PTO101 Theme 1: Introduction to International Relations PDF

THEME 1 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PTO 101 2024 DR. SONJA THERON  INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS A DISCIPLINE THEME 1 PTO 101  Where does South African politics begin and end? THEME 1 PTO 101  International vs...

THEME 1 INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PTO 101 2024 DR. SONJA THERON  INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS A DISCIPLINE THEME 1 PTO 101  Where does South African politics begin and end? THEME 1 PTO 101  International vs. Global THEME 1 PTO 101  State-centrism Mixed-actor model & Interdependence THEME 1 PTO 101  WHAT IS THE STATE? Montevideo Convention: CORE ELEMENT De ined territory Permanent Population E ective government STATE SOVEREIGNTY Capacity to enter into relations with other states THEME 1 PTO 101 ff f WHAT IS THE SOVEREIGNTY? TWO DIMENSIONS Principle of supreme and unquestionable authority INTERNAL SOVEREIGNTY States are legally equal EXTERNAL THEME 1 PTO 101 STATE-CENTRISM AND THE BILLIARD BALL MODEL THEME 1 PTO 101 MIXED-ACTOR MODEL STATE ACTORS NON-STATE ACTORS Transnational corporations Non-governmental organisations International organisations Etc. THEME 1 PTO 101  INTERDEPENDENCE THEME 1 PTO 101  States remain the most important actors on the world stage Do you agree or disagree? THEME 1 PTO 101  Domestic/International Transnationalism THEME 1 PTO 101 WHAT IS TRANSNATIONALISM? EXAMPLES DIASPORA COMMUNITIES Political, social, economic, or other forms of action and GLOBAL MOVEMENTS TRANSNATIONALISM interaction that transcend or SOCIAL MEDIA cut across national borders. TNC’S THEME 1 PTO 101  International Anarchy Global Governance THEME 1 PTO 101 WHAT IS ANARCHY? IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: Without rule, the absence of a central government or higher NO AUTHORITY ABOVE THAT OF THE STATE ANARCHY authority, sometimes, but not STATES HAVE SOVEREIGNTY necessarily, associated with instability and chaos. THEME 1 PTO 101 THEME 1 PTO 101 Drawings from Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum  DRIVER: GLOBALISATION De inition: Complex web of interconnectedness; distance declining and territorial borders less signi icant Forms Economic Cultural Political Debates Is globalisation actually happening? Anti-globalisation Politics Left-wing Right-wing THEME 1 PTO 101 f f PERSPECTIVE MATTERS Which statement do you agree with the most? a) The world is interconnected economically and socially, which promotes cooperation and peace across borders and communities. b) The world is divided into separate societies and cultures, who should be permitted to maintain their separate identities and govern themselves how they wish. c) The world is divided into powerful and less powerful states, and the powerful states use the international system to enrich and protect themselves. THEME 1 PTO 101  What was your irst experience with the international system or an international actor? THEME 1 PTO 101 f  PERSPECTIVE MATTERS Globalism Belief that globalisation is an inevitable force for ‘good’ Worlding/worldism Di erent societies have di erent visions of the world (globalism is only one) THEME 1 PTO 101 ff ff  LENSES ON GLOBAL POLITICS The way we understand, interpret and explain the world around us is in luenced by our theoretical orientation, made up of di ering assumptions and experiences. It determines: What we choose to focus on The purpose of our analysis The conclusions we reach ASSUMPTIONS EXPERIENCES THEME 1 PTO 101 f ff  TRADITIONAL CRITICAL THEORIES THEORIES THEME 1 PTO 101 TRADITIONAL THEORIES Assumptions Positivism Experiences Eurocentric Patriarchal Purpose Problem-solving Explain world as it is Theories Liberalism Realism THEME 1 PTO 101 TRADITIONAL THEORIES: ASSUMPTIONS AND ARGUMENTS Realism Liberalism Human nature: sel ish and greedy Human nature: rational and moral Actors: state-centric Actors: multi-actor Trends: self-interest and war Trends: interdependence and peace Stability: through balance of power Stability: through international law Other: Other: Power central History is progressive Ethics irrelevant Democracy leads to peace THEME 1 PTO 101 f CRITICAL THEORIES Assumptions Post-positivism Experiences Multiple (usually marginalised) Purpose Critical Theories Marxism Social constructivism Critical theory Post-structuralism Postcolonialism Feminism Green politics CRITICAL THEORIES: ARGUMENTS Marxism Post-structuralist Capitalism enables global powers to Language and discourse intertwined continue exploiting the global with power relations working class Postcolonialism Colonialism shapes global politics Feminism Traditional theories based on masculine Constructivism assumptions and are blind to women’s experiences International system is socially constructed THEME 1 PTO 101 THEORY AS A LENS How should South Africa respond to the Ukraine war? Realism Liberalism Russia, Ukraine, US will act in South Africa should promote their own interests. democracy, international law South Africa should align or and human rights. remain neutral based on what South Africa should support will serve its interests. multilateral (UN) solutions. THEME 1 PTO 101 The existence of different perspectives does not mean ‘anything goes.’ Arguments and conclusions must be evidence based. THEME 1 PTO 101 AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IR discipline and theory developed alongside colonialism, and predominantly in the West. African experiences and philosophies neglected. Theories that help explain international relations, founded on Eurocentric worldview. Call for increasing African contributions to IR theory using African stories. THEME 1 PTO 101  AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Diversity Early history of democracy and diplomacy ‘Scramble for Africa,’ slave trade, colonialism EXPERIENCES ASSUMPTIONS Arti icial creation of the state Racialised and exclusive narratives Position in the international system THEME 1 PTO 101 f AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS African philosophies and worldview EXPERIENCES ASSUMPTIONS Ubuntu Pan-Africanism Consensual governance THEME 1 PTO 101 NEXT… HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THEME 2 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS THEME 1 PTO 101