modul 1 soc 4103 lecture 1

7/28/2019 Modul 1 SOC 4103 Lecture 1

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M O D U L E 1I N T R O D U C T I O N T O I N T E R N A T I O N A L R E L A T I O N S

INTERNATIONALRELATIONS


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OBJECTIVES

After following this module, students should be ableto explain:

The important position of Political Science, worldgeography, world history and current issues inunderstanding International Relations.

The definitions of international relations

The importance of studying international relations;

The level of analysis in international relations;

The subfields of international relations; The basic concepts in international relations.

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDPOLITICAL SCIENCE

Political science (the science of state, the study ofpolitics) has direct relations with InternationalRelations

For instance in terms of political systems: how far doyou know about political systems practiced bycountries of the world, for instance which countriesof the world are constitutional monarchy, one-party system, and democratic governments(multiparty system) countries?

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDPOLITICAL SCIENCE

As part ofpolitical science

It is about internationalpolitics: decisions ofgovernmentconcerning theiractions towards other

governments.

As aninterdisciplinary

field

It has connections withinternationaleconomy, history,sociology, and otherdisciplines,

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International

Relations


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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDGEOGRAPHY

Geography of world states and territories

How far do you know about countries of the world andtheir territories?

For instance, where are the United Kingdom, Canada,

Greenland, Madagascar, Antarctica, and on the map?

How many continents are in the world?

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COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

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CONTINENTS OF THE WORLD

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDWORLD HISTORY

History of Islamic world

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ProphetMohammed

622 AD/ 1 hijra

Four caliphs

Umayyad andAbassid

caliphates

Mongol quest

OttomanEmpire

1924M

BALKAN TROUBLES1912M- First Balkan War

Bulgaria + Serbia + Greece +Montenegro VS Ottoman Empire

1913M- Second Balkan WarBulgaria VS Serbia + Greece +Montenegro VS Ottoman Emp


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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDMODERN WORLD HISTORY

History of modern world / Europeanization/Westernization

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ANDCURRENT ISSUES

Economic issues: For instance in terms of thecurrency system: : how far do you know aboutexchange rate (national currencies are valued

against each other , not against gold or silver), howmany US dollars are equivalent to one MalaysianRinggit?

Social and health issues: Drug trafficking, migration,HIV/ AIDs,

Political issues: War, elections, democracy, etc.

Environmental issues: Pollution etc..

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The more you know

about all the threeINTERRELATIONSHIPS the

better you would

understand the subject!

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WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?

International relations is an

abstract ritual conducted by a

small group of people such asPresidents, Generals and

Diplomats? Is this accurate definition of IR?

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No it isnt. International

relations concerns peoples

and cultures throughout theworld.

International relationscommonly can be divided into

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'International Relations' refers to the

discipline or academic study, while

'international relations' refers to the practice

or activity (Michel Girard, Wolf-DieterEberwein, Keith Webb 1994: 93).

International Relations refers to the

academic discipline, and internationalrelations refers to the practices of

international actors (John Baylis, Steve Smith

2001: 180).

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AS ANACADEMIC STUDY?

IR an academic subject may be distinguished by thefollowing aspects:

The field of IR concerns the relationships among the worldsgovernments.

But these relationships cannot be understood in isolation. Theyare closely connected with

other actors such as international organizations, multinational

corporations, and individuals;

other social structure including economic, culture, and domestic

politics; and

geographical and historical influences.

The aspects emphasised above means that IR itself is the studyof the nature and consequences of a system of social/or asystem of relations between groups of human beings/or thestate system.

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WHO ARE THE ACTORS ININTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?

State actors

Non-state actors Sub state actors : groups and interests within states that

influence the states foreign policy. They usually come from

substate economic actors: e.g Chinese businesses in Malaysia. Transnational actors

MNCs/TNCs: companies that do businesses with or in another state.E.g: PETRONAS

NGOs: private organizations that have purpose/various types ofNGOs

IGOs International/transnational actors that are composed of member-

countries.

E.g WTO, IMF, NATO, the UN and its agencies, etc.

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Actors

Non-state

Sub-state TNCs/MNcs IGOs

State

Regimes/formalinstitutions /

RulersGovernments


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THE IMPORTANCE OF WORLD POLITICSTO ALL OF US

World politics is something that affects individualsbut also that individuals can do something aboutworld politics.

The importance include:

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A: World Politics and Our Finances

The world is becoming increasingly intermestic.

International Trade and Our Finances

Jobs are lost to outsourcing and cheap imports.

Jobs are created by increased exports. Imports keep the price of common products low.

The Flow of International Capital and Our Finances

International investment capital finances education.

International investment capital creates jobs.

Defense Spending and Our Finances

Defense spending could be used to provide otherservices.

Defense spending provides is economically importantto communities.

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B: WORLD POLITICS AND OUR LIVINGSPACE

Global population

Increasing, but at a slower rate

Increased pressure on natural resources

(fossil fuels) Environmental pressures

Contributes to global warming

More extreme weather

Desertification

Water shortages

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C: WORLD POLITICS AND OUR LIFE

Transnational Disease

Skin Cancer from the depletion of the ozone layer

Montreal protocol (1989)

Now CFCs are declining and the ozone layer is being

repaired Spread of infections disease

HIV and West Nile virus

The spread of disease is made easier by globaltranspiration.

Transnational Political Violence Targets civilians

College age students make up the bulk of the US military.

Women are increasingly involved in combat.

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D: WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ?(POLITICS)

Taking Direct Action

Demonstrations

Investment and consumer boycotts

Voting

Elections affect important foreign policy questions.

Referendums

European Union constitution

Montenegro voted for independence

Panama voted to improves the Panama canal

Becoming a Policy Maker

Work for and international organization

Many policy makers were political science majors.

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HOW MANY LEVELS OF ANALYSIS AREAVAILABLE IN IR?

A level of analysis is a perspective on IR based on aset of similar actors or processes that suggestpossible explanations to why questions.

There are 4 levels of analysis in IR (Goldstein 2001).

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Individuallevel

Domesticlevel

Interstatelevel

Globallevel

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INDIVIDUAL LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

The lowest level of analysis.

Concerns the perceptions, choices, and actions ofindividual human beings.

E.g great leaders (such as Lenin who played his rolein the creation of Soviet Union, and theassassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914 thatled to the outbreak of the First World War )

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DOMESTIC/STATE/SOCIETAL LEVEL OFANALYSIS

Concerns the aggregations of individuals withinstates that influence state actions in theinternational arena.

E.g: Such aggregation include interest groups,political organizations, and government agencies.

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INTERSTATE/SYSTEMIC LEVEL OFANALYSIS

Concerns the influence of the international systemupon outcomes.

Focuses on the interactions of states themselves.

E.g: diplomacy between Malaysia and ASEAN,Malaysias participation in G77 summit meeting.

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GLOBAL LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

Explains international outcomes in terms of globaltrends and forces that transcend the interactions ofstate themselves.

Developed by global-level process such asglobalisation, imperialism.

E.g: North-South gap, global telecommunications,UN, etc.

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THE SUB FIELDS OF IR

International security The oldest field in IR

Focuses on questions of war, peace, regional conflicts, ethnicconflicts etc.

International political economy Emerged in the 1970s, 1980s

Focuses on trade relations, finance relations among nations,international economic institutions etc.

International environmental politics Emerged in the 1980s as a result of the rise of environmental

issues on international agenda. Focuses on transboundary environmental problems,

international environmental regime, environmental foreignpolicy etc.

All these aspects will be discussed in lectures that follow.

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INTERNATIONALRELATIONS

IPE

IEPIS

Socialscience

Politicalscience

InternationalRelations

Public policystudies

PoliticalTheory

Etc.

Sociology

Environmental

mangement


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REFERENCE

Michel Girard, Wolf-Dieter Eberwein, Keith Webb.(1994). Theory and practice in foreign policy-making: national perspectives on academics andprofessionals in international relations. PinterPublishers.

Etc.

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THANK YOU

modul 1 soc 4103 lecture 1

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