DIGITAL PUBLIC DIPLOMACY & NATION BRANDING: SESSION 4 THE GREAT DEBATES IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Universidad Del Desarrollo Prof. Matt Erlandsen August 22 nd, 2017
PREVIOUSLY Definition of International Relations (IR) as an academic field of studies. What is the International System and how it works. Units and Systems in International Relations. The contemporary system.
TODAY: Great Debates: 1 st Debate: Realism v. Idealism. 2 nd Debate: Scientific Dispute (Traditionalism v. Behaviorism). Inter-paradigm Debate: Liberalism v. Realism v. Radical Theories. (Neo-theories). 4 th Debate: Positivism v. Post-positivism (Rationalism v. Reflectivism). Written Essay s Instructions.
1 ST DEBATE: REALISM V. LIBERALISM 1930-1940
REALIST THEORY Machiavelli: The first way to win a State is to be skilled in the art of the war. (The Prince, ed. 1999, p. 47). The most powerful State in terms of war machinery hold the hegemony over all the rest of the countries. War as a tool of conquer and expansion of territories. Thomas Hobbes: Hegemonic power is required to impose order, ensuring a man s survival and security and protecting him form his nature, that of war and power (Leviathan, ed. 1981, p. 190). Leviathan was published in 1651, not longer after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. One country holds the hegemony, but it is its duty to protect its citizens from foreign attacks.
REALISM TODAY Where do we see a Realist approach in today s International System? Contemporary Defensive Realism: NATO: Treaty of Washington establishes an intergovernmental military alliance. Israel: Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Contemporary Offensive Realism: North Korea. Islamic State. United States (?).
IDEALISM THEORY A.K.A. Liberalism. Although, it could be confused with current Neo-liberalism. Greek approach to public participation. People in the center of the State and the debate. Appearance of International Law in order to establish a perpetual peace. Enlightenment philosophers: John Locke, Jeremy Bentham, Immanuel Kant.
LIBERALISM TODAY Where do we see liberalism today? United Nations. European Union. Social Forums in general.
2 ND DEBATE: SCIENTIFIC DISPUTE (TRADITIONALISM V. BEHAVIORISM) 1960-1970
TRADITIONALISM V. BEHAVIORISM Traditionalism: Realism + Idealism. Heavily based on assumptions of how the human nature works (naturalism). Interpretative historicists methods. Behaviorism: insisted in a scientific approach to International Relations. Analysis of the empirical demonstrable facts in order to prevent future disputes among States. Introduction to the scientific method, with empirical testing via falsification. How can these assumptions be proved? Debate about the method to study International Relations.
TRADITIONALISM V. BEHAVIORISM Traditionalists: Also known as the English School of International Relations. A group of States share a certain common interest ( fear of unrestricted violence ) that lead to the development of a certain set of rules. Headley Bull (The Anarchical Society, 1977): A group of States (or, more generally, a group of independent political communities) which not merely form a system, in the sense that the behavior of each is a necessary factor in the calculations of the others, but also have established by dialogue and consent common rules and institutions for the conduct of their relations, and recognize their common interest in maintaining these arrangements. Behaviorists: Sometimes known as the American School of International Relations. Morton Kaplan (System and Process in International Politics, 1966): generalizations are applied indiscriminately over enormous stretches of time and space. They are sufficiently loosely stated so that almost no event can be inconsistent with them.
INTER-PARADIGM DEBATE: LIBERALISM V. REALISM V. RADICAL THEORIES (NEO-THEORIES). Late 1980 s
NEO-REALISM V. NEO-LIBERALISM Some scholars say this is the 3 rd Debate, others it is an inter-debate. Realism kept its dominant position. Vietnam War and the Oil Crisis forced to re-think about the Liberal theory. Kenneth Waltz (1979, Theory of International Politics). States can co-act in an anarchical environment, such as the humans do. Rise of the Neo-Realism. Joseph Nye & Robert Keohane (1987, Power and Interdependence). Heavily based on the Behaviorism. Rise of the Neo-Liberalism. Effect of anarchical system and State egoism. Complex Interdependence. National sovereignty, foreign policies, international organizations.
4TH DEBATE: POSITIVISM V. POST-POSITIVISM (RATIONALISM V. REFLECTIVISM). 1990
RATIONALISM V. REFLECTIVISM Rationalism: Institutions in the center of the debate. Importance of the intersubjective meanings of international institutional activity. Norms and rules, and the discourse they engage in. Evaluation of the significance of those norms as measuring the behavior that changes in response to their invocation. International law. Friederich Kratochwill and John Ruggie.
RATIONALISM V. REFLECTIVISM Reflectivism: Debates the rational-choice of the human being. Tries to explain why, after all the development, the human race still goes to war. The consequences of the modernity are getting much radical and universal then ever. (Giddens, 1997, Consequences of Modernity). New theories such as feminism, post-colonialism, and green theory rise. This is an on-going debate.
WRITTEN ESSAY S INSTRUCTIONS: 15% of the final mark. Due Date: September 7 th, 2017. Delivering: printed at the beginning of the class. Late delivering will be penalized by 1 point of the final mark every 24 hours. 1 (one) essay per student. 4.000 words in English. Times New Roman 12 pts. 1.5 line spacing. Letter size page, with 2.5 cm of margin on each side. References do not count in the 4.000 limit. APA citations is preferred. CITE WHEN NEEDED! Select one school of International Relations reviewed during the class (Realism, Idealism, Constructivism, Feminism, Post-Colonialism, or Green Theory) and discuss how your home country applies it to its foreign policy and international relations actions, both currently and historically.