International Relations: Cooperation & Conflicts

• International relations involves migration, conflicts, and cooperation.

Structure of International Relations

• The structure includes an introduction, international cooperation, the role of international organizations, migration, USA & China, and the southern border wall.

Definition

• International relations are defined as relations and interactions between countries, governments, international organizations, and societies.
• Key topics discussed are: peace and conflicts, trade and economy, environmental issues, and human rights.
• The main participants are: states, the UN, and NGOs.
• Cooperation between countries happens because they need to

International Cooperation

• International cooperation includes UN peacekeeping missions plus climate and human rights agreements such as the Paris agreement.
• International cooperation provides: peace, stability, economic growth, and resolutions to global challenges like climate change and pandemics.

Causes of Conflict

• Causes of conflict involve the struggle for power and influence, resource competition, religious and ethnic tensions, and ideological differences.
• Examples of conflicts are the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Global Challenges

• Joint environmental policies are needed for climate change
• Collaboration is needed to fight global health pandemics.
• Wars such as Ukraine and Russia
• There is a shred responsibility for refugees caused by Migration

The Role of International Organizations

• The UN has 193 member states and defends human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• The UN promotes friendly relations and supports international cooperation through various affiliated programs and funds such as UNICEF.
• Without the UN, there would be more wars and conflicts, less help and cooperation, more inequality, and fewer human rights.

Migration

• Migration involves moving or fleeing to another country, region, or place.
• Push factors include economic instability, violence, persecution, and climate change.
• Pull factors include job opportunities, safety, and better living conditions.
• 281 million people lived outside their birth country in 2022
• The top destinations being: USA, Germany, and Saudi Arabia
• 108.4 million people were forcibly displaced by 2021, including 35.3 million refugees.
• Positive aspects of migration include enriching cultures through integration, the desire of migrants to return home if conditions improve, economic strengthening, and strengthening public budgets.

Illegal Migration

Hispanics in the U.S.

• The term "Hispanics" refers to Spanish-speaking people from Latin America living in the USA.
• There are 59 million Hispanics in the U.S., including 5 million undocumented immigrants.
• Challenges faced by Hispanics involve obtaining legal status (Green Card), exploitation in the labor market, plus the fear of deportation and lack of rights.
• Hispanics mainly come from Mexico for economic reasons, from Puerto Rico due to poverty and unemployment, and from Cuba because of political persecution and communism.
• Common destinations for Hispanics are Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Florida.

USA & China

• The USA & China situation includes Post-WWII U.S. dominance and challenges to U.S. leadership plus possible future scenarios.

Post-WWII U.S. Dominance

• The U.S. built and led global institutions like the UN, NATO, and WTO after WWII.
• Military supremacy, economic growth, and innovation ensured international security and shaped global markets.
• Soft power allowed U.S. culture to spread worldwide.

Challenges to U.S. Leadership

• China's rise includes rapid economic expansion, military buildup, and global influence.
• Russia's resurgence means geopolitical assertiveness in Europe and beyond.
• There is a declining U.S. influence, leading to a shift towards a multipolar world order.

Future Scenarios

• Future scenarios involve China overtaking the U.S. as the dominant superpower.
• A multipolar world order is also another possibility with multiple competing great powers.
• Another option is the U.S. maintaining leadership by adapting and countering rivals.

The Southern Border Wall

• The southern border wall debate is over U.S. border security.
• Arguments for the wall involve national security and reducing illegal immigration.
• Arguments against the wall cover humanitarian concerns plus economic dependency on migrants.
• Risks for migrants include violence, kidnapping, and death in deserts.
• Alternative solutions to a physical wall include: more technology and smart border security, more border patrol agents, and improving the asylum application process.