International Relations

• Diverse actors, including states, international organizations, and non-state entities, participate in this interconnected system.
• Power (Realist Perspective) in international relations is centered around the concept of power and the pursuit of security.
• Realism posits that the primary actors in the international system are states, and their primary goal is survival.
• From a realist perspective, power is a finite resource, and states engage in a constant struggle to gain and maintain it.
• This perspective assumes a fundamentally anarchic international system, where states must rely on their own capabilities to ensure their security.
• The implications of the realist perspective are evident in the emphasis on military strength, economic capabilities, and strategic alliances.
• States engage in diplomacy as a means to advance their national interest, often engaging in a zero-sum competition for power and security.
• Realism provides a lens through which to understand the dynamics of conflict, alliances, and power balancing in international relations.
• The liberal perspective in international relations emphasizes cooperation and the role of international institutions in shaping global affairs.
• The foreign policy level of analysis bridges the gap between domestic and global politics.
• Non-state actors and identities play a significant role in shaping international outcomes.
• Constructivism is a broader theoretical perspective in international relations that encompasses the role of ideas, norms, and identities in shaping international behavior.
• The idea perspective is a subset or specific aspect of constructivism that emphasizes the significance of ideas as a driving force in international relations.
• The systemic level of analysis encompasses both the structure and hierarchy of the international system.
• The global level takes a broad perspective, examining global processes and phenomena that transcend individual states.
• The systemic structure refers to the distribution of power among states, whether it is unipolar, bipolar, or multipolar.
• The systemic hierarchy reflects the relative power of states in the global order.
• Liberals argue that states can achieve security and prosperity through cooperation rather than pure competition.
• The domestic level of analysis considers internal factors within a state that influence its foreign policy.
• The individual level of analysis focuses on the role of specific leaders, policymakers, and decision-makers in shaping international relations.
• This perspective advocates for the establishment of international institutions, adherence to norms, and the rule of law as crucial elements in maintaining global order.
• Diplomacy, within the liberal perspective, plays a central role in building and sustaining international institutions.
• Collective security and cooperation are seen as essential for addressing common challenges such as climate change, human rights, and economic interdependence.
• Liberals believe that a rules-based international order can mitigate conflict and foster mutual benefit among states.
• The identity perspective in international relations emphasizes the role of ideas, norms, and identities in shaping state behavior.
• Unlike realist and liberal perspectives, which focus on material factors, identity theorists argue that culture, religion, and shared values significantly influence international interactions.
• States, like individuals, have distinct identities that impact their actions on the global stage.
• Diplomacy, from the identity perspective, involves understanding and respecting the diverse identities of states.
• Identity shapes alliances, conflicts, and cooperation.
• By recognizing the impact of ideas on international relations, this perspective offers insights into the cultural dimensions of diplomacy and the importance of mutual understanding between states with different identities.
• Structure in international relations refers to the distribution of power among states.
• Domestic economic priorities, such as job creation and economic growth, influence U.S foreign policy decisions regarding trade relations with China.
• Realists believe that states act in a rational, unitary manner to pursue objectives grounded in their separate interests.
• Understanding the foreign policy level of analysis helps decipher the complex interplay between domestic and international considerations.
• Economic structuralism argues that understanding global interactions requires considering the context defined by class or other materially defined structures and exploitative relations.
• Realists focus on the use of power in international relations.
• Constructivism argues that ideas and concepts in international relations are human constructs.
• Postmodernism in international relations focuses on how our perceptions are shaped by prior understandings and meanings.
• Feminism provides an alternative lens in international relations by focusing on gender as a significant factor.
• Global economic events, such as fluctuations in the global market, impact the domestic economic policies of both nations.