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Political Economy — International Relations Theory

Major IR theories and the structure of global politics

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hegemony_hawk 23 terms Sep 6, 2025
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Terms 23

1
Realism
States are primary actors; anarchic system; power maximization; Hobbes, Morgenthau, Waltz
2
Liberalism (IR)
Cooperation possible; institutions matter; interdependence reduces conflict; Kant, Keohane
3
Constructivism
Ideas, norms, and identity shape interests; anarchy is what states make of it; Wendt
4
Neorealism (Structural Realism)
Waltz: structure of system (distribution of power) drives state behavior, not human nature
5
Neoliberal Institutionalism
International institutions allow cooperation despite anarchy by reducing uncertainty and transaction costs
6
Anarchy
Absence of overarching authority in international system; states self-help
7
Security Dilemma
State's effort to increase security threatens others; causes arms races and conflict
8
Balance of Power
States form alliances to prevent dominant power; systemic mechanism in realism
9
Hegemonic Stability Theory
Open international order requires hegemonic power to provide public goods and enforce rules
10
Democratic Peace Theory
Liberal democracies rarely go to war with each other; empirically well-supported
11
Prisoner's Dilemma
Game theory model; individually rational choices lead to collectively suboptimal outcome
12
Collective Action Problem
Rational individual behavior undermines collective welfare; free-riding on public goods
13
Sovereignty
Supreme authority within defined territory; foundational principle of international system since Westphalia
14
Westphalian System
Post-1648 order of sovereign states with non-interference norm; basis of modern IR
15
R2P (Responsibility to Protect)
Norm that sovereignty is conditional; international community may intervene to prevent atrocities
16
Soft Power
Nye: attraction through culture, values, and policy; contrasts with hard power (military, economic)
17
Polarity
Distribution of power in international system; unipolar, bipolar, multipolar
18
Dependency Theory
Core states exploit periphery; underdevelopment is structural, not developmental lag
19
Feminist IR Theory
Gender shapes international politics; examines how IR marginalizes women and gendered knowledge
20
Critical Theory (IR)
Questions who benefits from current order; emancipatory project; Frankfurt School influence
21
Copenhagen School
Securitization theory; issues become security threats through speech acts by elites
22
Two-Level Games
Putnam: leaders negotiate internationally and domestically simultaneously; win-sets
23
Power Transition Theory
Rising power challenging declining hegemon increases war risk; cf. Thucydides Trap