1 ©2007 mcgraw-hill higher education international politics on the world stage, twelfth edition...
TRANSCRIPT
1©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
International Politics on the World Stage, Twelfth Edition
John T. Rourke
2©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
Chapter 1: Thinking and Caring about World Politics
“Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor; suit the action to the word, the word to the action.”
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet
3
Previewing the Global DramaGlobal Actors: Meet the cast
StatesIGOs and NGOsMNCsIndividuals
How this text is structuredChoosing between the competitive traditional path of world politics or an alternative path of greater cooperation
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
4
The Importance of Studying World Politics
Blurring of the line between the global and the local with intermestic issues such as:
Trade and capital flowDefense spendingTerrorism and political violenceDiseaseGlobal warming
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
5
World Politics and Your Finances: The Global Flow of Goods and Services
Dependence of foreign sources for vital resources (i.e., crude oil prices)
Jobs and trade–job gains and losses
Foreign investment and international financial markets
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
6
Domestic versus Defense Spending
Guns versus butter–some ambiguity in relationship (See Table 1.1)Defense sector in the domestic economy–Homeland Security expenses
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
7
World Politics and Your Living Space: Sharing Air, Water and Land
As population increases, resources deplete
Pollution and environmental destructionGlobal warming leads flooding, droughts, and other weather-related disastersPublic health and disease controlDeforestation and soil erosion
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
8
World Politics and Your Life:Transnational Disease and Political Violence
Increased human contact through advances in transportation technology
West Nile virus outbreakWorsening AIDS epidemic in Africa
War and international securityGrave threats of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)Rise in civilian casualtiesTerrorism–unconventional forms of violence
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
9
Can We Make a Difference?
Take direct action at all levels of societyVote, vote, vote!Get involved
Participate in issue-oriented groupsProtest and write Congressmen and CongresswomenDonate moneySupport consumer boycotts
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
10©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
The World Tomorrow:Two Roads Diverge
Realism versus LiberalismTwo Competing Worldviews
11
Realism and Liberalism: Some Travel Notes on Two Roads
Laying out the basics Realism: The traditional path that emphasizes the centrality of the state on the world stage and the pursuit of national self-interest above all else.
Liberalism: The alternative path that emphasizes a more cooperative, globalist approach and the important role of global institutions and regional organization as authoritative actors on the world stage.
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
12
Realism and the Nature of Politics
Influence of Thomas Hobbes and Hans Morgenthau: Conflict is inevitableLargely pessimistic: Humans are aggressive and self-serving, and they are unlikely to changeNeorealism: Focus on anarchic nature of world system based on competing sovereign states
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
13
Liberalism and the Nature of Politics
Influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Humans join civil societies and cooperate to achieve mutual benefits.Neoliberalism: Emphasize international organization to build effective cooperation (also known as neoliberal institutionalism)
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
14
The Roles of Power and Principles:Realism–an emphasis on power
Power-based perspective–survival of the most powerfulEmphasizes pragmatic, self-help policy prescriptions‘Might makes right’
Liberalism–an emphasis on principles Based on cooperative and ethical standards Seeks to create policy norms of justice and peace ‘Right makes right’
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
15
Prospects for Competition and Cooperation
Realism–realpolitik approachPlace national interest first in international politicsPractice balance-of-power politicsAchieve peace through strength Do not waste power on peripheral issues
Liberalism–globalist approachPower is not the essence of international relationsPower politics is futile and destructivePeace is achieved through cooperative relations
Willingness to surrender some sovereignty to international structures promoting cooperation
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
16
Assessing Reality: Realism and Liberalism
Comparing the ability of realism or liberalism to explain world historyCompetition has dominated world historyRealpolitik is the order of the dayBoth realism and liberalism influence current policy‘What should be’ and ‘What will be’ remain far more important questions than ‘What is’
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
17©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” –Shakespeare, As You Like It
If we are all a part of and affected by the world drama, the question is… “What role are YOU playing?”
18
Postmodernism• Political reality determined by how we
consider, define, and communicate concepts such as technological/scientific progress
• Political values are merely mental constructs• Postmodernists criticize liberals and realists for
“narrow thinking”• Postmodernists advocate an alternative path
to peace that emphasizes the creation and promotion of political identities other than nationalism
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
19
Feminist Theory• Argues that women have been excluded by
men from the international politics process and from the conceptualization of world politics
• More comprehensive concepts of peace and security represent examples of how women perceive international politics issues differently than men
• Seeks to forge a distinct political identity and heightened feminist consciousness for women living in nations around the world
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
20
Economic Theories• Economic nationalism—closely connected to realism
with its emphasis on using economic strength to increase national power and vice versa.
• Economic internationalism—closely related to liberalism with its belief free economic interchange without political interference can bring prosperity to all nations
• Economic structuralism—holds that economics plays a fundamental, dominant role in determining world politics
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
21
Constructivist Theory• Affirms that the exchange of ideas among
individuals , groups, and social structures, including states, produces global “structures” such as treaties, laws, and international organizations.
• These structures, in turn, shape the ideas of these individuals, groups, and social structures, including states identified collectively as “agents.”
• Rejects the view of realists and liberals that the agents and structures such as states and the international system are stable and unchanging.
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education
22
Constructivist Theory (cont…)• National political identities, like all political
identities, are more subject to change and adaptation by citizens than generally assumed by liberals and realists
• Nonmaterial goals such as ideology, morality, and other culture outlooks and values motivate citizens, groups, and states in international politics.
©2007 McGraw-Hill Higher Education