Alternatives to Realism PDF

Summary

This presentation outlines various theories of international relations as alternatives to realism, such as Liberalism, Neo-Liberalism, Functionalism, Constructivism, and Poststructuralism. It examines key concepts and arguments of each theory.

Full Transcript

Alternatives to Realism Liberalism Main Question of Liberalism  The main questions of Realism:  Why do wars happen?  Which system is the most stable system (for great powers)? Main Question of Liberalism  The main question of Liberalism: ...

Alternatives to Realism Liberalism Main Question of Liberalism  The main questions of Realism:  Why do wars happen?  Which system is the most stable system (for great powers)? Main Question of Liberalism  The main question of Liberalism:  Why do wars happen?  Under what condition cooperation between states is possible?  How can we avoid security dilemma and Prisoner’s dilemma? Liberalism  The Good Nature of Human Beings  Cooperation Produces Benefits for Everyone  The Good of the Individual Is Intrinsically Linked to the Good of the Group  Harmony of Interests in the International System Liberalism and main Actors Liberalism is open to include non-state actors in its analysis: States Non-governmental organizations Multinational corporations Individuals Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  How can we make the world more peaceful?  Global Level  Interstate Level  State/Domestic Level  Individual Level Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  Global Level:  Free Trade among states, individuals, and multinational corporations make the world more peaceful. Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  Interstate Level:  Increasing interdependence and integration among states.  Managing the arms race and promoting disarmament among states.  No Secret Treaties among States  International Regimes and International Institutions. International Regimes  International Regimes are Collection of Rules  International regimes are sets of:  principles  rules  norms  procedures  around which the expectations of actors converge. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/848295279781236105/ International Organizations/ Regimes  International Organizations and regimes act like used car dealerships.  They bring different parties with conflicting interests together and help them reach an agreement. International Regimes - International Organizations  Some International Regimes have International Organizations.  Regime of Collective Security: United Nations  Non-Proliferation Regime:  Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)  International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Liberalism  Collective security is an arrangement where “each state in the system accepts that the security of one is the concern of all, and agrees to join in a collective response to aggression” Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime https://www.cfr.org/report/global-nuclear-nonproliferation-regime  States without nuclear weapons as of 1967—a year before the treaty opened for signature—agree not to acquire them  The non-nuclear weapons states are guaranteed access to civilian nuclear technology and energy development  The five states known to have tested nuclear weapons as of 1967—the nuclear weapon states—agree to not assist other states in acquiring them and to move toward eventual disarmament Neo-Liberalism  Neo-liberalism agrees with Realists that the international system is anarchic.  It also agrees with Realism that states are the main actors.  However, in contrast to Realism, it argues that cooperation is still possible among states, especially through international regimes. Neo-Liberalism  So how is neo- liberalism different from Realism  No-liberalism is different from realism in answering the following question:  When states decide about cooperation, do they care more about relative gains or absolute gains? Neo-Liberalism  Absolute gain refers to the total benefits that a state derives from an interaction, regardless of how those benefits compare to the gains of other states.  Relative gain focuses on how a state's gains compare to those of other states. It emphasizes the importance of a state's position relative to others after cooperation. Neo-Liberalism  Two additional questions in Neo-Liberalism are:  Who creates, maintains, and upholds international regimes and norms? Primarily, this role falls to great powers, particularly the hegemon.  Do international regimes disappear when a hegemon loses its position? Neoliberalism says no. Neo-Liberalism  After Hegemony, international regimes, which consist of collections of rules, do not disappear; instead, they transform.  These international regimes provide the stability that states need to thrive both economically and politically. Neo-Liberalism  According to Neo-Liberalism  To cooperate and follow the rules, states do not need a superpower to enforce compliance.  In the hypothetical case of a rising China, there will still be a strategic incentive for states to continue cooperating within the international organizations and regimes established during U.S. dominance.  Why? Neo-Liberalism  States still benefit from the norms and regimes  States are used to following the norms and regimes. They already have established processes and breaking from these routines is not easy. Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  How can we make the world more peaceful?  Global Level  Interstate Level  State/Domestic Level  Individual Level Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  Domestic Level  Better Governments: Democratic Peace Theory The Democratic Peace Theory Democratic Peace - Monadic Version: Democracies tend to be more peaceful than non- democracies. Democratic Peace - Dyadic Version: democratic states are not inherently more peaceful than non- democratic states; rather, they tend to avoid the use of force against other democracies. Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  How can we make the world more peaceful?  Global Level  Interstate Level  State/Domestic Level  Individual Level Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  Individual Level  Reducing leaders’ misperception and misunderstanding by working on ways of communication. Functionalism Liberalism's Answers to the Question of War  Interstate Level:  Increasing Interdependence and Integration Among States  Managing the Arms Race and Promoting Disarmament Among States  No Secret Treaties Among States  International Regimes and International Institutions Functionalism  How to create cooperation between European states that killed each other in millions?  One answer was functionalism Functionalism  Each society faces technical problems that need to be solved.  Some of these technical issues involve other countries, such as railroads and postal services.  Addressing these technical, non-political problems can be the first step toward fostering cooperation between states. Functionalism  Success in small steps will demonstrate to governments the benefits of cooperation.  This will make them more willing to collaborate on other issues.  The process involves gradually moving from small- scale cooperation to larger initiatives.  Cooperation on minor technical issues will spill over to other important issues. Neo-Functionalism  Neo-Functionalism argues that while success in cooperating on technical needs is beneficial, it is not sufficient.  The elites of the countries must make the political decision to integrate. European Union How cooperation on coal and steel paved the way for the EU we know today https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxl4KVBFviE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Mt8R5TLTI Constructivism Constructivism- Main Scholars  Nicholas Onuf, World of Our Making, 1989  Alexander Wendt, Anarchy is what States Make of it,1992 Social Theory of International Politics, 1999 Constructivism  The most important actors are those who have more agency (the ability to choose).  The world out there is constructed via interactions and language where both ideational and material factors are important.  Using language and interaction, actors can build a conflictual world or a cooperative world.  Change is possible but usually does not happen fast. Constructivism  Actors’ interests are determined by their identity.  Identity is developed over time through interactions between Self and Other. Self vs Other The Question of Identification Zehfuss, M. (2007). Constructivism in international relations: The politics of reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  The nature of identification of the Self with the Other shapes how Self defines its interests: Negative Positive Identification Identification Self Interest vs. Collective Interest  If there is a positive identification with the Other, we will see Other’s interests as our own interests.  For instance, we might be willing to defend Taiwan, at the expense of much blood and treasure, even if we are not attacked.  But, we might not be willing to get involved in Ukraine war as much.  Arab-Israel conflict Self vs Other The Question of Identification Zehfuss, M. (2007). Constructivism in international relations: The politics of reality. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  If there is no positive identification with the Other, the Other is only relevant as much it serves Self’s interests.  In the absence of positive identification, Other will be viewed as an object to be manipulated for the gratification of the Self. Crimes Against Humanity  Enslavement  Enforced prostitution  The crime of apartheid  Extermination  Genocide Apartheid  “Apartheid refers to the implementation and maintenance of a system of legalized racial segregation in which one racial group is deprived of political and civil rights.” https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/apartheid Genocide  Killing members of the group;  Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;  Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;  Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;  Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group. https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml Cultures of Anarchy  Constructivism argues that we can have multiple types of anarchy:  How much do actors consider others’ interests as their own interests?  How far are actors willing to abuse others? Cultures of Anarchy  Constructivism argues that based on the answers to these questions an anarchy can develop different cultures.  Friends  Partners  Rivals  Enemies Cultures of Anarchy: Friendship  States see Self and Other as friends.  This is the world in which countries care about others’ interests.  This is how some  liberals see the world.  Submitting to others’  needs is the preferred  strategy. Cultures of Anarchy: Partnership  States see Self and Other as partners.  This is the world in which countries cooperate for their self-interests.  This is how some  liberals see the world.  Reaching Settlements  is the preferred strategy. https://dvvwrk0u94pdu.cloudfront.net/images/_1200x630_crop_center-center_82_none/best-vendor-partners-1200x628.jpg Cultures of Anarchy: Rivalry  States see Self and Other as rivals.  There are some rules that make coexistence of rival states possible.  This is how some  Realists see the world.  Preserving the status quo  or deadlock is the  preferred strategy. Cultures of Anarchy: Enmity  States see Self and Other as enemies.  This world is full of wars all the time.  This is how some  Realists see the world.  Dominating others  is the preferred strategy. https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/sites/thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/files/childenemy.jpg Prison Break https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL9zLctDJaU Scofield's different Identification with others in the Prison. Rivals: John Abruzzi Enemies: Theodore Bagwell Partners: Fernando Sucre Friends:Lincoln Burrows Theories of IR  Realism: We are right.  Liberalism: We are right.  Constructivism:  In a world based on Enmity, Realism is right.  In a world based on Friendship, Liberalism is right. Logic of Consequences Logic of Appropriateness  Why do you stop at a red traffic light? Logic of Consequences Logic of Appropriateness  Logic of Consequences: Because if I don’t stop at a red traffic light, I might get a ticket or have an accident.  Logic of Appropriateness: Because stopping at a traffic light is appropriate based on norms in the society. I will stop at a red traffic light even if there is no police or any other cars. Logic of Consequences Logic of Appropriateness  According to the logic of consequences, a state will take any action needed that will maximize its interests. The only thing that stops it, is high probability of punishment or loss.  According to the the logic of appropriateness, states take actions that are deemed appropriate by the rules. And states do not take actions that are not appropriate. Poststructuralism Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  Poststructuralists always call into question how certain accepted ‘facts’ and ‘beliefs’ actually work to reinforce the dominance and power of particular actors in a society or within international relations. Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  Poststructuralists argue that ‘knowledge’ comes to be accepted as such due to the power and prominence of certain actors in a society. Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  Poststructuralism asserts that the way in which this power is achieved is through the manipulation of discourse (communications).  Discourses facilitate the process by which certain information comes to be accepted as unquestionable truth. Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  The strength of dominant discourses lies in their ability to shut out other options or opinions to the extent that thinking outside the realms set by the discourse is seen as irrational. Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  Certain lives, in certain conflicts or terrorist atrocities, are deemed as more ‘grievable’ than others. Example: Poststructuralism https://www.e-ir.info/2018/02/13/introducing-poststructuralism-in-international-relations-theory/  This hierarchy of grief can be seen in the outpouring of sympathy for victims of terrorist attacks in Paris in November 2015 and Nice in July 2016.  Yet, similar attacks in Beirut and Nigeria in November 2015 and Baghdad in July 2016 (to name but a few) went largely unnoticed. Poststructuralism  Poststructuralists suggest that the first step to solving the problems in international relations is deconstructing what we know about those problems:  Reevaluating what we conceive as facts  Recognizing silenced discourses about that problem  Finding a solution for the problem.

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