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This presentation describes some of the major theories in international relations and their subsets including liberalism, realism, constructivism, and critical issues theories.
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Selected Theories in International RelationsSoraya Ghebleh
Liberalism Neoliberalism Functionalism Regime Theory Collective or Public Goods Theory
Liberalism - Overview Human nature is essentially good and people can always
improve the moral and material conditions of their existence
States are made of people who are rational and law abiding, who can therefore improve society and live in a just environment where states can interact peacefully
Major contributors to Enlightenment and Liberal thinking include: Hugo Grotius, Immanuel Kant, Woodrow Wilson
Liberalism promotes democracy, free trade and with “economic liberalism” promoted by Adam Smith and Jeremy Bentham, states will grow interdependent and begin to rely on each other and interact with each other, and will be less likely to fight war because of the economic costs
Liberalism - Overview Liberals believe cooperation will grow because
of “constant interactions” between individuals and states composed of these individuals
Mutual interests between states will increase with greater interdependence, knowledge, communication, and spread of values
Liberals support international organizations and international law (instrumental in maintaining international order)
Liberalism: Neoliberalism Post WW II – Realism dominated international relations ->
Neoliberalism developed in the 1970s as an offshoot of liberalism
Willingness of states to cooperate and work together with the assistance of international institutions
Cooperation is in individual state’s self-interest States that have “continuous interactions” with each other
provide “motivation for international institutions that provide framework for interaction, monitoring behavior, and facilitating transparency,” which will eventually be beneficial and efficient for all states
Neoliberals are more willing to address realist topics such as power
Recognition that not all efforts will necessarily yield good results and not all cooperation’s will end in success
Liberalism: Functionalism Governance arrangements arise out of functional needs of people
and states International economics and social cooperation are prerequisites
for political cooperation and eliminating war Bring countries “actively together” not “peacefully apart” By addressing international problems that affect all countries it
will bring countries towards cooperation Economic integration will render war less likely IGOs could be classified as “functional” -> many are specific, with
links to economic issues, have limited membership often restricted by region, and as they grow in functions and specificity
Criticisms: Does not address causes of war outside of economic deprivation, illiteracy, hunger, disease, and there is an assumption that political and nonpolitical issues can be easily separated
Liberalism: Regime Theory Emerged from international law Consists of informal norms and rules of behavior –
“regimes” Shaped by liberalism and realism Shows how states create frameworks to coordinate
actions with those of other states Regimes allow scholars to look at informal patterns
that enhance international cooperation Study of international regimes is ambiguous but
helps link institutions and governance by making clear that governance and order involve more than just organizational structures
Liberalism: Collective or Public Goods Theory
“Tragedy of the Commons” When individuals (states) utilize common resources for their own
gain with no regard to the collective group, collectivity suffers and eventually everyone suffers if there is no regulation
Collective goods are available to everyone regardless of contribution
Use of these goods = Activities and choices that are interdependent, decision by one state affects decisions and choices by other states and may have negative consequences
Smaller groups that share collective goods are more likely to utilize resources more responsibly and efficiently than a larger group because there is less room for exploitation and more monitoring and discussion and violations are noticed more easily
Liberalism: Collective or Public Goods Theory Creation of international organizations to monitor
these goods but these organizations need effective policing power that will be respected by all nations otherwise it will not work
Creation of system of rewards and punishments, ex: offering incentives to states from refraining of using goods or limiting use and taxing those who violate
Sees international organizations as crucial in facilitating cooperation and managing public goods
Realism Neorealism Strategic/Rational Choice Theory Hegemonic Stability Theory
Realism - Overview Individuals are power seeking and act in a rational way
to protect their own interests States are primary actors and act only to promote their
own national interests to maximize power and security Absence of authoritative hierarchy in international
affairs Few rules or norms that restrain states Morgenthau: father of modern realism Believes international law and government are weak
and ineffective International organizations are tools of states and are
only as strong as states allow them to be
Realism - Overview No independent effect on state behavior and
will not change the system Does not acknowledge the importance or the
strength of non-state actors (NGOs, MNCs) and does not accept the idea of IGOs as independent actors in the global arena
Does not claim that cooperation is impossible but believes that states don’t have an incentive to cooperate or enter international arrangements
Realism: Neorealism Difference between traditional realists and
neo-realists = emphasis was placed on the structure of international system for explaining world politics
Structure determined by ordering principle and distribution of capabilities among states
Most important thing in global interaction is states capabilities, material possessions, state identities and interests
Neorealist: Kenneth Waltz
Realism: Neorealism Actors with common interests try to maximize absolute
gains Relative gains are more important in security than
economic gains Power distribution shapes state behavior and provides
order in international power, order is a product of system structure not interactions and international institutions
Many recognize emergence and amount of international institutions but believe that they are not that important in international affairs
Belief that institutions are another area for power projection between states to take place
Realism: Strategic/Rational Choice Theory Preferences are deduced from objective and material
conditions of the state Markets are the most efficient mechanism of human
behavior Microeconomics are the basis for much of rational
choice arguments State actions are based on rational calculations about
subjective expected utility Belief in international institutions as existing to
promote self-interest of state actors by reducing uncertainty of interactions and providing stability
Institutions are responses to problems international actors face
Realism: Hegemonic Stability Theory Realist traditions, draws from neoliberalism, regime
theory, and public goods theories Open world economy created and maintained through
power and leadership of a hegemonic state Hegemony needs liberal international economy, liberal
commitment to market economy, tends to push political and economic restrictions on less powerful countries
Open market economy = common good that can ONLY be sustained with actions of a dominant economy
Predominant state exercises leadership not just economically but politically as well
Constructivism Behavior of individuals and states is shaped
by shared beliefs, socially constructed rules, and cultural practices
Humans are capable of changing the world by changing ideas
Interests of actors are “socially constructed” Wendt – argues that political structure shows
little about state behavior Ability to cooperate depends on whether state
identities generate interests shared with other states
Constructivism Institutions are important Sovereignty is changing and is influenced by both state
and nonstate actors Constructivists look at the social content of international
organizations, norms that govern behavior and shape interests, and decipher how these interests influence actors
Believe that international organizations can serve as agents of social construction
IGOs have the potential to be major actors with independent effects on international relations
Transnational networks of experts can shape understanding of more and more collective issues
Critical Theories Marxist and Neo-Marxist Theory Dependency Theory World-Systems Theory
Critical Theories - Overview Group of overarching theories of
international relations that challenge conventional wisdom and provide alternative frameworks for understanding the world
Critical Theories: Marxist and Neo-Marxist Theory Grounded in history, economic forces explaining
political and social phenomena, production process, capitalism, and importance of social or economic classes to define individual actors
Clash of capitalist class vs. workers (bourgeoisie and proletariat)
A new world order would develop and emerge from this class struggle
Hierarchal Structure – by-product of spread of global capitalism and countries have expanded economically and others developing countries have been constrained and become dependent on actions of developed
Critical Theories: Marxist and Neo-Marxist Theory Techniques of domination and suppression arise
from uneven economic development inherent in capitalist system
Neo-Marxism – Global overnance is predictable response to the logic of industrial capitalism
International law and organizations are products and serve the interests of the capitalist class
Normative in their orientation – capitalism is bad and its structure and mode of production is exploitative with clear positions on how to ameliorate inequalities
Critical Theories: Dependency Theory Basic terms of trade were unequal between
the developing and developed world Believes that IGOs, especially banks and
MNCs, are established to maintain dependency relationships and promote exploiter-exploited relationships
Argue that development cannot take place without changes in international economic relations to redress inequalities of power and wealth
Critical Theories: World-Systems Theory Wallerstein defined three classes of states (Core,
Periphery, and Semi-periphery) Core = Most advanced, agricultural sector able to
provide sustenance for industrial workers Periphery = Cheap, unskilled labor and raw material
extraction, prevented from developing by developed core
Semi-periphery = NICs, cheap skilled and semiskilled labor to global economy (existence of a middle area that indicates change is posible)
Shares Marxist ideas that IGOs exist to support and maintain capitalism and are there only for the benefit of core states