Realism

(Main Points)

• dominant paradigm in IR
• Self-interested states compete for power/security
• Classical Realism- rooted in human nature
• Morgenthau-> "politics like socitey in general is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature"
• Conflict/war as inveitable
• struggle for power
• not concerned with domestic interests defined in terms of power
• skeptical of universal moral prinicples
• distinction between domestic and intl politics
• sovereignty
• national interests are objective
• principal national interest is that of survival/security

Main Units of Analysis

(Realism)

Realism

(Instruments)

Basis of International Realm

(Realism)

Neo-Realism/Structural Realism

(Main Points)

Defensive Realism (Waltz states as security maximizers)

• is when military power is used, strive for military power

Offensive Realism (Mearsheimer, states as power maximizers) -> states always searching for power at the expense of others

• is when states are aggressive towards each other

-emphasizes the importance of structure of international system and its role as primary determinant of state behaviour

-intl cooperation hard to acheive

Assumptions

-states and other actors interact in an anarchic environment

-no central authority to enforce rules/norms

-states see all other states as potential enemies

- example: realists like Morgenthau explain intl politics by looking at the actions and interactions of the states in the system

-neo-realists believe that  the effects of structure must be considered as well

Realism

(Limitations)

• does not account for international change
• Normative-> inability of states to respond to collective global problems like famine and environment
• cannot account for regional integration, humanitarian intervention

Realism

(Key Concepts +Theorists)

Statism, Survival (not guranteed), self help (no state can rely on other state/instutution for survival)

Theorists

-E.H. Carr, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Morgenthau, Rousseau

Neo-Realism/Structural Realism

(Key Concepts +Theorists)

Theorists: Kenneth Waltz, Mearsheimer, Grieco

Key Concepts

-Anarchy and hierchy (domestic), BoP (bipolar) Survival

-Absolute vs relative gains

(states are concerned with how much other states may benefut or have influence in comparison to others in any cooperative behaviour )

Liberalism

(Main Points)

-concern for power overridden by economic and political consideration, value order, liberty, justice

-seeks to project values of order, liberty, justice into international relations

-domestic and international instututions are required to protect and nurture these values

Four Claims (Doyle)

-All citizens are equal

-legilative assembly of a state has authority granted by people in it

-right to own property (individual);

-market driven economy

Liberalism

(Main Units of Analysis)

Liberalism

Instruments

Varies (Democracy Institution) 

Key Concepts +Theorist

(Liberalism)

Key Concepts

-cooperation, economic liberalism

-Economic Interdependence

-Democracy key to world peace insitutions

Theorist: Woodrow Wilson

Neo-Liberalism (Neoliberal Institutionalism)

Main Points?

-states seek to max interests

o   Regime theory (regimes are more specific interest areas for instututions, security regimes, UN)  issue-specific

-Capitalism, Market driven

-focus on political economy, environment, human rights

-neoliberal instutionalism sees instutions as mediator and means to achieve cooperation

-Aim to achieve absolute Gains

-Institutions (IMF, WTO)

Neo-Liberalism

Unit of Analysis

Multilateralism: state and non state actors can work together

-centrality of states, unitary, Rational

Liberalism 

(Critique)

Neo-Liberalism

Limitations and Critique

-doesn't address how states cheat or their noncompliance

-states act unilaterally and promote self-interest

Neo Liberalism/neoliberal instutionalism)

Absolute or Relative?

Absolute Gains

All states seek to gain more power and influence in the international system to secure their national interests.

Neo-Liberalism

Key Concepts + Theorists

Theorists: Nye, Keohane

Concepts

-"cooperation is not automatic but requires planning and negotiation" -Keohane

-cooperation is easy to achieve where there is mutual interests

-insitutions and regimes are significant forces in international relations

* Neo-liberals & Neo-realists study different worlds of Intl politics

*neo-realists focus on security and military issues

*neo-liberals focus on political economy, enviromental issues and human right issues 

Neo-Realism

-neo-realists state that that neo-liberals minimize the importance of survival as the goal of each state

-believe intl cooperation is hard to achieve, difficult to maintain and dependent on state power

-neo-realists believe that the fundamental goal of states in cooperative realtionships is to prevent others from gaining more

Neo-Liberalism

-claim that neo-realists minimize the importance of international interdependence, globalization and regimes created to manage these interactions

-believe cooperation is easy to achieve in areas where states have mutual interests

-neo-liberals want to maximize the total amount of gains for parties involved

Critical Theory

(Positivism)

Positivism: facts and values can be separated; it is possible to separate object and subject

Problem-solving theory: takes the world as it finds it, the way things are. The purpose of the theory is to straight out the wrinkles, and to overcome the new problems that may arise, why states go to war, why can’t they trade. Neo-realism and liberalism fits nicely in this theory.