This document provides an overview of the course titled "Global Affairs" with course code GLAF. The chapter summarized discusses concepts like nationalism, nations, states and how they evolved historically. It explains that the 1648 Peace of Westphalia established the modern system of sovereign states and defined the basic principles of international relations between these newly independent political units. The document outlines the key topics to be covered in the course like understanding IR concepts, the nature and evolution of international relations as a discipline, and the historical development of IR as a field of study.
This document provides an overview of the course titled "Global Affairs" with course code GLAF. The chapter summarized discusses concepts like nationalism, nations, states and how they evolved historically. It explains that the 1648 Peace of Westphalia established the modern system of sovereign states and defined the basic principles of international relations between these newly independent political units. The document outlines the key topics to be covered in the course like understanding IR concepts, the nature and evolution of international relations as a discipline, and the historical development of IR as a field of study.
This document provides an overview of the course titled "Global Affairs" with course code GLAF. The chapter summarized discusses concepts like nationalism, nations, states and how they evolved historically. It explains that the 1648 Peace of Westphalia established the modern system of sovereign states and defined the basic principles of international relations between these newly independent political units. The document outlines the key topics to be covered in the course like understanding IR concepts, the nature and evolution of international relations as a discipline, and the historical development of IR as a field of study.
GOVERNANCE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
COMMON COURSE DIVISION FOR INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS
COURSE TITLE: GLOBAL AFFAIRS
COURSE CODE: GLAF….
Instructor: Wasihun Altaseb
CHAPTER ONE UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Conceptualizing Nationalism, Nations and States Nationalism: is the doctrine that asserts the nation as the basic political unit in organizing society. Nationalism is the most influential force in international affairs. Nationalism is an idea and movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereignty (self-governance) over its homeland *According to Heywood: Nations: are historical entities that evolve organically out of more similar ethnic communities and they reveal themselves in myths, legends, and songs. Nationalism, nations and states cont’d… The state was combined with a nation forming a compound noun the nation state which was organized differently and pursued different goals. A nation, in contrast to a state, constitutes a community of people joined by a shared identity and by common social practices. State is a nation or territory considered as an organized political community under one government.
•Nationalism is a social and political movement
•one can understand nationalism as an organising political principle that requires national homogenisation and gives absolute priority to national values and ‘interests’ in aiming to achieve ‘national goals’. Nationalism, nations and states cont’d Understanding International Relations
We now live in a world where it is impossible to isolate our
experiences and transactions from an international dimension. Originally, the study of international relations (a term first used by Jeremy Bentham in 1798) It was seen largely as a branch of the study of law, philosophy or history. Throughout the world, many have established individual ways of understanding international relations. Today, international relations could be used to describe a range of interactions between people, groups, firms, associations, parties, nations or states or between these and (non) governmental international organizations. Understanding International Relations
comprehensive, broad and multidisciplinary.
Inter-national Inter- ♠ refers to something between and among. ♠ having to do/inter with one or more than one. National ♠ refers to sovereign state/country. ♠ the actors are mainly states. Inter-national refers to the interaction and communication between countries regardless of national boundaries. Understanding IR cont’d… Events such as international conflict, international conferences on global warming and international crime play a fundamental part in the study of international relations. Participation in international relations or politics is also inescapable. On the other hand, there are legal, political and social differences between domestic and international politics. Domestic law is generally obeyed, and if not, the police and courts enforce sanctions. International law rests on competing legal systems, and there is no common enforcement. Scholars and practitioners in international relations use concepts and theories to make their study more manageable. Understanding IR cont’d… • International Relation [IR] is the study and practice of political, social and economic relationships among the world’s nations, especially between and among national governments which can be bi-lateral and multi-lateral relations. • International relations may also refer to the interactions between Non-Governmental Groups, such as Multinational Corporations (MNC)(companies that operate in more than one country) or International Organizations(IO) such as the Red Cross or the United Nations(UN). Understanding IR cont’d… International politics is pre-eminently concerned with the art of achieving group ends against the opposition of other groups. But this is limited by the will and ability of other groups to impose their demands. If physical force were to be used to resolve every disagreement there would result an intolerable existence for the world‘s population. Society would not prosper and every human being would be suspicious of every other human. International politics is also about maintaining international order. The arena of international relations and politics seems to be continually expanding. Understanding IR cont’d… In 1800 there were no international organizations, but now there is one for almost every activity–both governmental and non-governmental. When the United Nations Charter was signed in October 1945, only 51 states signed it. Currently, the UN grew up to 192 member states. There has also been the continuing growth of governmental and international services. Interdependence implies that people, businesses and organizations rely on each other (and their rivals) in different places for ideas, goods and services. International relations and politics are necessary for all states, but political power is not centralized and unequal. Historical Development of IR Historical Development of International Relations as a Discipline The study of International Relations as a discipline is an ancient, example the history of wars of the Greek city-states, the relations of Italian city-states and the ties of tribute states to the Chinese Empire. But political science specializing in the subject of International Relations appeared in the United States with the advent of the First World War (1914-1918) and the formation of the League of Nations (1919). Historical development of IR Traditionally, international relations have been attention to the have to the state as an actor and the state’s interest, chiefly national security and power. • A concern with arms race, crisis and wars, and the causes of wars Historical development of IR • Recently in international relations concern: gender perspectives, environmental issues, ethnicity, terrorism and international political economy. • In general, the field of international relations is devoted to the study of how the system of states could be made to work more effectively to enhance the power of law, peacefully manage interstate affairs, preserve order and minimize the prospects of war. The Nature and Evolution of International Relations
The rise of the sovereign state in medieval Europe consisted of a complicated
pattern of overlapping jurisdictions and loyalties. In medieval Europe there were two institutions with pretensions to power over the continent as a whole the Catholic Church and the Empire. The Church was the spiritual authority, with its centre in Rome. Apart from a small Jewish minority, all Europeans were Christian and the influence of the Church spread far and penetrated deeply into people‘s lives. The Church occupied a crucial role in the cultural and intellectual life of the Middle Ages. The Nature and Evolution of International Relations International system is a dominant set of ideas, power structure, economic patterns, and rules that shape the domestic politics in a particular and international relations of more countries in more places in a particular historical era. one way or the other, historical development of IRs is related to the creation of modern States. The history of IRs is often traced back to the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, where the modern state system was developed. Before Westphalia, the European medieval organization of political authorities were based on a vaguely hierarchical religious order, governments were not secular. On October 24th 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia was signed, The Nature and Evolution of IR • The war began in 1618, when the Austrians tried to impose Roman Catholicism on their Protestant subjects. The purpose of Westphalia Peace Treaty was basically to:- - end-up the 30 year religious war - reduce religious authority and legitimacy. Westphalia treaty contributed much for the formation of:- - sovereign states ( given to the king not to the states or the people) Nature and evolution of IR cont’d… The Thirty Years‘ War, 1618–1648, was the bloodiest and most protracted military confrontation of the era. The war concerned which state should have hegemony (or dominance) over Europe. The treaty of Westphalia, 1648, which concluded the 30 years of warfare, has come to symbolize the new way of organizing international politics. International politics was a matter of relations between states and no other political units. All states were sovereign, meaning that they laid claims to the exclusive right to rule their own territories and to act. All states were formally equal and they had the same rights and obligations. Nature and evolution of IR cont’d… Once these states had made themselves independent both of the pope and the emperor, they soon discovered that their relations had become vastly more complicated. In order to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts, the different rulers began dispatching ambassadors to each other‘s courts. This diplomatic network provided a means of: *Gathering information *Spying (employed to obtain information, may be secret) *A way of keeping in touch with one another *Carrying out negotiations and concluding deals. The embassies were given extraterritorial rights and legal immunity, diplomatic dispatches were regarded as inviolable and ambassadors had the right to worship the god of their choice. Actors in International Relations • The participants in international relations, often called actors. • Actors have a great influence on the relationships between nations and on world affairs. There are two major actors in international relations: state and non-state actors. Actors in international relation 1 State actors International Relations (IR) traditionally focused on interactions between states. International Relations : traditionally focused on interactions between states. Relationships between all sorts of political entities , including international organizations, multinational corporations, societies and citizens. Al l states have their own capitals, armies, foreign ministries, flags and national anthems. states are also sovereign in relation to each other: they act in relation to other states, declaring war, concluding a peace, negotiating a treaty, and many other things. Non-State Actors • Non-state actors are also called transnational actors 1. Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) Organizations whose members are national governments Fulfill a variety of functions and vary in size from just a few states to virtually the whole UN membership 2. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) Private organizations, some of considerable size and resources Some have political purpose, some economic or Non state actors 3. Multinational Corporations (MNCs • Companies that span multiple countries • Often control greater resources and operate internationally with greater efficiency, than many small states • May prop up (or even create) friendly foreign governments but may also provide poor states with much-needed foreign investments and tax revenues Non state actors Levels of Analysis in International Relations
The individual level
International relations can be analyzed from the perspective of individuals. Here we would look at the behaviors, motivations, beliefs and orientation of the individual in affecting a particular international phenomenon. If looking at the actions of individuals, we would likely also need to engage with the implications of human nature. Psychological factors matter at the level of individual members of society or of a group. They are also an important factor in the analysis of foreign policy. The particular mindsets and perceptions of political leaders and key actors might influence their decisions and behavior. Level of analysis in IR cont’d… The group level A group level analysis would try and break the analysis down into certain kinds of groups: *How they relate to the state level and *Where they position themselves with respect to the global dimension of the issues they are dealing with. An example of this can be seen in the work of Engelen et.al. (2012). It discuss the global financial crisis as the misrule of experts, pointing at the politicized role of technocratic circles and the relative lack of democratic control over the boards of large banks and corporations. A group-level analysis focusing on foreign policy would look, for example, at the role of lobbying groups and the way they influence national decision making on an issue. The group level analysis of IR cont’d… In this sense, a group-level analysis would be more interested in the actions of groups of individuals such as: All voters of a country and the way they express their views in the general election, Political parties picking up on the issue in their campaigns or social movements forming to counter the effects of the crisis on society. A group-level analysis could be interested in activist/pressure groups like anonymous that seek to influence the global debate about the winners and losers of globalization and capitalism, and so forth. Level of analysis in IR cont’d… The state level The IR literature, the main focus remains on the state as the dominant unit of analysis. This enduring focus on the state, and therefore, on the state level of analysis is referred to as the relative state-centrism of the discipline. This means that IR scholars would generally not only regard states as the central unit of analysis as such. They conceive of the state as a point of reference for other types of actors. From this perspective, the state acts as the arena in which state officials, politicians and decision-makers operate. The state is seen as the framework that encapsulates society and as the main point of reference for the individual. State level analysis of IR cont’d… The state is being the main location of power within the international sphere. A state level analysis might be interested to look at any one of the following: a. How states interact with each other to deal with the crisis in other words, their foreign policy? b. How they build off each other‘s suggestions and react to international developments and trends ? c. How they cooperate, say, in the framework of international organizations ? d. How we look at them as competitors and antagonists, each of them pushing for a stronger position in what makes up the world economy? A state-level study would also require careful consideration of what kinds of states we are looking at (how they are ordered politically). Level of analysis in IR cont’d… The system level It consider the global system as the structure or context within which states cooperate, compete and confront each other over issues of national interest. Taking international scenarios to analyze international relation. Particularly important in that context is: The distribution of power amongst states, meaning, whether there is: i. one main concentration of power (uni-polarity), ii. two (bipolarity) or iii. several (multi-polarity). Global circumstances are seen to condition the ability and opportunity of individual states and groups of states to pursue their interests in cooperative or competitive ways. The system level analysis of IR cont’d... A system-level study would need to consider global linkages that go beyond single interactions between states. It would need to look at such things as the balance of power between states and how that determines what happens in global politics. This could include developments that are even outside the immediate control of any particular state or group of states. It includes such as the global economy, transnational terrorism or the internet. A global level would give us the big picture and help us to grasp wide ranging dynamics that emerge from the global economic system to affect its various components, states, national economies, societies, and individuals. The structure of international system International Relations scholars maintain that political power is usually distributed into three main types of systems namely: (i) uni-polar system, (ii) bipolar system and, (iii) multipolar system. These three different systems reflect the number of powerful states competing for power and their hierarchical relationship. 1.Uni-polar international system There is one state with the greatest political, economic, cultural and military power and hence the ability to totally control other states. In both bipolar and multipolar systems there is no one single state with a preponderant power and hence ability to control other states. Structure of IR cont’d… 2. Bipolar system There are two dominant states (super powers) and the less powerful states join either sides through alliance and counter alliance formations. It is vulnerable for zero-sum game politics because when one superpower gains the other would inevitably lose. One typical historical example where the world was under bipolar system is the cold war period. 3. Multipolar system It is the most common throughout history. During the period around World War I, it was a typical world system. It usually reflects various equally powerful states competing for power. In such system, it is possible to bring change without gaining or losing power. Structure of IR cont’d… Power Power is the currency of international politics. As money is for economics, power is for international relations (politics). In the international system, power determines the relative influence of actors and it shapes the structure of the international system. Hans Morgenthau, a famous thinker of realism theory in IR, argues that International politics, like all other politics, is a struggle for power. It thus follows from this that power is the blood line of international relations. Power can be defined in terms of both relations and material (capability) aspects. Power cont’d… Dahl‘s definition understands power as A‘s‘ ability to get B‘ to do something it would not otherwise do. Example: the United States and Soviet Union had roughly balanced capabilities during the cold war era. Even though they can mutually destruct each other, the two world powers were in a stalemate for the whole of the cold war period. Because wherever capabilities are equal, power tends to vanish (destruct) totally. With the demise of the Soviet Union, for instance, the power balance has changed in favour of the US. Therefore, the USA owned the ability to get Russia to do what Russia would not otherwise do. Structure of IR cont’d… Anarchy Anarchy is a situation where there is absence of authority (government) be it in national or international/global level systems. Within a country anarchy‘ refers to a breakdown of law and order, In relations between states it refers to a system where power is decentralized and there are no shared institutions with the right to enforce common rules. States had to rely on their own resources or to form alliances through which the power of one alliance of states could be balanced against the power of another alliance. Such power balances were precarious, states had an incentive to engage in aggressive wars. Structure of IR cont’d… Sovereignty Sovereignty is another basic concept in international relations and it can be defined as an expression of: I. A state‘s ultimate authority within its territorial entity (internal sovereignty) and, II. The state‘s involvement in the international community (external sovereignty). In short, sovereignty denotes double claim of states from the international system, i.e., *Autonomy in foreign policy and *Independence/freedom in its domestic affairs. Theories of International Relations A theory of IRs is a set of ideas that explains how the international system works. Theories of international relations allow us to understand and try to make sense of the world around us through various lenses, each of which represents a different theoretical perspective. Thus, it is necessary to simplify International Relations theory. It is used to explain how any state behaves. Let us see each theories one by one: Theories of IR cont’d… Idealism/Liberalism Liberalism in IR was referred to as a utopian theory and is still recognized as such to some degree today. This is because, its proponents view human beings as innately good and believe peace and harmony between nations is not only achievable, but desirable. Believes in democratic peace theory, states that shared liberal values should have no reason for going to war against one another or democracies do not go to war with each other (Immanuel Kant). Liberals have faith in the permanent cessation of war is an attainable goal example US President Woodrow Wilson in Fourteen Points. The last of his points was to create a general association of nations, which became the League of Nations. Idealism/liberalism cont’d… From 1919 - 1930s, the discipline was dominated liberal internationalism. The primary concern of this approach academic study of IRs had the potential to contribute to the prevention of war and the establishment of peace. Believes the prospects for the elimination of war lay with: i. a preference for democracy over aristocracy ii. free trade over autarky (economic self sufficiency) iii. collective security over the balance of power system (Burchill, 1996). A system of collective security was advocated to replace antagonistic alliance systems with international order based on the rule of law and collective responsibility. Idealism/liberalism cont’d… The creation of the League of Nations after the end of the First World War was the culmination of the liberal ideal of IRs. Liberals also argue that international law offers a mechanism by which cooperation among states is made possible. IL refers to the body of customary and conventional rules (eg. treaties) which are binding on civilized states in their intercourse with each other. IL performs two different functions. 1. Operating system: Provide mechanisms for cross-border interactions. 2. Normative system: To shape the values and goals these interactions are pursuing. Idealism/liberalism cont’d… There are three competing views on this matter. 1. Some scholars say international law is not a law at all but a branch of international morality. 2. IL is a law in all senses of the term. 3. It is a matter of definition. Theories of IR cont’d… Realism Realism gained momentum during the Second World War International system is anarchic. Believe conflict is unavoidable and perpetual and so war is common and inherent to humankind. ‘All politics is a struggle for power’’. View that politics is primarily about domination as opposed to cooperation between states. State need to maximize their security and chances of survival. Realism cont’d… Focus of analysis Liberalist Realist
Human nature Innately good and Act in their own self-
believe in peace interests and selfish.
Cessation of war is Conflict is unavoidable
War an attainable goal. and war is common and inherent to humankind.
Magnifies areas of Magnifies instances of
World lens cooperation war and conflict. Realism cont’d… Focus of Liberalist Realist analysis Optimistic view (world Pessimistic view (war IR View order can be improved, with and conflict is common peace and gradually and peace are achieved replacing war). when states are preparing for future conflict). State and non state actors but Major actor state is ultimate power State. holder. Assisting states in States partake in IO’s IO’s formulating decisions and only when it is in their helping to formalize self-interest to do so. cooperation. Structuralism/Marxism
Argues that a capitalist society is divided into two
contradictory classes: a. The business class (the bourgeoisie) b. The working class (the proletariat). Marx hoped for an eventual end to the class society and overthrow of the bourgeoisie by the proletariat. With decolonization, the US withdrawal from Vietnam and the rise of a third world alliance global relations issues detach from Cold War rhetoric and started to encompass matters like: i. Economic and financial relations ii. Development, social issues iii. Regional integration iv. Non state actor as main player beside State. Structuralism/Marxism cont’d… Structuralism is the third perspective or paradigm which emerged as a critique of both realism and pluralism concentrated on: *Inequalities within the international system, *Inequalities of wealth between the rich (North) or the first world and the poor south or the third world. Inspired by the writings of Marx and Lenin. Focused on dependency, exploitation and the international division of labor. Argued, most states were not free rather they were subjugated by the political, ideological and social consequences of economic forces). Structuralism/Marxism cont’d… The basis of inequality was the capitalist structure of the international system. Class system globally producing centre–periphery relation (exploitation of Least Developed Countries by Economically Developed Countries). Major writers in the structuralism perspective emerged from Latin America, Africa and the Middle East. Theories of IR cont’d… Constructivism It’s a middle ground theory between mainstream and the critical theories Argues that international system is created by a set of ideas, a body of thought, a system of norms, which has been arranged by certain people at a particular time and place. Argues that ideas, or norms have a power international system. Believes anarchy is what states make of it b/c IR exists in the interactions between individuals or agents on the global stage. Study the never ending process of IR between accepted norms of the past and norms of the future. Theories of IR cont’d… Critical theories This theories established in response to mainstream theories mainly liberalism and realism. They oppose commonly held assumptions in the field of IR. Call for new approaches to understand the world we find ourselves in. They identify positions that have typically been ignored or overlooked within IR. Provide a voice to individuals who have frequently been marginalized example women and Global South. Critical theorists (Marxist angle) argue legitimacy of the state must be questioned and ultimately dissolved.