/faculty/skyrms/StagHunt.pdf
126. State of Nature based on the ideas of philosopher Thomas
Hobbes, realists believe there still exists a natural state of anarchy with no
international government or authority.
127. State of War the state of being in a declared armed conflict
128. Status Quo & Revisionist
Powers Based on
power transition theory, a status quo power is a state that is satisfied with
their current situation in the international system, while a revisionist power
is a state that is unsatisfied with the international system.
129. Strategic Defense Initiative The strategic defense initiative was created by
Ronald Reagan in 1983. The original idea was to use ballistic missiles to shoot
down incoming nuclear missiles, in order to protect the United States. Many
critics thought this idea would damage the safety of mutually assured
destruction, putting the U.S. in harm’s way. This idea was laughed at by many
and was commonly referred to as “Star Wars.”
130. Structural Realism
(Neo-Realism) Structural
realism is a theory developed by Kenneth Waltz, where states act in an
anarchical world. States’ first concern is their security, which often creates
a security dilemma. The international system may become stable through power
balancing, but the balancing of powers is not necessarily the goal of each
individual state.
131. Supranational Organization A supranational organization is an organization
that holds certain authority over its member states. Member states relinquish
certain powers to their supranational organization. Supranational organizations
may also enact certain laws which have more authority than the laws of its
member states’. A supranational organization may also grant rights and
privileges to its nation-states.
132. Swaggering The objectives for swaggering are more diffuse.
Generally swaggering involves only the peaceful use of force and it aims to
enhace the national pride of a people or two to satisfy the personal ambitions
of its ruler. A state or a statesman swaggers in order to loo and feel more
powerful and important, to be taken seriously by the others.
133. Tariff A tariff is a tax imposed by nation-states upon
incoming goods. Tariffs are commonly associated with protectionist policies.
134. Terrorism The term terrorism, as defined by the U.S.
government, is “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated
against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.”
135. Total War concept invented by Napolean, describing a
situation where a country's entire resources are mobilized for war. In such
situations, the stakes are usually much higher, and it is often a fight for
national survival.
136. Treaty of Westphalia signed in 1648, it created the notion of
sovereign nation-states and marked the end of the 30 years war in Europe. The
sovereign ruler of the state replaced religious leaders as supreme ruler.
137. Two-level Game view in liberal theory in which government
officials simultaneously negotiate with their international counterparts and
domestic stakeholders.
138. UN Commission on Human Rights
& Council on Human Rights
139. UN General Assembly consists of one representative from each member
country and has three primary responsibilities: it debates all issues, decides
which new states will be admitted, and it elects states to other positions in
the UN.
140. UN Security Council the body in the UN that promotes and maintains
global peace and is also the entity that can authorize force. It consists of 15
members 5 of which are permanent members (US, Britain, China, France, and
Russia). Members are given 2 years terms.
141. Unipolarity
142. Unitary Actor Model
143. United Nations Founded in 1945, the United Nations is the
predominant international organization within the current international system.
Its ultimate goal is to promote peace and nonviolent resolution of conflict
worldwide. The Un identifies its secondary goals as facilitation of interstate
cooperation on international law, international security, human rights,
economic development, and social progress. The UN functions as a platform for
interstate conflict resolution. According to its charter, all nations are
viewed as equal. The UN has six principal organs for conflict resolution: 1.)
The General Assembly 2.) The Security Council 3.) The Economic and Social
Council 4.) The Trusteeship Council 5.) The International Court of Justice 6.)
the Secretariat. The UN currently has 192 member states.
144. Waltz's "Three
Images" of International Relations In 1959, Waltz's book "Man, the State, and
War" attempted to formulate a structural realist theory which classified
theories of international relations into three categories, or levels of
analysis. 1st Image: Individual, Human Nature. 2nd Image: State, Regime, Type.
3rd Image: System level (as a whole). see: International Politics, enduring
Concepts and Contemporary Issues by R. Art and R. Jervis.
notes from class: Waltz argued that
analysis should focus on the third level. Although Waltz is credited as
creating structural realism, his language of the three levels is now used by
political scientists from across the spectrum.
145. Washington consensus set of principles that informed economic
liberalization policies of South in 1990s. Some of these principles were forced
on the South by coercive actions of the U.S. or structural adjustment/austerity
programs imposed by the World Bank and IMF. Others were adopted voluntarily.
The consensus was focused on fiscal discipline, spending on public goods, tax
reform, privatization, and deregulation. see: International Politics, enduring
Concepts and Contemporary Issues by R. Art and R. Jervis.
notes from class: The Washington
Consensus was influenced by the neo-classical economic theory, also known as the
Chicago School. The consensus was basically the directions coming from
Washington instructing the developing world to take their governments "out
of the market" and to increase privitization and free trade.
146. World Health Organization
(WHO) The World
Health Organization is the United Nation’s authority on health issues, formed
in 1948. The organization’s ultimate goal is the improvement of health,
especially public health worldwide. The WHO is responsible for providing
leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda,
setting norms and standards. The WHO is also responsible for supporting UN
governments which ask for its help, and recommending policy to these
governments. To achieve its ultimate objective of health improvement, the WHO
has a six point agenda: 1. Promoting development 2. Fostering health security
3. Strengthening health systems 4. Harnessing research, information, and
evidence 5. Enhancing worldwide collaboration and partnerships 6. Improving
performance.
147. WTO The World trade Organization acts as an
intermediary body for international trade. The WTO enforces trade agreements
and rules, provides a forum for governments to help negotiate trade agreements,
and helps settle trade disputes between its member nations. The Organizations
describes itself as “an organization for liberalizing trade”, and places heavy
emphasis on minimizing trade barriers in the international arena. The WTO was
established in 1995 at the end of the Uruguay round of the GATT, and thus follows
the principles of the GATT. The WTO is thus regarded largely as the successor
to the GATT. One important difference between the WTO includes trade in
services, as well as intellectual property considerations, whereas the GATT did
not.
148. Zero Sum OR Fixed Sum is a term in international relations and
economics which describes a situation where the gains and the losses of a party
are reversely proportionate to the gains and losses of another. In other words
the total gains minus the total losses equal zero. It usually creates a highly
tense and competitive dynamic. see: International Politics, enduring Concepts
and Contemporary Issues by R. Art and R. Jervis.
No comments:
Post a Comment