Ch 1 Notes - World Politics: Trend and Transformation, 2016 - 2017 PDF

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Notes on Chapter 1 of the textbook...

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Death and destruction rages across the Middle East and North Africa Civil war in Syria continues, with Al Qaeda, the militant group Islamic State (ISIS/ ISIL) Pockets of hope: A history historic deal between Iran and other major world powers after nearly ten years of diplomacy that commits Iran to curbing its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. Greece is dire with the economic crisis having reached the scale of the US Great Depression of the 1930s Rampant debt in Greece- questions raised of ramifications for Greece and the European Union should the country not recover and it economy collapse. Debt crisis in PUterico- 72 billion owed to creditors China’s economic growth is slowing- decreased total trade and stock market HOWEVER many effects of the great recession are fading and the IMF expects global economic growth to accelerate in the coming year The UN accounted that rich and poor countries have agreed to new international development that will end poverty/ hunger , ensure universal access to quality education, secure gender equality, and advance environmental sustainability.

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July 2015 International affairs affect our life and future News only echoes old stories of the past- history repeat itself World Politics- the study of how global actors’ activities entail the exercise of influence to achieve and defend their goals and ideals, and how it affects the world at large

The challenge of investigating international relations Study of international relations requires taking into account every fact that influence human behavior Constant new developments and the tendency of people to resist new information makes interpreting political affairs for present and future difficult. PAGE 5   

Evaluate rival perspectives even if if the differ from our current view/ mindset People like following what they want to believe in Our images of reality shape our expectations  subjective images play roles in our understanding politics

How do perceptions influence images of global reality? 

We simplify reality by exaggerating some feature and ignoring others- we live in a world defined by images which are usually built in illusions and misconceptions

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Our assumptions will affect the world

The Nature and Source of Images  

The effort to simply the view of the world is inevitable and necessary- it creates mental mapswhich is a habitual way of organizing information to make sense of a lot confusing info. Mental maps are NEITHER inherently right nor wrong

PAGE 6 Should we believe what we see?  

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People assume their perceptions are correct and that seeing is believing SEEING IS NOT A PASSIVE ACT – “what we observe is partially influenced by our preexisting values and expecta- tions (and by the visual habits reinforced by the constructions society has inculcated in us about how to view objects).” The principle of perception has great importance for the investigation of international relations Intense disagreemts can arise from different perceptions Contriversy is the result of disagreements in perceptions of reality- subjective Try to look at things objectively Story- Map Cartographers- “. Although there are a variety of ways to represent the threedimensional object on paper, all of them involve some kind of distortion. Thus, cartographers must choose among the imperfect ways of representing the globe by selecting those aspects of the world’s geography they consider most important to describe accurately, while making adjustments to other parts. There exists a long-standing controversy about the “right” way to map the globe; that is, how to make an accurate projection. Cartographers’ ideas of what is most important in world geography have varied according to their own global perspec tives.” Consider these four maps (Maps 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4). Each depicts the distribution of the Earth’s land surfaces and territory but portrays a different image. Each is a model of reality, an abstraction that highlights some features of the globe while ignoring others.

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4 maps- Mercator Projection vs Peter’s Projection vs Orthographic Projection vs Upside- Down Projection

PAGE 8 We look for info that solidifies our beliefs and ignore those that contradict against it, we also rely on our intuition without thinking and emotionally make snap judgements “Policymakers are prone to distort reality in accord with their needs even in situations that appear . . . relatively unambiguous.”- Richard New Lebow

We rely on learned habit for viewing new info and making judgements Humans are categorizers who match what with they see with what they experienced which is another way of saying Schematic Reasoning Schematic Reasoning- The process of reasoning by which new information is interpreted according to a memory structure, a schema, which contains a network of generic scripts, metaphors, and simplified characterizations of observed objects and phenomena. Once we have acquired an image, it seems self-evident. Accordingly, we try to keep that image consistent with other beliefs and, through a psychological process known as cognitive dissonance, reject information that con- tradicts that image of the world. Cognitive Dissonance- The general psychology tendency to deny discrepancies between one’s preexisting beliefs (cognitions) and new information. In short, our minds select, screen, and filter information; consequently, our perceptions depend not only on what happens in daily life but also on how we interpret and internalize those events. The Impact of Perceptions on World Politics 

We shouldn’t equate the beliefs of the leaders with the beliefs of people under their authority o Leaders have influence and their perception of historical circumstances often makes them behave in particular ways, regardless of “objective facts”  EX1- Soviet Union lost 26 million lives in WW2 which reinforced the fear of foreign in invasion from the USA.  EX2- The US viewed the European politics in the 18th century as corrupt which created two contradictory tendencies in U.S foreign policy  At first America wanted isolate itself (which caused them to reject membership in the league of Nations after WW1) and then it wanted to reform the world in its own image/ perception whenever global circumstance become highly threatening ( which gave rise to US globalist foreign policy since WW2 to be involved in nearly every issue which is why most Americans only see good intensions in active Us intervention and can’t understand others viewing their active intervention as arrogant or threatening)

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Ignoring or reinterpreting information that runs counter to the beliefs and values often fuels discord in world politics  distrust and suspicions arise as conflicting parties view each other in a negative light – that is , mirror images develop Mirror images- the tendency of states and people in competitive interaction to perceive each other similarly- to see others the same hostile way others see them

EX1- Soviet union vs USA during Cold War- each side saw itself as virtuous and peaceloving, whereas the other was seen as untrustworthy, aggressive, and ruled by a corrupt government. Enduring Rivalries- Prolonged competition fueled by deep seated mutual hatred that leads opposed actors to feud and fight over a long period of time without resolution of their conflict o EX1- rivalries Christianity vs Islam during the Crusade in the Middle Ages o Isreal and Palestine’s since birthof soverign state of Isreal in 1948 o United States vs Al Qaeda Self-righteousness  viewing opposite party in bad light each side have different preferences for certain outcomes over others don’t see eye to eye  Further complicating matters, the mirror images held by rivals tend to be self-confirming. When one side expects the other to be hostile, it may treat its opponent in a manner that leads the opponent to take counteractions that confirm the original expectation, therein creating a vicious circle of deepening hostilities that reduce the prospects for peace Fostering peace is a matter of changing entrenched beliefs… It is NOT about mutual trade or meetings at an international summit Overcoming old thinking habits sometimes occurs when we experience punishment or discomfort as a result of clinging to false assumptions. o Dramatic events in particular can sometimes alter international images drastically  EX1- Vietnam War- American reject using military force in world politics  EX2- Revealed atrocities of the Nazis after WW2 caused Germans to confront the past and prepare for democratic future imposed by the victorious Allies  EX3- Human and financial cost of US war in Iraq made many policy makers reexamine: 1) their assumptions of the meaning of victory and 2) potential implications as U.S. engagement moved beyond initial combat to address issues of governance and stability o

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PAGE 10- A Closer Look Freedom, Security, and Values 

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Islamic head coverings are banned in France and Belgium – the argument is that the law doesn’t prevent free exercise of religion in a place of worship but the face plays an important role in social interaction and that hidden identity creates a potential security risk In Canada courts ruled in favor of Muslims- citizenship ceremonies- Muslim expressed that wearing a full facial veil was an expression of Muslim faith and cultural values… Can’t take it off The practice head coverings induces fearful obedience, denies individual choice, and silences the voices of women- evident when Iraq women had acid pourn on their faces for not being properly covered

PAGE 11 Key concepts and terms for understanding world politics

How do we escape biases? Introducing Terminology PAGE 12 Distinguishing the Primary Transnational Actors 

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Important to identify actors/ agents who take part in international engagements o Actor- An individual, group, state, or organization that plays a major role in world politics Actors have various degrees of influence who shape the trends that are transforming world politics o Actor- An individual, group, state, or organization that plays a major role in world politics. Everyone’s actions aggregately affect the power of each group/ category of actors o Each category often compete with each other b/c divergent interest and goals o Prime actors: religions tribes who shared ethnic origins, empires o Power- The factors that enable one actor to change another actor’s behavior against its preferences. Collaboration for mutual benefit State sovereignty- no other actor is above the state—still captures these legal rights and identifies the state as the primary actor today. state sovereignty- A state’s supreme authority to manage internal affairs and foreign relations Technically the term state and nation are different State- An independent legal entity with a government exercising exclusive control over the territory and population it governs. Nation- A collectivity whose people see them- selves as members of the same group because they share the same ethnicity, culture, or language.

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there are few independent states comprising a single nationality Most states today are populated by many nations, and some nations are not states. These “nonstate nations” are ethnic groups Ethnic groups- People whose identity is primar- ily defined by their sense of sharing a common ances- tral nationality, language, cultural heritage, and kinship supremacy of the state has been severely challenged in recent years by nonstate actors. Increasingly, global affairs are influenced by intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations. Intergovern- Mental Organizations (IGOs)- Institutions created and joined by states’ governments, which give them authority to make collective decisions to manage particular problems on the global agenda.

IGOs are created to solve problems EX1: United Nations (UN) & North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) IGOs are characterized by permanence and institutional organization, and they vary widely in their size and purpose. Nongovern- Mental Organizations (NGOs)- Transnational organizations of private citizens maintaining con- sultative status with the UN; they include profes- sional associa- tions, foundations, multinational corporations, or simply internation- ally active groups in different states joined together to work toward com- mon interest o Pash agenda on a vast array of issues- they bring about change and influence international decision making o NGOs can be good or bad (bad= terrorist group/ international drug cartels) All actors (individuals, states, and nonstate organizations) are simultaneously active today, and their importance and power depend on the trend or issue under consideration. o Quest. We should ask ourselves: Which actors are most active, most influential, on which issues, and under what conditions?  asking this question will help us think like an international relations scholar o o o

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Distinguishing Levels of Analysis 

One useful key for addressing s puzzles is to visualize an event or trend as part of the end result of some unknown process. This encourages us to think about the causes that might have produced the phenomenon we are trying to explain.

PAGE 14 To make sence of politics we usually have to separate pieces of the puzzle into three levels known as levels of ananlysisthis classification distinguishes individ-ual influences, state or internal influences, and global influences for the system as a whole. individual level of analysis- personal characteristics of human beings, including those responsible for making important decisions on behalf of state and nonstate actors, as well as ordinary citizens whose behavior has important political consequences. state level of analysis- consists of the authoritative decisionmaking units that govern states’ foreign policy processes and the internal attributes of those states (e.g., their type of

government, level of economic and military power, and number of nationality groups), which both shape and constrain leaders’ foreign policy choices. PAGE 15 Global level of analysis - interactions of states and nonstate actors on the global stage whose behaviors ultimately shape the international political system and the levels of conflict and cooperation that characterize world politics.

One Key to anticipating probable human destiny- “The farther backward you look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” PAGE 16 World politics now going through a transition period Transformation is not immediately obviously In the past major turning points occurred after war, which destroy preexisting international relationships 9/11- Headlines are NOT trend lines, and a trend line doesn’t necessary signal a transformation So, what criteria can help determine when an existing pattern of relationships gives way to a completely new global system? Stanley Hoffmann (1961) argues that we can identify a new global system when we have a new answer to one of the following three questions. PAGE 17 1) What are the system’s basic units for global governance?  World Trade Organization (WTO)- trade disputes  United Nations (UN)- resolving conflict world wide  International Criminal Court- first permanent treaty based global court that persecutes political leaders for human rights violations 2) What are the predominant foreign policy goals that these units seek with respect to one another?  Key issues include: environmental, health, and financial crises, are transnational threats that require a collective response from countries and other global actors. o EX1- Global Financial Crisis 2008 o Ebola 3) What can these units do to one another with their military and economic capabilities?  Great powers alone no longer control all the world’s most leathal weapons  Perpetuation of international anarchy encourages preparations for war and constant improvement

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Cycles often happen in world politics because the emergent global system shares many characteristics with earlier periods- observers may experience dOjP vu

PAGE 18 Preparing for Your Intellectual Journey Aprroach to understanding politics- 2 views: 1) bird’s eye view-macro- focuses on world actors’ behavior 2) ground up-micro- focuses on individuals behavior Birds eye view macro Can see common behavior Shows how the global environment sets limits on political choice

Ground up view Micro Can see difference in behavior Shows how every transnational actor’s preferences, capabilities, and strategic calculations influence global conditions....