Final revision

• World politics


  The complex and interconnected system of international relations and interactions among countries and other global actors
• World politics


  • Is a dynamic and ever-evolving field, shaped by the interactions of the states, non-state actors and the challenging global landscape
  • Involves the delicate balance of competition and cooperation
  • Its outcomes have far-reaching effects on the well-being of people around the world
• What world politics includes


  • International relations between states
  • States' relations with international organizations
  • States dealing with global issues
• International relations between states


  The academic field that studies the interactions between countries and the various actors in the international systems
• Important international organizations


  • United Nations
  • World Trade Organization
  • International Monetary Fund
• Global issues


  • Climate change
  • Terrorism
  • Nuclear proliferation
  • Pandemics
• State sovereignty


  The principle that states have exclusive authority and control over their territory and internal affairs
• Sovereignty is a fundamental concept in international law and politics
• Power and influence


  • The distribution of power among states is a central feature of world politics
  • Major powers (US, China, Russia, EU) exert significant influence on global affairs
• Key aspects of world politics


  • Conflict and war
  • Human rights
  • Trade and economics
  • Diplomacy
  • Bilateral and multilateral relations
  • Nationalism vs. globalism
  • Soft power
• Conflict and war


  • Conflicts can arise over territorial disputes, ideological differences, or competition for resources
  • Armed conflict can have far-reaching consequences and often involve international intervention or mediation
• Human rights


  • The protection of human rights is a significant concern in world politics
  • International agreements and organizations work to promote and enforce human rights standards globally
• Trade and economics


  • Economic factors play a crucial role in international relations
  • Trade agreements, economic sanctions, and financial stability are important aspects of global politics
• Diplomacy


  • The practice of conducting negotiations and maintaining relationships between countries
  • Is essential for resolving conflicts, forging alliances, advancing national interests peacefully
• Bilateral and multilateral relations


  • Countries engage in both interactions to pursue their interests
  • Multilateral diplomacy occurs through organizations or forums like G7, G20, or regional organizations
• Nationalism vs. globalism


  The ongoing debate between those who prioritize national interests and sovereignty (nationalists) and those who advocate for greater international cooperation and governance (globalists)
• Soft power


  • The ability of countries to influence others through culture, education, diplomacy rather than military or economic force
  • Is an important aspect of a nation's global influence
• Theories of international relations


  • Liberalism
  • Realism
  • Constructivism
• Liberalism


  In order to achieve peace, states need to apply democracy, liberal economic structure globally, and the practice of collective security
• Realism


  Believes the international system is anarchic, with no actor above states, and the primary concern of all states is survival through superiority or balance of power
• Constructivism


  Focuses on the influence of non-material factors like values, culture, norms, and ideas in shaping actors' identities and interests
• Philosophers offer diverse perspectives on topics such as justice, governance, the role of religion in politics, and the relationship between philosophy and Islamic thought
• Political thinkers make their ideas available to others, who can criticize them
• Why study political science philosophy


  • Political thought provides the basis for both facts and actions
  • We cannot take stances without having philosophical ideas
  • Political thinkers have produced divergent, contradictory, conflicting ideas
  • People need to think hard of political ideas without such thinking we would not understand these ideas fully
• Philosophers


  • Plato
  • Aristotle
  • Confucius
  • Mencius
  • Cicero
  • St. Thomas Aquinas
  • Niccolò Machiavelli
  • Thomas Hobbes
  • Benedict Spinoza
  • John Locke
  • Al Farabi
  • Ibn Sina
  • Ibn Kaldun
  • Al Mawardi
  • Ibn Taymiyyah
  • Abdolkarim Soroush
  • Ibn Rushd (Averroes)
• Branches of political science


  • Political Thought
  • Comparative Politics
  • International Politics
  • Public Policy
• Comparative politics


  The framework of comparative politics is to compare between political structures and functions, as well as political culture
• Levels of analysis in comparative politics


  • Individual
  • State and nation
  • International systems
• Why study comparative politics


  • To communicate and understand other countries' cultures, and be more capable in communication
  • To analyze how governments make decisions and advance positive or normative theses
• Comparative politics tools include analyzing graphs and finding small details
• Challenges facing states


  • Building community and identity
  • Securing economic development and growth
  • Advancing democracy and civil liberties
• Political culture


  A set of shared views and normative judgments held by a population regarding its political system, not just attitudes toward specific actors
• Political culture (Pye and Verba)


  • The mental and intellectual environment in which politics is shaped, interpreted, and judged
  • The knowledge, values, attitudes of individuals and societies towards government and politics
  • Linked to community, not just individuals
• Dimensions of political culture


  • A set of meanings and definitions used in everyday policymaking
  • A set of political beliefs, traditions, customs, behaviors, myths, and actions
• Common challenges


  • Building community and identity
  • Securing economic development and growth
  • Advancing democracy and civil liberties
• Political culture


  A set of shared views and normative judgments held by a population regarding its political system
• Political culture (Pye and Verba)


  The mental and intellectual environment in which politics is shaped, interpreted, judged
• Dimensions of political culture


  • A set of meanings and definitions used in everyday policy making
  • A set of political beliefs, tradition, custom, behavior, myths and action
• Political culture


  • Defines what is tolerable and which are the sanctions
  • Defines the borders of social groups
  • Creates link between individuals and social groups
  • Generates the demands and wishes of citizens in relation with state and other groups
  • Requires cultural support and legitimacy for authority and legitimacy
  • Includes negative behavior and conflicts
• Political subculture


  Part of political culture that makes participants think and behave differently