Chapter 11: International Politics

Tuesday July 28th

More information than ever before, faster than ever before◦ The global village (Term-Paper Hint: Don’t use this

phrase – as your book notes, it’s a cliché, it’s over, it’s done, just let it die the death it deserves)

Relationships between the global and the local (or glocal…seriously, it’s called glocal) can be ◦ Cultural differences become much clearer◦ The ‘other’ is more well defined relative to ‘us’

Life in a Global Age

Your book makes an odd differentiation between IR and International Politics◦ While IR can relate to any international

relationship, ultimately most of those decisions are inherently political, whether between states or states and other organizations

Foreign policy is less about the state’s international relationships, more about the way it seeks to be perceived

Is International Politics Different than International Relations and Foreign Policy?

No matter the emphasis on the phrase, the state is the central figure on international scale

Peace (or Treaty) of Westphalia

State sovereignty and the rise of nationalism and patriotism

At its Core

Often times, actions on the international scale are said to take place within the international system.◦ NAFTA, the African Union, La Francophonie etc.

An international system, though, is a bit of a misnomer◦ Relative power and engagement◦ Subsystems◦ Even organizations above are state centric

Is there an International System?

Who are the “units of analysis?”

States (obviously)◦ Responsibilities for things like treaties and wars◦ “Structural Anarchy” in the global system

Who polices states? The actions of the state are their own, so long as not infringing of rights of others

International Government Organizations◦ The United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization,

etc.◦ States maintain sovereignty, but may seek to achieve

common goals

Who do We Study in International Politics?

Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)◦ Doctors/Engineers Without Borders, Amnesty

international etc.◦ Growing influence, as often have reach governments

do not have, sometimes more trustworthy as international partners

Multinational Corporations (MNCs)◦ Growing importance due to trade rules that give them

greater say (like NAFTA or the WTO)◦ Hundreds of thousands of them◦ The biggest have more economic power than some

major industrialized states

Who Else?

Individual who influence global discourse◦ Dalai Lama◦ Jobs◦ Sean Penn◦ Clara Hughes and Johann Koss

Social Movements◦ Occupy◦ Student Movement◦ Civil Rights Movement

The Individual(s)

As noted previously, post-war economic policies based on ensuring depression does not happen again

Institutions designed to ensure World War was unlikely◦ Focus on multilateralism (coordination and

cooperation)◦ Rise of the UN◦ Focus on deliberation, exchange of ideas, finding

common ground

Sectors of Globalization

Globalization: “The intensification of economic, political, social and cultural relations across borders”

(Holm and Sorenson in MacLean and Wood, 318)

When did globalization begin?◦ A matter of perspective, intensification surely

began in 1945, again in the 1980s

Briefly on Globalization

Cultural Globalization◦ Rise of the global personality◦ Changing communication and travel tech means

changing cultural norms

Political globalization:◦ Rise of the globally-focused NGOs◦ Understanding of “Global System”

Greenpeace, Democratization Movements, Human Rights movements

Social and Political Globalization

The Cold War◦ International processes fighting for the “soul” of

the world◦ Periods of intense paranoia and fear◦ Regionally hot wars

The Post-Soviet Era◦ A much more complicated world◦ Significant breadth of:

Economy, technology, industry, international roles

The Emergence of Different International Systems

Realism: ◦ “Foundational theory of international relations, usually

identified with Hans J Morgenthau, that emphasizes the anarchy of the international system and the interaction of states based on their respective power.” (Sjolander)

◦ Realpolitik

Primary components of Realism:◦ Global Anarchy◦ Balance of Power

Power interactions, continual quest for advantage◦ Zero-sum interactions

Primary Theories of IR: Realism

No attention to domestic politics, like social movements.

No way to account for MNCs

Terrorism

Criticism of Realism

The Cold War◦ Acting in a bi-polar world◦ Balance of power◦ NATO vs the Warsaw Pact◦ Proxy Wars

A stable world? Vietnam, North Korea The Middle East

◦ Mutual Assured Destruction M.A.D.

Realism in Practice?

Solutions are found in cooperation◦ Growth and prosperity

Large supra-national organizations are inherently beneficial◦ EU, UN, World Bank, IMF, WHO◦ Canada and the G20◦ Liberal Institutionalism

Positive-Sum interactions◦ sometimes less than entirely positive

Non-political opportunities and ethics matter◦ (well, ideally, at least)

Primary Theories of IR: Liberal Theory and the Global Bureaucracy

A capitalistic world system◦ What is Marxism?◦ Patterns of unequal exchange◦ Can’t explain growth of Asian economies

The Marxist Approach◦ Hegemonic classes (working through hegemonic powers)◦ US domination

Other states have power, because of integration into American hegemon)

◦ Highly critical of international organization◦ Excellent tool for considering relationship between North

and South

Primary Theories of IR: The Marxist Approach

A brief note on behaviouralism

Two sides to foreign policy

◦ First is local – that is passing a law or providing validation of an action in one state’s relationship with another

◦ Second is international – the diplomatic relationship between states Official and unofficial discussion Words and actions matter – and their interpretation isn’t

universal

Foreign Policy and Diplomacy

Geography◦ Relationships can be dictated by location

US and Canada Germany in Europe

Natural Resources◦ Self-sufficiency can be a form of power

Can be harder with some states, friendlier with others◦ Access to resource markets necessary for many states

States with few natural resources require open borders◦ Pressure to provide resources to the market, even

without self-sufficiency

Tertiary Forces that Impact Foreign Policy

Population◦ Small populations over large territories tend to lack

military strength◦ Location of the population, diversity of the population too

Technological Development◦ High technological development has, so far, led to higher

quality of life for citizens, less dependence on others (correlation or causation?)

Internal politics◦ System, dominant parties, dominant political culture◦ What’s the best interest of the state?

More Forces

Focus on multilateralism (at least until recently)

Relationship with the US◦ The military and NORAD

Looking forward

Canadian Foreign Policy