2. COURSE SCHEDULE
CHAPTER 1: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
INTRODUCTION AND STATES
CHAPTER 2: NON-STATES
CHAPTER 3: INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
(IGOs)
CHAPTER 4: PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES
3. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS?
Narrowly defined, the subject of International
Relations (IR) concerns the relations among
the world’s goverments.
It is usually taught often in a combination
with, or as part of political science.
4. CORE PRINCIPLES
IR revolves around one key problem: How can a
group, such as two or more countries, serve its
collective interests when doing so requires its
members to forgo their individual interests?
For example, every country has an interest in
stopping global warming, but each country also
keeps on burning fossil fuels to develop its
economy.
5. The problem of shared interests versus conflicted
interests among members of a group is called
collective goods problem.
Three basic principles offer possible solutions to this
problem:
Dominance: Solves the collective goods problem by
establishing a power hierarchy where those at the
top control those below.
Reciprocity: Solves the collective goods problem by
rewarding behaviour that contributes to the group
and punishing behaviour that pursues self-interest.
Identity: Solves the collective goods problem by
caring about the interests of others in a community
to sacrifice one’s own interests to benefit others.
6. ACTORS OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
International Relations includes not only relations
between States but also between States and Non-
state Organizations such as multinational
corporations, and between States and
Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs) such as
the U.N. and the E.U.
9. IDEALISM
The Idealist Theory was
developed after World War I.
It aims to prevent warfare
and maintain peace between
states.
10. According to the Idealist Theory:
Sustainable peace is impossible if a nation is under
the hegemony of another nation.
Warfare should be avoided due to its destructive
nature.
11. Idealist Theory fell from grace with the beginning of
World War II.
The reason for this was that the warfare had not
been prevented by this theory and killed so many
people although it aimed to sustain peace among
states.
12. REALISM
According to the Realist Theory, international
politics is a chaos and constant struggle for
power, not necessarily resulting in constant
open warfare, but always necessitating a
readiness to go to war.
For this purpose military power is the key
requirement.
14. NEOREALISM
States’ domestic policies may differ from their foreign
policies. Neorealism develops a more scientific
explanation by denying the moral dimension of state
management.
15. INTERDEPENDENCE
Interdependence Theory challenges the realist idea
that the state is the most important entity in
international relations.
It stresses the importance of non-state actors, such
as human rights organizations and their influential
role in a more complex global society.
16. Basic Concepts in International
Relations
1. DIPLOMACY
Diplomacy is a concept that means international
relations should be conducted not with war but
with peaceable ways and instruments.
The golden rule in diplomacy is being
determined inside but being soft in words.
The beginning of war means the failure of
diplomacy.
17. 2. CRISIS
Narrowly defined, crisis is a dispute between states
or various power blocks which is “resolvable but
possible to tranform into war’’.
Decision-makers mostly prefer one of the two below
choices during crisis:
1) Finding the pre-crisis equilibrium (former status
quo)
2) Finding new equilibrium with the change after
crisis.
18. DEFINING THE STATE
• The state, the basic unit of the modern global
state system, is a complex political and legal
concept of crucial importance in the study of
International Relations.
• According to international law, all states have a
legal personality.
19. Even the smallest and least powerful state has to meet
certain basic criteria to obtain recognition as a member
of the state system by other states in the global system
of states.
20. It must have:
1. A defined territory.
2. A permanent population.
3. A government which is capable of maintaining
effective control over its territory and conducting
international relations with with other states.
21. In the real world of international relations, there is an
enormous variation in the degree to which states
meet these criteria.
Many states struggle to maintain effective sovereign
control over even some parts of their defined
territory, so they may find themselves confronted by
civil wars.
Even external recognition is not an absolute criterion
of statehood.
22. We cannot produce everything, we buy goods and
products, even borrow money. States are connected to
each other not only politically, but also economically.
For example, many countries refused to recognize the
state of Israel.
Thus, generally we can say that it is enough to have
external recognition from a considerable number of
states, most importantly from the United Nations.
23. Nation-State
The term ‘nation-state’ describes the states which are
sovereign and part of the global states system.
These states seek to foster a sense of national identity
and loyalty.
However, one should be aware that there is a huge
amount of tension, hostility and conflict between ‘state’
and ‘nation’ in modern international relations.
24. POWER
According to Morgenthau, the factors that determine
the power of a country are connected to:
Geography
Natural resources
Industrial capacity
Military capacity
Population
National character
National morality
Attribute of the diplomacy and the attribute of the government.
25. Generally, we may say that 4 different methods are
used to implement power:
1- Persuasion
2- Awarding
3- Punishing
4- Use of force
Power Implementation
26. This concept tries to explain the states’ planned or
natural struggle to balance the powers of the other
states in international relations. It assesses a
constantly changing situation between alliances.
The Balance of Power
27. INTEREST
In the field of international relations, it is assumed
that states behave according to their own national
interests.
28. In the broadest sense, security means being away
from danger, being safe and protected.
SECURITY
29. PEACE
In International Relations discipline, the term peace
is used for not being in war with another state or
group of states, or ceasing an ongoing war.
30. WAR
Is a state of usually open and declared armed hostile
conflict between states or nations. War includes violence,
economic destruction and social disruption.
31. TYPES OF WAR
1. HOT WAR
2. COLD WAR
3. REGULAR ARMY WARS
4. WARS WITH WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
32. Types of War
According to the
Parties
Wars with
all parties
are states
Wars of the
similar
states
(U.S.A.and
Japan)
Wars of the
dissimilar
states
(U.S.A.and
Afghanistan)
Wars with
not all the
parties are
states
Civil
wars
(Egypt)
Wars of
indepenence
(Turkey)
Separatist-
ethnic wars
(Kirghiz-
Uzbek)
