Lec 1 IR Intro and Historical Context 2025 PDF

Type author Baylis, Smithnames & Owens here INT 102 Lec 1: IR: the Historical Context Ana Cristina Alves (Adapted from Baylis et al, 2...

Type author Baylis, Smithnames & Owens here INT 102 Lec 1: IR: the Historical Context Ana Cristina Alves (Adapted from Baylis et al, 2020) © Oxford University Press, 2020. All rights reserved. About INT102 Introduction to IR  What will you learn in this course? The mainstream IR How key historical theories and key events shaped the concepts you can draw current international upon to analyse system & world order international relations Major structures and Major contemporary processes that impact issues faced by the broad dynamics of international society global governance (migration, environment, terrorism, HR…) (IGOs, War, Security…) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Textbook: John Baylis, Steve Smith, and Patricia Owens, eds. (2020) The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations Eighth Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. (Or 9th ed, 2023) Readings: you are required to do the “essential Logistics readings” (textbook chapters) prior to class. “Additional readings” + videos will complement and your understanding of the topic > enhance your participation in class discussions or assist in etiquette assignments Attendance: You are advised to attend at least 80% of lectures and ALL lab sessions (attendance will be taken). Activities in lab sessions are graded, there will be no make up opportunities. No exceptions made. Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  In-class participation: Lec.s will have 2-3 open discussion breaks (10-15 mins), keep your intervention short and straight to the point. Be respectful + ‘Chatham-House rules’ (no attribution) Consistent and constructive participation will reflect Logistics positively on your Final mark. and Office Hours: by appointment only (send me an email request and clearly say what is the issue you etiquette wish to address). 10-15 mins. Issues related to assignments and course content (will not entertain Qs that you can clarify yourself through readings or in Q&A sessions). Logistic issues – please email TA’s (copy me in). Keep the email thread in all exchanges with me and the TAs Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Individual assignments (60%): Coursework Mid-term test (30%) week 7, extra session Assignments Covers content from lec 1 to 4 (inclusive) QCM & Final Exam (30%) Assessment Covers content from lectures 5 to 7 Format yet to be decided – QCM? Or Chose 1 essay question, write mini essay, writing limit is two pages (argumentative) Any act of academic dishonesty will be reported to the competent UM6P commission. Punishment may include expulsion. Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Group assignments (40%) in Lab sessions: - Form a group (5-6 pax) with lab classmates, enroll on Canvas by next week, and stay in the same group for all assignments. - AI can support tasks that exclude content generation. Coursework - All group members = same mark, group to ensure Assignments conducive environment and even contribution by all. & Plagiarism and abusive use of AI = substantial downgrade of the grade or zero Assessment - Understanding Realism (not graded) – Lab 1 Create an infographic (40 mins) explaining the assigned Realist theory, concept, or assumption, link it to real world ex, then present it (2 mins). Submit via canvas by end of the session Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  - Applying IR theories (15%) – Lab 2 Analyze a current event using the assigned IR theory (30 mins). Different groups will use different theories for the same event. Present findings (3 mins), then discuss. Submit a document summarizing main arguments and Coursework references by session end. Late submissions incur a 5% hourly penalty. Assignments & - Documentary analysis (25%) Lab 3 & 4 Assessment Lab 3: Watch a documentary on a global issue, discuss it within your group, and write a brief summary (key messages, stakeholders, strengths, and weaknesses). Submit the document by the end of the session. Lab 4: Groups will present and discuss their critical analysis of the documentary based on four key points (15 mins each): how it reflects or distorts reality; alternative perspectives; relevance for Africa; and recommendations to enhance understanding or action. Documentary analysis should be submitted via canvas prior to the start of the session. 5% penalty per hour of delay. Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Questions? Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e Cohort 2024 International Relations  IR is a subfield of Political Science. Concerned specifically with the dynamics, structures and processes of the international system. Studies and attempts to explain the interaction of states, intergovernmental organisations and non-governmental organisations and other agents in the international arena. The study of IR is interdisciplinary by nature, drawing on International political science, economics and history among other fields. Relations It places particular emphasis on international politics, economics, security and development. It seeks to understand: the origins of war and peace the nature of power and how it is exercised in the international system The role and changing nature of state and non-state actors and how they impact global governance Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Though relations among political entities is as old as history, IR as a discipline is relatively recent. Emerged after WW1 – European academics began to study states interactions to understand the causes of the conflict. First IR degrees offered in 1920s - European and US universities International By end of WW2 subject began to reflect the changing global order and become much wider in scope (issues Relations beyond war and peace) as a discipline Why is it a separate academic discipline? Has a distinct subject matter: relations between states (which has evolved to include non-state actors too and a multitude of issues: int security, pol economy, globalization, environment, development….) Has its own body of theories and concepts reflecting multiple views Own research paradigms (positivism and post-positivism) and methodologies (quantitative + qualitative) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  1. The Rise of the Modern International order  Introduction International system is made up of multiple political units (empires, city- states, nation-states, etc.) that co-exist in the absence of an overarching authority IR: how order can be generated in such fragmented environment? (how do states interact with each-other in an orderly manner?) International orders are regularized practices of exchange (trade, diplomacy, exchange of ideas…) among discrete political units that recognize each other as independent (> stable structured pattern of interactions between actors on the international level) World history has seen many regional international orders, but only recently has the world experienced a global international order Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  ‘The ‘Western order’ The contemporary international order is dominated by Western ideas and institutions ‘The West’ is usually defined as Europe (especially northern and western) and North America (especially the United States) The ‘rise of the West’ occurred only recently, over the past two or three centuries Many aspects of its rise can be traced to international processes (imperialism, trade, technology… > allowed small nr of states to project power around the world…) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Historical international orders Some accounts trace the historical origins of international orders all the way back to Sumer, Iraq (first sedentary communities. Agriculture>surplus> trade & war; interactions > regularized practices / diplomacy) Past international orders emerged from contacts bt different parts of the world (Byzantine / Ottoman empire) or centered in other regions (China and its neighbours – The Middle kingdom - suzerainty links) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Modern World Order However, most accounts begin in early modern Europe with the 1648 Peace of Westphalia, End of religious wars: cuio regio, eius religio (states can no longer interfere in other states bc of religious beliefs) Established the principle of ‘state sovereignty’ (exclusive political authority over their geo space > non-interference in other states domestic affairs = states can define their own religion, governance and economy) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Critiques of the ‘Westphalian’ as starting point of modern WO: Westphalia was a local affair (safeguard internal affairs of the Holy Roman Empire), not a European- Modern wide agreement World Order The gains of Westphalia were relatively slight (empire still commanded loyalty from German principalities) Westphalia set limits to the principle of sovereignty (each polity to retain religion it held by 1624) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Modern World Order Stressing other forms of ‘regularized practices of exchange’ yields alternative starting points (economic interactions = silk route, spices route; systems of transport & communication = European voyages of discovery; or combine both = African slavery> Atlantic regional order) More recently, scholars have argued that the modern international order emerged in the last two centuries, when multiple regional orders were forged into a deeply interdependent, global international order (the ‘Global Transformation’) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Early 1800s major sites of production and consumption in the East (Japan, China and SE Asia) near parity with European How did counterparts across range of econ modern indicators, and technologically equal or international superior in many areas of production. order By early 1900s most advanced areas of emerge? Europe and US - GDP per capita was tenfold that of Asian counterparts 1820 Asia 61% world GDP / West 43% 1913 West 68% world GDP / Asia 25% = Major shift in global power Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  How did modern international order emerge? The ‘great divergence’ (economic and technological) between East and West is linked to three main dynamics (K. Pomeranz, 2000): 1.Industrialization Two waves (1st British, early 19c– cotton, coal, iron + steam power; 2nd Ger & US late 19c – chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronics + oil & electricity) Engineering & technology generated substantial gains in productivity Helped to dramatically expand the world market > new opportunities to accumulate power Industrialization in West linked to deindustrialization elsewhere (i.e. UK imposed ban on Indian textiles and its manufactures forcibly imported into India) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  How did modern international order emerge? 2. Emergence of rational states Expansion of markets impacted on how states were organized Armies and navies became more distinctively national and under direct state control (as opposed to East India Company in previous century) State more rationally organized through abstract bureaucracies (rather than interpersonal relations) – civil service, nationally organized military, taxes > necessary to sustain empires Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  How did modern international order emerge? 3. Imperialism By 1913 – western powers controlled 80% of world’s land surface (UK 25%) Western powers (European states but also settler states, i.e. US, Australia & NZ) assumed coercive control of foreign territories and over the trade of commodities used violence to subjugate indigenous peoples (sometimes amounting to genocide i.e. Germany in Namibia) and ensure low production prices Took various forms, but was deeply destructive Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  The infrastructural gains prompted by the global transformation made communications far faster and cheaper (and therefore trade too) The Enabled by steamships, railways, and the consequences telegraph of the global Steamships and railways > transportation transformation: system that underpinned the division of labor A) Shrinking between an industrial ‘core’ and a commodity- producing ‘periphery’ = defining feature of the the planet global pol economy Together = core technologies of modern int order, helped construct a global economy and a single space of political-military interactions, while increasing cultural encounters Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  emergence of intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) as permanent feature of int order The consequences resulted from the demands for international coordination and standardization produced by of the global technological change (Int Telecom Union, Universal transformation: Postal Union…) IGOs and A variety of international non- governmental organizations (INGOs) also INGOs emerged (Int Red Crescent and Red Cross, …) Some INGOs formed in response to the inequities of industrialization (labour mouvements) or to put pressure on states to democratize (woman’s suffrage) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  The global transformation generated a deeply unequal international order The 1) ‘Scientific’ racism argued that it consequences was possible and desirable to of the global establish a political hierarchy based transformation: on biological markers Inequality Resulted in the formation of an international order premised in large measure on a ‘global colour line’ (W. Du Bois 1903 – the new religion of whiteness) and its accompanying ‘standard of civilization’ Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Racism further strengthened by massive emigration from Europe The to occupied territories & settler consequences colonialism (united by fear of rebellion of of the global indigenous pop & and sense of cultural and racial superiority) transformation: Inequality Economic exploitation: profits from capitalist expansion helped to forge an unequal global economy (set modern hierarchy bt commodities and manufacturers providers) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  The legacies of this period: Global economy Imperialism Global system of states Racism Global communication and Economic exploitation transportation systems = all this continues to fuel IGOs and INGOs inequalities and resentment = Global governance still in many parts of the Global based on western terms and South they still sit at the top of the hierarchy These legacies are important to understand the current int order and the challenges it faces 2. International History of 20th Century  Modern total war I 1914-1918 While disagreements remain as to the origins of the war, the nature of this war (length, geographic reach, associated costs and casualties) changed the very perception of what war was (Death toll: 20 millions) War was total in the sense that whole societies and economies were mobilised Versailles Peace Treaty lodged the seeds of a more serious conflict still to come failed to create a collective security and created new sources of grievances and instability A ‘side effect’ was the creation of the USSR Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Modern total war II German revanchism and the Great Depression (1929) destabilized the already weak post WW1 world order and laid bare its shortcomings Liberal democracy, in many places pushed back by communism, nazism and fascism (and attendant ideological preferences) Arms development (armoured warfare and air power) rendered many existing defensive military strategies obsolete Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  End of WW II Marked a fundamental change in world politics End of western imperialism Decline of Europe Rise of the US Onset of the Cold War Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  End of Empire Decolonization after WW2 was influenced by many factor: attitude of the colonial power the ideology and strategy of anti- imperialist forces and the role of external powers Reflected decreasing power of Europe as arbiter of world affairs P of self-determination (UN Charter) mark change in attitudes and values (imperial power > negative meaning) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  End of Empire Between 1947 and 1980, 49 British territories were granted independence (mostly peacefully) Other colonial powers, like France (and Portugal) tried harder to hold on to colonial (or ‘national’ in the case of Algeria) territories Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  European decolonization 1945-80 Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Onset of the Cold War (1945-1953) The end of WW2 was swiftly followed by a ‘cold war’ between the Western allies and the Soviet Union and its allies Causes of CW are much debated. Bottom line: incompatible social and econ systems mutual suspicion about the other’s intentions insecurities of the arms race The Truman Doctrine (1947) support for democracies against authoritarian threats - aimed to contain Soviet expansion The Breznev Doctrine (1968) SU to intervene in countries where socialist rule was under threat - aimed to retain Moscow’s control over its socialist republics and influence abroad Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Onset of the Cold War (1945-1953) Europe divided in two: East and West (including Germany, Berlin Wall) The Marshall plan aided economic recovery in Western Europe, and strengthened ties with the US Japan was reconstructed and democratized under US occupation (Gen McArthur, new constitution – Tokyo renounced war forever) First confrontation opposing the two sides: Korean War (1951-53) Cold War dynamics became closely intertwined with independence processes and newly indep countries across the Third World with devastating consequences – confrontation was quite heated (i.e. Korea, Vietname, Angola) But the world was not as neatly divided between the super-powers as is sometimes thought: a case in point is the Middle East Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Cold War NATO was established in 1949 A founding principle was that an attack on one NATO member was to be considered an attack on all (art 5) The rearmament of West Germany in 1954 precipitated the creation of the Warsaw Pact, and further military build-ups Russia first successful nuclear test 1949 Ensued largest and most expensive arms race Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Cold War A slight thawing of relations occurred in the late 1950s (death of Stalin, succeeded by reformist Khruschev) But soon, crises (Berlin 1961) in particular the Cuban missile crisis, led to the possibility of direct military confrontation in 1962 Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Case Study: The Cuban Missile Crisis Most dangerous point of the CW – closest to armagedon Oct. 1962: U.S. discovered that Soviets were secretly deploying nuclear missiles in Cuba Kennedy responded with naval blockade The crisis was resolved 6 days after U.S. announced the blockade The risk of inadvertent nuclear war through misperception, the actions of subordinates and organizational failures was much greater than believed at the time The crisis led to progress made towards the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963 Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Cold War More stable period after that – ‘Mutual Assured destruction’ (MAD) act as a deterrent – greater effort to control nuclear arms spread (NPT 1968) and testing period of détente – arms race control efforts SALT I (1972 -Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) & II (1979) However, SU support for revolutionary mouvements in the Third World (Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola) + military occupation of Afghanistan (1979), ended the trust building (SU using detent to gain military advantage?) J. Carter withdrew from SALTII 1979-1986 ‘second cold war’ Soviet occupation of Afghanistan 1979 Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Cold War 1985: Mikhail Gorbachev became Premier  glasnost (pol openness)  perestroika (econ restructuring) Revision of the hardline Brezhnev Doctrine restored sovereignty in many USSR nations (> Sinatra doctrine) START 1991 (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) – marked the end of the arms race The fall of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War, but did not result in nuclear disarmament Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Great power competition (econ, tech, mil…) Ideological struggle (democracies / autocracies) Arms race (nuclear threat) Regional conflicts and proxy wars (Syria, Ukraine…) – major power involvement Military alliances – NATO Today’s Technological competition (AI, Cybersecurity, space parallells exploration) Bipolar world emerging? with Cold Propaganda and information warfare significant War tools in geopolitical competition Essential to recognize that the dynamics of the current era are influenced by a much more complex interplay of factors (e.g. globalization, technological advancements, and the emergence of new actors on the global stage) that distinguish it from the Cold War period. Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e 3. From the end of the CW to a new world disorder?  The US and the unipolar moment The collapse of the Soviet Union led to profound changes in the international system: bipolar (two balancing powers) > unipolar world (no balance at all) left the United States the overwhelmingly dominant force in the world > shape int politics at will How stable could it be? How long could US hegemony last? Clinton administration (1993-2001): Concentrated on economic engagement and leverage Spread American liberal values abroad Pushed hard for NATO enlargement Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  From 9/11 to the Arab Spring 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US was a major turning point in modern international relations The new sort of terrorist threat meant that old defense methods were less relevant Although the Bush administration’s war of self-defense in Afghanistan was initially legitimate, Iraq was a war of choice and a great strategic error The Arab Spring (2011) left a legacy pf instability that continue to threaten the MENA region (and the West) Among these, Syria, Libya and Yemen have been extremely costly and intractable Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  After the Soviet Union Rapprochement in the 1990s – political and economic partnership with the West (NATO-Russia partnership) Key challenges: Securing control of formerly Soviet nuclear weapons Displacement of ethnic/national Russians now located outside their home country (25 million) Defining Russia’s relationship to former Soviet states (Georgia and Ukraine) Transition from a centralized, planned system to a competitive market economy > Oligarchs (super rich) but under tight control of Moscow Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  After the Soviet Union Rise of Putin Democracy features hollowed out (e.g. parliament and freedom of speech) more assertive FP to restore Russian prestige (USSR disintegration seen as a tragedy) intervention in Georgia 2008 + occupation of Crimeia 2014 + invasion of Ukraine 2022 deteriorating relations between Russia and the West Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Europe: rise and decline? Initial optimism for the new united Europe, with its open borders, democratic institutions, and reduced external threats Key debates: Whether to set up specific European security arrangements or remain closely tied to the US The role of the nation-state and the reach and depth of the EU Extent of state involvement in economy Challenges: ‘Enlargement’ of the EU Europe: strong economic and soft power, but weaker militarily 2010s- ‘Sick man of the West’: challenges of Brexit; migration and now spectre of war Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  A new Asian century? After WW2, the continent was plagued by cold war/superpower-led conflicts Post-cold war Asia has been relatively stable and peaceful despite simmering tensions In spite of some bleak predictions, the region underwent rapid economic development and created some important institutions (e.g. ASEAN) China is the main economic engine, but its ascent has also increased regional tensions Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  A new global South The Third World was very much affected by Cold War dynamics The ‘Third World’ as a political project was intended to bring ‘real’ independence from the West In many cases it was brought down by colonial legacy, external intervention, corruption and instability The imposition of Western-style structural reforms and debt servicing 1980 and 1990s has left both burdens and a lingering resentment Frustration in the new global South has motivated millions to migrate to the North Increasingly assertive in demonstrating its discontent with western double standards in implementing a ‘rules-based order’ (e.g. Ukraine vs Palestine invasion) Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  From Obama to Trump to Biden Obama’s election resulted from: The increasingly unpopular war in Iraq The severe economic crisis in 2008 Obama’s foreign policy aimed to restore US soft power standing in the world, while recognizing new economic realities in Asia and drawing home US troops from the Middle East Trump’s nationalist foreign policy and skepticism of globalization have unsettled world politics and raised questions about the future role of the US Biden: restored ties with Europe and re-engaged in many int issues (climate change + Iran Nuclear Talks) but continued hard line against China and now Russia Baylis, Smith & Owens: The Globalization of World Politics 8e  Question? Comments? Thank you!