Review for final exam

Structure of essayYour thoughts?

Structure of essay: My thoughtsLots to cover: 2 issue areas, 3 theories, 6 tenets

Cover as many tenets as you can cover well, at least

Ensure youCover major pointsCompare across theories and across issue areasShow clear knowledge of theories and application

Keep intro and conclusion shortUse headings

My suggested structureIntroFocus

Describe facts about Focus: conflict is common in issue 1 but cooperation among people in different countries more common in issue 2; in both issues there is some cooperation among countries

Facts of Issue 1 fit best with focus of Realists while facts of Issue 2 fit better with focus of Feminist/Disenfranchised view; similarities in interstate cooperation fit better with institutionalism

Repeat for A-G-M-O-DCompare issues: overall, Institutionalism explains more of

Issue 1 but Realism plus Feminist theories explains more of Issue 2

Conclusion

Realism Institutionalism

Feminist Theory

Focus – what is being explained?

Actors – who are considered the main actors to watch?

Goals – what are the goals of the main actors?

Means – what means do actors use to achieve their goals?

Organizing Principles – how is the international system organized?

Dynamics – what does the process of international relations look like?

Realism Institutionalism

Feminist Theory

Focus – what is being explained?

Conflict

Actors – who are considered the main actors to watch?

States are primary and act as unitary rational actors

Goals – what are the goals of the main actors?

Survival, security, and hence, power

Means – what means do actors use to achieve their goals?

Military force is usable, effective, and fungible

Organizing Principles – how is the international system organized?

Anarchy and self-help

Dynamics – what does the process of international relations look like?

Acquisition and balancing of power

Realism Institutionalism

Feminist Theory

Focus – what is being explained?

Conflict Cooperation

Actors – who are considered the main actors to watch?

States are primary and act as unitary rational actors

Multiple actors (states, MNCs, NGOs); not always unitary or rational

Goals – what are the goals of the main actors?

Survival, security, and hence, power

Econ & social goals as well as security

Means – what means do actors use to achieve their goals?

Military force is usable, effective, and fungible

Asymmetry in interdependence; issue-specific power

Organizing Principles – how is the international system organized?

Anarchy and self-help

Anarchy mitigated by norms, rules, & institutions

Dynamics – what does the process of international relations look like?

Acquisition and balancing of power

Alternation of cooperation & conflict

Realism Institutionalism

Feminist Theory

Focus – what is being explained?

Conflict Cooperation Conflict between genders, rather than between states

Actors – who are considered the main actors to watch?

States are primary and act as unitary rational actors

Multiple actors (states, MNCs, NGOs); not always unitary or rational

Individuals gendered as masculine and feminine

Goals – what are the goals of the main actors?

Survival, security, and hence, power

Econ & social goals as well as security

Individual security and well-being

Means – what means do actors use to achieve their goals?

Military force is usable, effective, and fungible

Asymmetry in interdependence; issue-specific power

use of gender identities, even by the state, in service of the state

Organizing Principles – how is the international system organized?

Anarchy and self-help

Anarchy mitigated by norms, rules, & institutions

Patriarchy, gendered hierarchical structure

Dynamics – what does the process of international relations look like?

Acquisition and balancing of power

Alternation of cooperation & conflict

Reconstruction & maintenance of gendered hierarchies

Applications to different issue areasSecurityIPEHuman rightsEnvironment

Concepts SecurityConflict, cooperation, harmonyPowerRole of statesGoals of statesMeans states useRoles of institutions

The future of IRFocusActorsGoalsMeansOrganizing PrincipleDynamics

Individuals can make a differenceStructure vs. agency as deep theme of course

How to act in small ways that make big changes to structure over time

1,000s of small decisions each year – bias your decisions toward your goals

Individuals can make a differenceJody Williams and Campaign to Ban LandminesRazia Jan: Afghan-born, lives in Massachusetts,

provides free education to Afghan girlsSkateistan (min 1-8)