Summary of International Relations

Think of similarities across topics.  Draw connections.  

1. The international system is anarchic
2. Uncertainty is prevalent

1. States have difficulty knowing another’s intentions
2. Capabilities and power; material capabilities
3. If states have difficulty knowing each other’s intentions cannot assess whether or not they will be a threat
4. Affect the ability to make agreements

1. Power affects how states interact with one another
2. Conflict is always a possibility

1. When states do have disputes, there is no international court, so it is hard to tell what they will do.

1. But, cooperation does happen.  

1. UN security council (sanctions peace keeping interventions)
2. Cooperated on human rights issues
3. Cooperated on nuclear weapons
4. Working on agreement with climate change

1. Collective action problems make cooperation difficult
2. Enforcement problems make it difficult to change state behavior.

1. Are states willing to enforce agreements?
2. Coercion (sanctions, threats, etc.)

1. States are the main actor, but non-state actors are increasingly important
2. The nature of international conflict is changing

1. Interstate conflict
2. Terrorists, non-state actors
3. Nuclear weapons

1. Waltz- stabilize international relations b/c increase the strength of deterrence and costs of war

1. International institutions and norms are changing too

1. Proliferation after the end of WWII
2. Growth of human rights norms
3. Growth of international law in almost all issue areas (economics-GATT and WTO, environmental issues- Kyoto protocol, Nuclear weapons- NPT and IAEA)
4. Still debate over how the threat of international law can shape state behavior