Sem 37IR-exam-guide-final PDF

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EXAM GUIDEBy the Author ofPOL SC HELPBA Hons Pol Sc Chapter wise Key points and Model Answers to Past Year’sQuestions 3 sets of Sample Papers with Hints for Semester Exam Tips for Writing Essay Type Answers in University ExamINTERNATIONALRELATIONSemester 3FEW WORDS ABOUT THE GUIDEDear students.. BAC...

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BA Hons Pol Sc EXAM GUIDE

INTERNATI INTERNATIONAL ONAL RELATI RELATION ON Semester 3

• Chapter wise Key points and Model Answers to Past Year’s Questions • 3 sets of Sample Papers with Hints for Semester Exam • Tips for Writing Essay Type Answers in University Exam

By the Author of

POL SC HELP

FEW WORDS ABOUT THE GUIDE Dear students…WELCOME BACK ! This guide is intended to be like a cheat sheet for your semester exams! What it contains? •

CBCS Syllabus on each of the theme.

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Answer templates to past year’s and other important questions (mainly taken from DU).

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3 sets of sample question papers along with hints for the answers.

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Answer writing tips

What is Answer Template? •

Answer written in a particular way (Intro, Body, Discussion, and Conclusion) as expected for essay type questions in university exam.

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I have given you a template(format/structure) with my own content. Hence, it is a full answer. You may add or delete contents to make the answer as your own.

How to use the Guide for the best results? •

First, watch the videos on the theme/topic from POL SC HELP- at least 4-5 times, first in normal speed, later on with faster speed and selectively. Final watching shouldn’t take more than 5 min.

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Second, read the key points on the theme/topic very carefully. In fact, even if you only remember the key points you can write answers in the exam.

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Third, read the answers of past year and other important questions, at least 5 times. Again, the final reading may not take more than 5-10 minutes. o I have chosen the questions to cover the entire syllabus. o Note the key phrases repeated in the answers. You should remember and reproduce them in your answers. o Also, note the standard words I have used in the answer. Their easier meaning/synonyms are given in bracket.

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Fourth, read carefully the sample question papers (3 sets). I have given hints to those questions, too. Read them carefully and think about the answers to those questions. You may practice by writing answers to these sample questions.

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Finally, read the answer writing tips; use them in the exam.

GOOD WISHES!

SECTION 1 Chapter Wise

Key Points and

ANSWERS Past Year’s & Important Questions

THEME 1: STUDYING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (Note: this theme is most important for examination point of view. 2 full questions are expected from this theme. Therefore, 6 questions, which contain in them all the questions asked in last 5 years have been taken up for answers. These questions and answer cover the entire syllabus. This year, too, 2 questions should be from these 6 questions only. However, the language of the question and its formation may be different. You need to identify them and pick up the relevant portions from the answers given below)

1.A: CBCS Syllabus •

Meaning, Nature, Scope of IR

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Evolution of IR as academic discipline

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Levels of Analysis

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Major Approaches or Perspective to IR

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History of IR: Emergence of the International State System o Pre-Westphalia and Westphalia o Post-Westphalia

1.B: KEY POINTS: •

IR is both a condition- facts of global politics- and field of study- academic discipline.

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As practice or condition of global politics, it denotes the actual conducts of States towards each other through diplomacy based on their foreign policy, cooperation, conflict, and war among them.

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As a field of study, IR try to understand and describe actions, interactions and interrelations of states and non-state actors, international organizations, etc in global arena to prescribes or suggest appropriate actions and behaviours on parts of them in interactions with other actors.

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IR also include study of phenomena, events, issues, problems falling outside the borders of nation-state. Aim here is to find solutions to global issues to make life better for the humankind.

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Thus, IR, as a field of study, is not only descriptive and analytical it is also normative and prescriptive. It is a problem-solving enterprise.

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Traditionally IR has been the study of interactions and inter-relations between sovereign states in the international state system.

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However, its nature and scope underwent significant changes and expansion in the era of globalization.

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Now focus is shifting from state to non-state actors, decentralized, de-centred interactions among multiple players in the more dynamic global system. Issues beyond the border of the nation-states affecting the entire humanity such as environmental degradation, climate change, terrorism, migration, hunger and poverty, human rights, human security, pandemic etc. are increasingly becoming important area of study in IR.

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The locus (areas, regions where IR focuses) shifting from Europe and North America to Asia and 3rd world countries.

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IR is significant for nation-states in forming their foreign policies, protecting and furthering their national interests, and security by maintaining balance of power. For groups and communities, IR provides platform, forum and opportunity to raise their voices and contribute as part of the global community. Individuals living within the national border anywhere in world are hugely impacted by issues happening beyond the borders of nation state. Ongoing Pandemic crisis clearly prove this point.

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Hence, IR is important and significant for nation-states, groups and communities, and individuals.

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Realism, Liberalism, Marxism, and Feminism provide major theoretical perspectives to study IR

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Realism: Main principles: IR is struggle for power between nation-states, politics is interplay of interest and power, the world order is anarchic( no world govt to protect, help states), hence, state have survive by self-help, national interests are defined in terms of power, political actions cannot be judged on conventional moral grounds, etc

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Liberalism: Focuses on interdependence, co-operations, mutual peace & progress in the anarchic world order;

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Marxism analyses international state system through the lens of class struggle; for feminists, gender discrimination in IR is reflected in exploitation, violence, and struggle for power in the international system.

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Realism has been the soul of IR. But, none of the above perspectives give the real view of the conditions, issues, and phenomena of IR under study. They all give different pictures of the same phenomena.

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Phenomena and conditions of IR are too complex to be understood by a particular perspective. Only by comparing, contrasting, and triangulating the views/pictures emerging from different perspectives we can somewhat come closer to understanding the phenomena of IR under study.

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For realists, treaty of Westphalia, in 1648, is a landmark event ushering (leading to) International state system and hence IR in modern period.

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Westphalian state system: legal equality and territorial sovereignty of states, nonintervention in internal matters of any state, diplomatic relation, national selfdetermination, etc. provided the basic template for the International state system. Even

after the 350 years, the basic template of International state system is same as provided by the treaty of Westphalia and Westphalian state system. •

But of late, Westphalian state system is under increasing stress, especially in the globalized world.

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Evolution of IR, as practice, in modern period, can be studied in dividing it into different phases. Pre Westphalia, post Westphalia, 20th century- 2 world wars, Cold War, post Cold War, and globalization era are the different phases of evolution of IR.

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Evolution of IR as academic discipline, which has a short history of about 100 years, can be studied in dividing it into 7-8 phases- pre WWI, Idealism in Inter-war period, realism in post WWII, behaviouralism in 1950s, US led developmentalism, modernisation theory, and area study in 1960s & 70s, perspectives of global south in 1970s in form of Dependency theory, World system theory, Orientalism, etc, emergence of neo-realism and neo-liberalism in 1980s, post cold war era, and globalisation era of 21st century.

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In IR research and studies, analyzing the same phenomenon, issues, events, etc from multiple levels arranged in hierarchical order (from top to bottom) is called level of analysis approach.

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In IR, these hierarchical levels are International state system, nation-state, and individual.

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In fact, the researcher focuses on a particular level in terms of components and system, or in terms of parts and whole to understand the phenomenon under study.

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Each level, in level of analysis approach, is like different lens or frame of reference or perspective for viewing a particular real-world phenomenon and therefore may give different picture of the same phenomena under study.

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Hence, none of the analysis, by focussing on particular level, gives a complete or true picture. Only by comparing, contrasting, and triangulating the views/pictures emerging from different levels of analysis, the truer picture or essence of the phenomena under the study can be understood.

1.C ANSWER TEMPLATES OF PAST YEAR’S AND OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS Q.1 : What do you understand by international relation? Discuss the nature and scope of IR as an academic Discipline. Similar questions: 1. Discuss the nature, and scope of IR. Do you think that IR should be inter-disciplinary in nature? 2. Why should we study International Relations? Highlight the nature, scope, issues, and significance of IR as an academic Discipline. ANSWER TEMPLATE: Introduction: International relation (IR) is generally understood as a set of actions, reactions, interactions, and inter-relations between sovereign nation-states, through the medium of their foreign policies and diplomacy. Thus, in simplest language, IR is interrelationship among nationstates without any super or world Govt. Interactions among sovereign states are based on their national interests and relative powers & capabilities. They are also guided somewhat by need for cooperation, interdependence, international treaties, covenants, Intergovernmental organizations, International NGOs, and other international non state actors. IR is both a condition- facts of global politics- and field of study- academic discipline. As practice or condition of global politics, it denotes the actual conducts of States towards each other through diplomacy based on their foreign policy, cooperation, conflict, and war among them. As a field of study, IR try to understand and describe actions, interactions and inter-relations of states and non-state actors, international organizations, etc in global arena to prescribes or suggest appropriate actions and behaviours on parts of them in interactions with other actors. IR also include study of phenomena, events, issues, problems falling outside the borders of nation-state. Aim is to find solutions to global issues to make life better for the humankind. Thus, IR, as a field of study, is not only descriptive and analytical it is also normative and prescriptive. It is a problem-solving enterprise. For example, understanding and prescribing solutions for global environmental issues, migration, human security, terrorism, etc. comes under the domain of IR studies. Study of events, phenomenon, organizations, structures/institutions, conflict, and cooperation beyond the boundaries of

nation-state also included in the academic discipline of IR. For example: study of global conflict, violence & war, peace & cooperation, global trade & business, democratization, globalization, etc. forms part of IR studies. In a nutshell, IR is both a real-world phenomenon and condition outside national boarders, or practice of nation-states interacting with each other as well as specific domain of human knowledge or academic discipline. Following are some of the most popular definitions of International Relation: •

“Struggle of power among nation-states in International system.”( By Hans Morgenthau)

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“IR includes many other things beyond interrelationship between states, international organizations, and groups. Despite keeping nation-sate in its centre, IR also accommodate various other relationships at upper and lower levels of nation-states”.( Palmer and Perkins)

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“IR is concerned with those elements and events which affect foreign policies and powers of those fundamental political units in which the world is divided.”( Stanley Hoffmann) :

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“IR not only organize study of relations between states but also study of various kinds of groups like nations, states, people, alliances, regions, international organizations, industrial organizations, religious organizations, etc. “(Quincy Wright):

Nature of International Relation: Nature and characteristics of IR has evolved and changed since the emergence of Westphalian state system in 1648. However, following are some of characteristics which have remained unchanged and define the nature of the IR: •

Anarchical World order: No supranational authority or world Govt over the sovereign nation-state. Hence, IR is mainly guided by national interest and relative power and capabilities of interacting nation-states. States having widely varying powers and capabilities adopt several strategies to defend and secure their interests without help from any superior authority. Thus, anarchical world order and self-help define nature of IR.

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IR is still very much State centric: Despite growing importance of non-state actors, such as Inter-governmental organization (IGO), International NGOs (INGOs), MNCs, etc, States or nation-states are main actors in the IR.

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Westphalian state system as the backbone of the International Relation: Westphalian state system which came into existence after the treaty of Westphalia in 1648 defines the International state system. Nation-states have territorial sovereignty. Each sovereign state has equal legal status and certain right, like non-intervention in its domestic affair, equality, sovereignty, etc., as member of the Westphalian state system.

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Eurocentrism and ethnocentrism: Despite inclusion of 3rd world post-colonial nations into the Westphalian state system, the IR paradigm is overtly Eurocentric. Both the theory and practices of IR show cultural and ideological biases in favour of developed nations of western world. Issues, concerns and perspectives of poor countries of 3rd world, called global south, are at margin, given little attention and importance.

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Multi-Disciplinary, Multi Theoretical: IR as academic discipline is, by its nature, MultiDisciplinary and Multi Theoretical. Study in IR draws heavily from economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, geography, cartography, and many other academic disciplines. Multiple theories and perspectives, such as realism, liberalism, Marxism, Feminism, post-modernism, etc have enriched the academic discipline of IR.

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Behaviouralism: comparing state’s behavior to human’s nature, has dominated the discourse in IR, especially in realist perspective and under the behavioural revolution in 1950s.

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Not direct co-relation between practice and study of IR: Practise of IR as actually done by the state and non-state actors in global politics is not directly related to IR studies & research done in universities and colleges. Though actual happenings in IR affect IR studies and also principles, theories, and research in IR somewhat used in actual IR practises but there is no direct co-relation between the world of practise and the world of theory and research in IR.

However, in modern times, there has been perceptible change in the nature of IR; some of them are as below: •

Increasing roles of non-state actors, supranational organizations- UN, IMF, World Bank, WTO, INGO, global civil societies, global social movements, etc

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Locus shifting from Europe and North America to Asia and 3rd world countries

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Global shift in power balance from north Atlantic world to Asia (China, India)

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Focus shifting from war, peace and security to interdependence and cooperation, especially in trade and economy.

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More and more importance to issues affecting people under any state ( non-state issues), such as environmental degradation, climate change, terrorism & violence, hunger & poverty, energy security, pandemic, human rights, human security etc.

Scope of IR: Scope, dimensions, or ranges of issues taken under the fold of IR have been constantly evolving. Scope of IR can be categorised as traditional and contemporary. Following are the scope of IR since beginning- traditional scope: •

Diplomatic history - Study of conflictual and co-operational interactions among states in the International state system

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Study of processes by which states adjust their national interest to those of other states

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Study of struggle for power and power relationship( balance of power) among states

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War and peace, security and cooperation, independency, and interdependence among states

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Study of international laws, treaties, covenants, conventions, International organizations, etc.

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Study and evaluation of foreign policies of states, and national interests

In recent times, scope of IR has changed and became much broader; following are its contemporary scope: •

Study of International organizations in fields of politics, trade, economy, cultural, education, religion, regulation, movements.

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Study of International economic system, free trade, economic liberalization, globalizations.

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Study of non-state actors, global civil societies, INGOs, global social movements, global resistance, and social phenomenon such as human rights, pandemic, environmental issues, climate change, terrorism, migration, refugee, human rights, human security, poverty and hunger, etc.

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Globalization, its dimensions and its impacts on IR.

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Contemporary international relations embrace the whole gamut of diplomatic history, international politics, international organization, international law and area studies aimed at understanding and solving problems and conflicts of shared global communities separated by boundaries of nation-states.

Conclusion: International Relation denotes both a condition of interactions and inter-relations between sovereign nation-states in anarchic world order as well as field of study or academic discipline which endeavour to study, understand and thereafter prescribes (recommends) the inter-state interactions and inter-relations and issues related to them in the in the global arena beyond the borders of the nation-state. Nature and scope of IR has undergone significant changes in recent times. However, some ...