POSC 2200 - Introduction

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POSC 2200 - Introduction

• Russell Alan Williams
• Department of Political Science

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POSC 2200 - Introduction

• Required Reading
• Globalization of World Politics, Chapters 1-4.
• Thucydides, Melian Dialogue
• Outline
• What is International Politics?
• International Society and World Order
• Key Contemporary Issues
• The End of the Cold War
• Globalization
• New Security threats
• Theories Intro The Melian Dialogue
• For next time . . .

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1) What is International Politics?

• Concept has evolved over time . . . . two
  meanings
• a) Traditional International Relations (IR)
• Relations among states
• -Focus on great power diplomacy and strategy
• Little role for other kinds of phenomenon
• -E.g. Economic globalisation
• b) Contemporary global/international politics
• Wider phenomena seen as part of international
  politics
• -E.g. Newer security concerns terrorism
• -E.g. Peoples daily lives . . . .
• Remakes IR - Includes all daily global politics

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• Includes the study of relations among all actors
  that participate in international politics
• States
• International Organizations
• United Nations (UN)
• Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
• Greenpeace ? Al Qaeda
• Multinational Corporations (MNCs)
• Requires attention to
• Domestic Politics
• Economics
• Culture
• Geography

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• However, be sensitive to the way international
  relations is used . . . .
• Some (re the old men of the discipline) mean
  interstate relations
• Some (re wacky lefties) mean global politics
• Note Where does our textbook fit?

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• The study of International Politics is divided
  into several subfields
• International Security
• International Political Economy
• International Relations
• International Organization
• International Law
• Foreign Policy

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2) International Society World Order

• International politics is as old as civilization,
  but our modern understandings have been shaped by
  a particular modern period of European history
• The Westphalian System a product of the
  Peace of Westphalia
• Context?

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• Peace of Westphalia established three key
  principles governing international politics
• a) Territoriality States controlled particular
  geographies
• b) Sovereignty Only one sovereign authority
  is recognized as governing that territory, and
  has supreme legal authority over domestic affairs
• C) Autonomy People should have the freedom to
  make use of the benefits of sovereignty (Closely
  associated with 20th Century ideas of Self
  Determination)

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• Westphalia gradually gave rise to the Nation
  State as the key form of political organization
  . . . .
• E.g. World War I
• Caused by desire for national self
  determination
• Resolved by the application of the principle of
  self determination

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• Development of the Westphalian System led to a
  particular kind of International Society or
  system
• Three key institutions
• 1)Diplomacy Policies used as instruments to
  communicate amongst states.
• E.g. Economic sanctions and peace negotiations
• 2)Balance of Power Focus on the distribution
  of power amongst states.
• E.g. Diplomacy and alliances used as strategies
  to manage insecurity by balancing ? later came
  Collective Security
• 3) International Law The creation of formal,
  acknowledged rules of conduct amongst states

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3) Key Contemporary Issues

• Much analysis of international politics focuses
  on questions about transition from the
  Westphalian System, to the Post-Westphalian
  order
• Territoriality and Sovereignty less important?
• The Nation-state and/or the state (generally)
  are declining forms of political organization . .
  . despite the fact many nations still want one
  . . . .
• International Institutionalization is creating
  denser webs of global governance
• International Organizations (IOs)
• International Non-governmental Organizations
  (INGOs)
• These concerns are illustrated through modern
  focus on key topics like Post Cold War
  interstate relations, Globalization, and new
  security threats . . . .

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• a) The End of the Cold War
• The Cold War (1946-1991)
• Period of intense competition (E.g. balance of
  power)
• Involved ideological conflict over domestic
  politics (E.g. Not consistent with ideals of
  Westphalian system)
• Inhibited the operation of international
  institutions created after World War II
• E.g. the United Nations and Collective
  Security
• But cold because . . . .
• Stable balance of power?
• Nuclear weapons? MAD Doctrine
• New ideas about security?

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• a) The End of the Cold War
• The end of the cold war was a surprise for IR
  scholars It was not rational for the Soviet
  Union to just give up . . . .
• Big debate between modern Realists and
  Constructivists
• Key Point Created new political possibilities,
  unimaginable thirty years ago . . . .

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• A period of intensified U.S. Hegemony,
  hyper-power, or uni-polarity?

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• The peace dividend?

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• An increased role for International
  Organizations?

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• The rise of new powers and the end of American
  hegemony?

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• b) Globalization
• A concept with many meanings . . . . Textbook
  A shift in the scale of human relations in
  which people are increasingly interrelated
  regardless of physical distance . . . .
• Deterritorialization ? Heavy emphasis on how
  technology makes geography less important
• De-Nationalization of power ? States are no
  longer as powerful as they once were, given their
  increased inability to control the economy and
  the flow of ideas.
• Strongly suggestive of a Post-Westphalian era in
  global politics Territoriality, Sovereignty
  and Autonomy of states all less important then in
  the past

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• b) Globalization
• Different from
• Interdependence Described the extent to which
  actions in one political and economic system (or
  state) may impact people in another
  globalization assumes the movement towards a
  single system.
• Regionalization Growing political and economic
  integration amongst geographically organized
  states (E.g. The European Union)

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• b) Globalization
• Economic Globalization Focus on the emergence
  of a single global economy in which the majority
  of goods and services we use may be produced in
  other places.
• Makes us vulnerable to the choices of others . .
  . .
• States find it increasingly difficult to
  intervene in the economy for broader social
  purposes
• E.g. Taxing corporations

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• b) Globalization
• Political Globalization Focus on the increasing
  role of International Organizations and
  International Non-governmental Organizations in
  making policy decisions for us . . . .

• Asymmetrical Globalization The spread of
  globalization is uneven, it empowers some, and
  marginalizes others
• E.g. Activists complain Multinational
  Corporations (MNCs) have better access to
  international decision-making
• Double democratic deficit?

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• b) Globalization
• Social and Cultural Globalization What does our
  citizenship mean (?) and what obligations do we
  have to people outside of our own sovereign
  state?
• Human Security ? Increasing emphasis on our
  responsibility to protect global populations from
  harm
• Global inequality

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• b) Globalization
• In the study of international politics,
  globalization is often seen as a kind of
  seismic shift in which the basic nature of
  international society has changed . . . .

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• C) New security threats
• Traditionally, the study of international
  security focused on the threat of attacks by
  other states military forces.
• These threats were managed through the
  acquisition of military capabilities and
  diplomatic strategies.
• However, much of the focus in the modern study of
  security emphasizes different kind of threats
• Threats from non-state actors
• E.g. Terrorism
• E.g. Threats posed by Failed States and
  intra-state conflict
• No traditional security threats relating to
  globalization
• E.g. Health pandemics
• E.g. Environmental crisis

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• C) New security threats
• These threats seem to require different kinds of
  strategies . . . Strategies that may not fit
  well in the Westphalian focus on diplomacy and
  the balance of power.

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3) Theories

• Much analysis of IR is journalistic very
  descriptive, an endless list of events . . .
• PROBLEM!
• What do we learn from description?
• E.g. Does it help us predict future events?
• To advance knowledge we need theories
• Make sense of what is described
• Identify common causes of events patterns of
  behavior
• Science IR involves search for variables

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• Theories explain relationships amongst variables
• PROBLEM!
• Unlike other fields IR has competing theories . .
  .
• E.g. Economics or natural sciences
• Why?
• a) Complexity? The text thinks so . . .
• b) Failure to agree on core concepts?
• c) Pig-headedness of those who support stupid
  theories, but cant admit theyre wrong, ever . .
  . .

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The Melian Dialogue Thucydides and the
Peloponnesian War

• Historical context
• War between Sparta and Athens
• Causes? (according to Thucydides)
• Nature of war stalemate and growing Athenian
  economic problems
• Context of Melian Dialogue?
• Athens needs Attacks neutral Melos

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The Melian Dialogue Thucydides and the
Peloponnesian War

• Historical context
• War between Sparta and Athens
• Causes? (according to Thucydides)
• Nature of war stalemate and growing Athenian
  economic problems
• Context of Melian Dialogue?
• Athens needs Attacks neutral Melos

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The Melian Dialogue Thucydides and the
Peloponnesian War

• Melians
• Argue that international law and morality should
  stop Athens
• Refuse to surrender
• Athenians
• Argue that might is right - power is its own
  morality
• For Athens attack is necessary
• The Melians would do the same . . . if they
  werent so wimpy . . . .
• Result? What happens after the Dialogue?

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Major theories all see different things in this
story (?)

• A) Realism Approach emphasizing the pursuit of
  power as both key goal of states and the source
  of conflict
• War caused by threat of the rising power of
  Athens relative to Sparta . . . .
• Attack on Melos necessary to survival of Athens
• It was the morally right thing to do . . . ?
• Athenians destroy Melos there were no
  international morals or laws . . . .
• Modern relevance?

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Major theories all see different things in this
story (?)

• B) Liberalism Approach emphasizing possibility
  of cooperation and rules
• There were rules!
• Athens eventually lost the war and suffered same
  fate as Melos - should have been nicer . . . .
  Should have been careful not to offend other
  states
• Rules in the interest of both Athens and Melos
• Modern relevance?

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Major theories all see different things in this
story (?)

• C) Marxism (or Radicalism) Approach
  emphasizing economics, and economic exploitation
• War caused by economic imperialism . . .
• Military Industrial Complex
• Modern relevance?

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Major theories all see different things in this
story (?)

• D) Constructivism Approach emphasizing values,
  ideas or norms in international politics
• Athens acted inappropriately - outside of norms
• Rogue state
• D) Poststructuralism Approach that questions
  the basis of the facts we use to develop our
  theories.
• Thucydides made it all up anyway - what lessons
  can we learn from his story outside of the
  messages he was trying to convince us off?
• Danger of basing todays policy on tall
  tales
• More on these theories over the next few weeks .
  . .

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5) For Next Time . . .

• Unit Two Theoretical Approaches
• September 17 19 Realism and Liberalism
• Required Reading
• Globalization of World Politics, Chapters 5, 6
  and 7.
• Realism John Mearsheimer, Anarchy and the
  Struggle for Power, (Excerpt available from the
  instructor.)
• Liberalism Michael Doyle, Liberalism and World
  Politics, American Political Science Review, 80
  (4), pp. 1151-69. (Available through e-journals,
  or as an excerpt available from the instructor).