Alternative Perspectives International Relations PDF

Alternative Perspectives of International Relations  Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA), Marxism, Feminism These theories focus on specific questions / features of international Overview system ignored by previous paradigms Compared t...

Alternative Perspectives of International Relations  Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA), Marxism, Feminism These theories focus on specific questions / features of international Overview system ignored by previous paradigms Compared to our main paradigms, what do we gain from these new approaches?  Realism and liberalism use a pure rational actor model: Identify problems, rank options, FPA: Shifting select based on maximizing utility and achieve a set objective. to an agent- 𝑼𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 = 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒕𝒔 – 𝑪𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒔 centered Assumes all actors calculate utility the same approach Foreign Policy Analysis instead takes an agent-centered approach  Three levels influence the decision- maker: Individual Group Foreign Societal Policy Analysis Foreign Policy Provide Info Leader Process / Apply Suboptimal Outcome Pressure Cognitive Limitations Less than Advisors Imperfect ideal Society Information FPA: Individual- level Factors Bounded Rationality Individuals operate along Cognitive limitations Time constraints spectrum of perfect rationality and perfect Incomplete Worldviews emotion information and bias Decision Leaders want to make maker rational choices but are limited by… 1. Incomplete information and 2. the way in which they process information. Operational Code Analysis (OCA) What is the leader’s worldview? 1.) View world as more conflictual or cooperative 2.) Believes they are effective or limited in their ability to control others OCA analyzes ‘verbs in context’ to measure these dimensions Prospect Theory Situation determines how “risky” you are likely to be… Domain of gains: more likely to be careful. Don’t want to lose what you already have. Domain of losses: riskier behavior; what more do I have to lose? U-2 Spy Plane (1960) American spy plane shot down over the Soviet Union President Eisenhower had to respond Is he in a domain of gains or a domain of losses? Will that make him riskier or more risk averse? Chose riskier option: denied it Important implications for diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union Poliheuristic Theory Heuristic: decision-making shortcut Decisions are made in two stages: 1. Rule out unacceptable options 2. Then choose among remaining options Iranian Hostage Crisis and Operation Eagle Claw Poliheuristic Theory: Ex) Iranian Hostage Crisis Iranian Revolution in 1979, overthrowing the Shah Iranian students stormed the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking hostages Stage 1: ‘do nothing’ not an option Stage 2: choose among remaining options Operation Eagle Claw  FPA: Group- level Factors Organizational / Bureaucratic Politics Model 3 features of bureaucracies help us understand this effect… 1. Hierarchical structure 2. Specialization 3. Routinization Can lead to narrow focus of solutions & inter-agency competition Organizational/Bureaucratic Politics Model: Ex) Cuban Missile Crisis Oct 16-28, 1962 Nuclear missile silos found in Cuba Each branch of the military proposed a solution: Army – ground invasion Navy – naval blockade and naval bombardment Air Force – aerial bombardment Role of Advisors Information provided by advisors can enhance or constrict options Groupthink Shared viewpoint Excludes dissent, restricting information Polythink Too many opinions/options Agreement near impossible FPA: Societal-level Factors Interest Groups Public Opinion Leaders need the public’s support to stay in office Efforts to look "strong" on foreign policy issues War weariness theory Somalia (1993) Humanitarian crisis Battle of Mogadishu Marxism Foundations of Marxist Theory Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels Two important texts create the foundation of Marxism Das Kapital The Communist Manifesto “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” (The Communist Manifesto)  Basics of Marxism State of nature: The pursuit of wealth corrupts this people want to system. be productive Individuals are driven more by economic desires than pursuits of power and peaceful. Bourgeoisie (capitalist class) Two economic Owners of the means of production classes: Proletariat (working class) Produce goods and services Labor and Wages Exploitation of workers starting between serfs and royalty or lords Under capitalism... Proletariat (workers) exchange labor for wages Bourgeoisie (capitalist class) pay workers less than labor is worth (exploitation) Revolution Profit motive of capitalists leads to downward pressure on wages Pressure builds to the point of violent revolution by the proletariat Socialist regime – government led by the proletariat Eventually leading to a communist utopia where no government was needed Marxism as a Critique of the Capitalist Industrial Revolution How does this apply to International Relations? 1.) Wars are fought for profit. Not to accumulate “power.” 2.) Colonization was a tool to delay revolution at home 3.) Lenin: Vanguard Party needed to move society from capitalism to socialism 4.) Stalin: Regime change abroad Communist Revolutions China (1949) North Korea (1948) Cuba (1959) Vietnam (1954) World Systems Theory Distribution of wealth at the global level 1.) Core 2.) Periphery 3.) Semi-periphery Think about the impact on how these states interact. Evaluating Marxist Theory Some applications failed Totalitarian communism Economic inefficiencies Social democracies; welfare systems endure Assumptions of World Systems Theory and dependency theory are still used. Feminism in IR Feminism Rooted in constructivism Social construction of gender and gender roles 1. Impact of gender on the study of International Relations 2. Role of women in world politics 3. Consequences of world politics specifically for women  Inherent differences between Difference genders Feminism Women: peaceful and cooperative Men: aggressive and conflictual More women in power to shift foreign policy Issue: Difficult to test empirically Conflict over the Falkland Islands Conflict over Sovereign land of the United the Falkland Kingdom since 1833 Argentina’s military junta (1976- Islands 1983) (Malvinas) Diversionary war theory Argentine invasion in April 1982 Under difference feminism, what foreign policy tools would UK PM Thatcher use to resolve the crisis? Liberal feminism Less emphasis on inherent differences Instead, it is more about achieving equal representation Descriptive vs. substantive representation When there is more parity between the genders, we may observe changes in the structures of power Critical threshold to observe substantive representation (~30%) Some evidence of more socially focused legislation in states with high percentages of women in the legislature  Average Percentage of Women (Lower Chamber or Unicameral), 1995-2022 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 Rank Country Lower House Upper Chamber Total Seats Women % Women Total Seats Women % Women 1 Rwanda 80 51 63.8 26 9 34.6 2 Cuba 470 262 55.7 - - - 3 Nicaragua 91 49 53.9 - - - 4 Mexico 500 250 50.0 128 64 50.0% “ United Arab 40 20 50.0 - - - Emirates 75 U.S. 435 125 28.7 100 25 25.0 Country Leader (Assumed Office) Country Leader (Assumed Office) Country Leader (Assumed Office) Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina Wajed Honduras Xiomara Castro (2022)*** Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata’afa (2009)* (2021)* Barbados Mia Mottley (2018)* Hungary Katalin Novák (2022)** Serbia Ana Brnabic (2017)* Sandra Mason (2021)** Bosnia and Borjana Kristo (2023)* Iceland Katrin Jakobsdottir (2017)* Singapore Halimah Yacob (2017)** Herzegovina Denmark Mette Frederiksen (2019)* India Droupadi Murmu (2022)** Slovakia Zuzana Caputova (2019)** Estonia Kaja Kallas (2021)* Italy Giorgia Meloni (2022)* Slovenia Natasa Pirc Musar (2022)** Ethiopia Sahle-Work Zewde Kosovo Vjosa Osmani (2021)** Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen (2016)** (2018)** Finland Sanna Marin (2019)* Lithuania Ingrida Simonyte (2020)* Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan (2021)*** France Élisabeth Borne (2022)* Moldova Maia Sandu (2020)** Togo Victoire Tomegah Dogbé (2020)* Georgia Salome Zourabichvili Namibia Saara Kuugongelwa (2015)* Trinidad and Tobago Christine Kangaloo (2023)** (2018)** Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou Peru Dina Boluarte (2022) *** Tunisia Samia Suluhu Hassan (2020)** (2021)* Notes: * = Head of Government; ** = Head of State; *** = Head of State and Head of Government Women and IR Summary