...1 The Foundations of International Society 2013-2014 Part I: Politics 2 (International Relations I) Paper organiser: Professor Christopher Hill (POLIS): Room 105, Alison Richard Building Email: cjh68@cam.ac.uk Lecturers: Professor Hill (CH), Dr Elisabetta Brighi (EB), Dr Aaron Rapport (AR) and Dr Stefano Recchia (SR). Aims and Objectives The course aims to introduce students to the subject of International Relations (IR), whose main focus is the nature of politics at the international level. Students will acquire the empirical and conceptual foundations needed to understand a world political system which cannot be accurately described as either pure anarchy or a coherent form of ‘global governance’. The starting point is the notion of ‘international society’, which refers to the set of institutions and common procedures generated by states over the last three and a half centuries in their attempts to achieve some minimal form of co-existence, but which has gradually evolved to include many non-state actors and different levels of activity – diplomatic, economic and cultural, as well as that of military competition. By the end of the course you should be able to have an informed discussion about: the historical origins of the present system; what is distinctive about international politics as opposed to politics inside the state; and the main challenges which confront humanity in the twenty-first century. You will also acquire a basic familiarity with the main theories needed...
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...as tradition of thought, which signifies an approach to international relations, describing the world as it is, and not as it ought to be. In this essay, I will highlight differences between two strands of Realism dominant in the 20th century i.e., classical realism and neo-realism and also assess if neo-realism is an advance on realism. While there are numerous denominations to the realist theory, there are no. of essential core elements which all Realists subscribe to. Prescribing to Hobbes view, all realists be it classical or neo-realist believe that international system is a state of nature where individual exist in an ungoverned environment, “without a common power to keep them all in awe”. Hobbes equates state of nature as state of war, which pits “every man, against every man”. To escape this intolerable condition, individuals agree to enter a civil society and install a sovereign power. Therefore, Realist theory operates in the assumption that domestically; the problem of order and security is solved because there is a central authority to look after the security needs of the individuals. However, international system, remains anarchic wherein each sovereign state acts independently, free from interference from or dependence upon other states. In a state of anarchy, states are responsible for their own security needs and nothing can impede the normal recurrence of war....
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...Politics 223 2014 International Relations International event 24316563 E.S Zulu 13.07.2014 Introduction International relation is a fast moving subject of study; it came too recognised as academic discipline. Despite adjective international, the field is concerned with much more than relations between or amongst state. Other actors such as international organisation, Multination Corporation, and terrorist groups are now all of what could more correctively be termed world politics. Different perspectives on the international relations naturally generate debates. In 1930’s realist and idealist argued over the nature of the international politics and the possibility of the peaceful change and the Marxist critics (Paul and Mark, 1987:1-3). International Relations According to Johari (2009:1-39) the international relations are the study of the political and social interaction of state, non-state and individuals. In the recent years the increasing interaction among these actors, coupled with advances in informational technology and the spread of human rights, have raised many new questions for international relations scholars, practitioners, and students. International relations as a discipline is chiefly concerned with what state do on the world stage and in turn, how their actions affect other states, correspondingly states are a common unit of analysis in theories of international relation, many analysis focus on states and their interactions to explain observed patterns...
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... Comics & Politics In December of 1940 almost a year before the U.S. would enter into WWII, Captain America Comic #1 was released with the cover showing the super hero punching Hitler (Aiken, 41). This is only one of several different examples of politics being present in comics. No matter the political issue comics have not been afraid to express their views on politics. There is no denying that politics are present in comics, but the real question is, do politics belong in comics? Mainstream comics sole purpose is to make money, and companies will do write about anything if they think it will sell more comics. In this instance the comic book companies are using politics to gain interest and sell their product. Without the presence of politics in comics many story lines would not have been as strong, and many characters would not have been created. Atomic Warfare and the Regan administration both were heavily displayed in comics and both had a significant effect on comic books. When President Harry Truman ordered for the bombing of both Hiroshima and Nagasaki and revealed to the world the power behind atomic warfare, soon followed an onslaught of controversy whether this technology belonged in war. The world had never seen such power and soon the world began to debate this topic. Comic books soon began to publish stories, mainly involving superhero’s, with atomic related stories. As the years progressed and the U.S. entered into the Cold War with Russia the issues...
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...Write a 5-6 page paper in which you: 1. Identify at least two (2) major historical turning points in the period under discussion. 2. Analyze the impact of the two (2) or more major historical turning points selected on America’s current society, economy, politics, and culture. 3. Give at least two (2) reasons that Americans in the late 1930s wanted to stay out of the European conflict that became World War II. 4. Explain the role that women played to help win World War II. 5. Describe at least two civil rights breakthroughs after World War II that moved the cause of African-Americans forward. 6. Describe at least two (2) ways in which the Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans. 7. Describe at least two (2) programs of President Johnson’s “Great Society” agenda that are still with us today. 8. Include at least two (2) references other than the textbook. At least one (1) of your sources must be obtained from the collection of databases accessible from the Learning Resources Center Web page. Generic encyclopedic Internet resources such as Wikipedia or Answers.com will not be considered acceptable. Your assignment must: Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name...
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...The Peloponnesian War was a conflict between the Greek city-states, Athens and Sparta, from 431 BC that brought an end to the Hellenic age of Pericles and his empire by the succession of Sparta by the end of the war. Thucydides is seen as a ‘proto-realist’, one of the first realists in the study of politics that wrote in a more theoretical sense, as well as the founding father of International Relations. His study on the History of the Peloponnesian War provides awareness of the conflict and various analyses on the causes of the war by observing the strategic interaction between the states, hierarchy amongst the states along with legitimacy and levels of power to determine the pattern of their relations. Although there are undeniably numerous differences between Thucydides era and our world system today, Thucydides persists to influence contemporary international relations, namely Realism, with many realists frequently referring to the Melian Dialogue when advocating a power-based approach. With Thucydides often portraying insights into human nature, many scholars use his findings as a guide that is still relevant today due to the generality of self-interest, fear and power maximisation that still occurs as it did previously. Thucydides’ relevance today has been greatly perceived through his impact upon political realism in his studies concerning the concept of power politics. Whilst political realism expresses the view that international relations is the battle of self-interested...
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...challenges of the twenty-first century? As the world evolves, as knowledge grows, and as life conditions change, we change. For religion to remain relevant and effective as a source of spiritual guidance and support for billions of people, it too must change. But today, the world’s great religions find themselves at a critical juncture. Adhering to values and beliefs that are often thousands of years old, they are finding it increasingly difficult to provide the spiritual guidance and moral authority necessary to face the challenges of modern society. So the question is: Can the great religious traditions of the world reinvent themselves in order to address the needs and hopes of a complex, materialistic, and increasingly secular twenty-first-century world? We like to think they can … Hear from living saints as they transmit both the ageless dharma and an enlightened vision for the future. Take a transformative journey to the leading edge of new 21st-century spirituality where the individual, the mythical God, and consciousness itself merge into one. Discover the most progressive—and evolutionary—views on religion, including Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.Consider a vision of the future where care for the planet and its people tops the agendas of the world’s great religions. http://www.enlightennext.org/magazine/future-of-religion/ The Future of Religion and Politics in the Developing World Religion and Politics are an influential aspect of daily life and continue...
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...Religion and Politics and the effect of religion in America For a virtuous instance of how religion affects politics in our current world we need not look very distant but rather look around you. The influence of Catholicism on Latin American politics, and the role religion plays on Middle Eastern politics have had a profound affect in those related societies. After examining the effects of religion into the above mentioned societies it is clear that the introduction of religion into politics has proven to be suppressive and counterproductive to most third world countries, and various subcultures in first world countries. A very well known writer and scholar on the history of Egypt, Budge, E. A. Wallis, "Egyptian Religion and Society: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life (Library of the Mystic Arts)". Citadel Press. August 1, 1991. Wrote, “Most scholars have concluded that, in later times at least, there was no close personal tie between the individual Egyptian and the gods, that the gods remained aloof, that their relationship to humans was indirect, communicated to him by means of the king”. We must remember that there was no established book or set of teachings, as the Bible or the Qur'an, and few prescribed conditions of behavior or conduct. Humans were guided essentially by human wisdom and trusted in their belief in the goodness of the gods and of their divine son, the king. An important concept in Egyptian life was the idea of justice. Although the Egyptian was entirely...
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...Sex and drugs and rock and roll Hypothesis: the 1960’s were the most influential decade when popular culture changed the world Of the many significant events in the 20th century, the two world wars, the cold war and Vietnam, space exploration and the dramatic impacts of automation and technology on everyday life, culminating with the popularity of personal computers and the birth of the internet towards the end of the millennium, arguably no other decade had as significant an impact on popular culture as did the 1960’s. What we witness is a transition from a conformist society at the start of the decade to a counter-culture of anti-war protests, pushes towards racial and sexual equality, free love and drug influences like never before. As...
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...Thucydides was an Athenian general, political philosopher and one of the greatest ancient historians of the fifth century B.C. Father of scientific history, and also of political "realism", the school of thought that focuses on power and state security above all else. He became famous for his strict standards of evidence gathering and examination of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the divine beings. He set a standard for precision, concision and scope that makes his work characterizing to the genre of history, and the first scientific gathering of the facts of its sort. Thucydides still holds critical significance today and his texts are still studied at both propelled military colleges and universities around the world....
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...spread dissident discourse, organize protests and transmit live footage of revolutions across the world. Simultaneously, stubborn autocrats clung to political survival tactics by blocking their citizens’ access to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook in order to disrupt the gathering momentum of a networked people determined to change their governments. Communication is essential to diplomacy, it always has been. As Nicolson (1954:2) wrote “The origins of diplomacy lie buried in the darkness preceding what we call the dawn of history. There came a stage when the anthropoid apes inhabiting one group of caves realized that it might be profitable to reach some understanding with neighboring groups regarding the limits of their respective hunting territories”. Information gathering, reporting, and sharing have been across the centuries the staple diet of diplomats. Communication is so crucial to diplomatic activity that, over history, virtually any advance in communication technology has affected the practice of diplomacy. Nickles (2003) in Under the Wire specifically examines the impact of the telegraph on diplomatic activities. He describes the acceleration of international relations‘ and obliteration‘ of distance resulting from the possibility for messages to travel via cable faster than people could until then by ship, horse, or train. Interrelated changes in politics, international relations, and mass communication have greatly expanded the media's role in diplomacy...
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...How far did World War One cause the collapse of the liberal state? The liberal state in Italy during the period in the build up to World War One was one of instability an speculation led by Giovanni Giolitti by the rules of trasformismo politics. While Giolitti is seen as successful in some senses, he failed to unite Italy in a way in which other continental countries were, and could not prevent resentment between different groups and classes causing chaotic riots and civil unrest in 1914, the same year that would see him come to pass on power to Antonio Salandra. Only a year later would Italy enter the First World War under Salandra against Giolitti’s will of neutrality. World War one itself perhaps exposed some of the weaknesses in the current political system of which liberal Italy was functioning on. The fact that there was division of opinion on whether Italy should enter the war highlights the unstable and indecisive nature of this system in Italy at this time. Italy’s influence and helpfulness to the allies in the fighting aspect of the war was very minimal, the army seemed relatively weak willed and lacked morale eventually leading to situations such as Caporetto in 1917 when an astonishing 300,000 Italian soldiers surrendered to become POW’s leaving Italy depleted in infantry, while also losing 150km of land. Overall in the war around 600,000 Italian troops were killed, a staggering amount considering Italy’s limited role in the war and perhaps pointed to a poor...
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...Josephus J. Ellie Final Year, History and Politics Essay Topic: “Critically Evaluate Post War Realist Explanation of International Politics with Particular Reference to Power” Introduction The tradition of political realism – realpolitik, power politics – has a long history that is typically traced back to the great Greek historian Thucydides in the fifth century BC. Although dominant attitudes towards realism have varied, realist arguments and orientations have been central to the Western theory and practice of international relations. “In particular, “modern” international society, whether dated from the era of Machiavelli at the turn of the sixteenth century or that of Hobbes in the mid-seventeenth century, has been closely linked to realist balance of power politics. The link between realism and international theory is especially strong in the twentieth century. International relations first emerged as an academic discipline before and immediately after World War I, largely in reaction against realist balance of power politics. The discipline was then reshaped immediately before and after World War II by self-identified realists such as E. H. Carr and Hans Morgenthau. Prominent scholar-practitioners, such as George Kennan and Henry Kissinger, have called themselves realists. For most of the post-World War II era realism has been the dominant paradigm in the Anglo-American study of international relations”. Even in our post-Cold War era of globalization, realist theories...
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...Final Year, History and Politics Essay Topic: “Critically Evaluate Post War Realist Explanation of International Politics with Particular Reference to Power” Introduction The tradition of political realism – realpolitik, power politics – has a long history that is typically traced back to the great Greek historian Thucydides in the fifth century BC. Although dominant attitudes towards realism have varied, realist arguments and orientations have been central to the Western theory and practice of international relations. “In particular, “modern” international society, whether dated from the era of Machiavelli at the turn of the sixteenth century or that of Hobbes in the mid-seventeenth century, has been closely linked to realist balance of power politics. The link between realism and international theory is especially strong in the twentieth century. International relations first emerged as an academic discipline before and immediately after World War I, largely in reaction against realist balance of power politics. The discipline was then reshaped immediately before and after World War II by self-identified realists such as E. H. Carr and Hans Morgenthau. Prominent scholar-practitioners, such as George Kennan and Henry Kissinger, have called themselves realists. For most of the post-World War II era realism has been the dominant paradigm in the Anglo-American study of international relations”[1]. Even in our post-Cold War era of globalization,...
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...The world has changed drastically since 1945, so much so that there are entire classes dedicated to the change brought about by the end of World War II. Between 1945 and 2018, the world has seen the rise and fall of communism governments, has witnessed countries formed and others torn apart. The world has seen empires fall and superpowers rise to take their place, only to become locked in the ideological Cold War that left all in fear of nuclear war. No country remained unaffected by the conflict of the United States (US) and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Consequently, Cold War politics continue to affect modern the actions and reputations of countries globally even long after its end in 1989. The Cold War refers to the...
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