Reading Assignment-Chapter 3

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Jun 9, 2024

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Critical Reading Exercise – Chapter 3 As with all weekly reading exercises, always answer all the questions in your own words, write at least 6-10 sentences per answer, provide page numbers to show where the information came from (1-2 per answer), and if you absolutely must use a direct quote, you must put it in quotation marks (and of course provide the page number). Quotes still need to be explained and don’t count towards your overall number of sentences. See the rubric attached to the dropbox to see how your answers are being scored. When uploading your answers to the dropbox, make sure you only use MS Word (not pages), PDF, or RTF documents (and always make sure the document you uploaded is the one you wanted to submit. For this week’s exercise, answer the following questions (add space where needed but keep the questions in place and don’t change the font color): 1. What are the key points about liberal international theory? Liberal international theory is largely about implementing order and structure into nations based upon self-preservation (p.50). The theory is crafted with the belief that humans are inherently good, and can learn from their mistakes, regardless of how devastating (p.52). Another key aspect of liberal international theory is how self-determination regarding nations is essential to preserve peace (p.54). By allowing nations to choose their forms of government and policy, Wilson believed that this would contribute to the overall prosperity of the world (p.54). Liberal international theory also emphasizes the need for globalization, as free trade fosters peaceful interactions with otherwise hostile nations (p.55). By basing liberal international theory on the inherent good of nation-states and their desire to ensure peace in their countries, this theory allows for a more optimistic outlook on self-preservation (p.52). 2. How does realism critique liberal international theory? Realism critiques liberal international theory by applying actual human nature to international politics instead of ideological human nature (p.56). Liberal international theory is stated to ignore negative aspects of human nature, such as fear, insecurity, and the desire for power (p.58). These characteristics, according to theorists, are what caused the downfall of the Treaty of Versailles and the eventual descent into World War II (p.56). Ideals such as morality and justice are often outweighed by the desire to self-preserve or to protect the national interest (p.55). Realists claim that liberal international theory places too much emphasis on morality and order, without regard for selfishness and anarchy (p.57). All of these ideals are maintained by a balance of power, influenced by the heads of the sovereign (p.55). 3. What according to the English School is ‘international society’?
The English school determined that international society would be a concept of sovereign states bound together under the premise of managing anarchy (p.61). These states would form an international society based on shared beliefs regarding rules and political structure (p.62). The idea of international society seemed to combine both the liberal international theory and realism (p.61). The rules and norms of the society would seek to protect each nation, while also emphasizing the importance of sovereignty, and enforcing it above all else (p. 63). If states were assured that their sovereignty was preserved and honored, peaceful societal cohabitation would be possible (p.62). Two types of international society formed, pluralism and solidarism, each emphasizing one aspect of international society over the other (p. 64). Pluralism favors values and structure while protecting sovereignty, while solidarism favors values and human rights, even intervening to protect them (p.65). 4. What does it mean to say, “neoliberals acknowledge a variety of state characteristics and modes of behavior often influenced by domestic political constraints” (pp. 66-67)? Domestic political restraints impact overall state characteristics due to the emphasized importance of national interest (p.55). Above all aspects of international society and world organizations is the desire for states to maintain their sovereignty and protect their citizens (p.56). In nations that are democratic, political operators are at the mercy of their constituents and their governmental branches (p.66). The idea of interdependence can also be perceived as an agent of political constraint, as most actors on the global scale originate from a single country, such as NGOs (p.68). Due to these limits imbued upon states, characteristics and behaviors are heavily based upon the desires and preservation of the state (p.55). A great example of this would be the Trump administration removing the United States from the United Nations Human Rights Council (Associated Press, Keaton et al). 5. Pick one of the theories discussed in this chapter and, by using an actual example of global politics in the news, explain why you find this theory most useful. The realism theory, despite not being considered a theory, is the most useful tool in understanding international politics (p.56). Realism acknowledges the negative sides of human nature in its fullest, accurately predicting the outcomes of real-life situations. A great example of this theory would be the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict occurring in Gaza, where the worst aspects
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