International Relations theories Notes

Lecture, 1 Questions 3 and 9

3. Why does Walt conclude that ‘realism remains the most compelling general framework for understanding international relations”?

Times change, along with policies, however the fundamental ideas that back those policies are don’t change, only in each case will each policy adapt. Our nation is a hegemony which is dying quickly in economic and military power. China is coming up, if it hasn’t already caught up, will catch up in my lifetime, in which case, our hegemony will lose its power. Under the realist theory, we cannot let that happen, we must provide security to our nation, security for the future. By creating strategies for the future, we’ll be better prepared, or at least be able to slow the last days of our hegemony.


9. What do you think is Goetschel’s central criticism of our cold war policy toward Islamic fundamentalism? Do you agree or disagree and why?

Goetschel’s stance on the US involvement with today’s “terrorists” is the same as most Americans can relate to. The United States intelligence should have foreseen the future, or at least known which countries hate us, and why. During the cold war, the US had allies which were of help to us, but yet were at the same time, were dangerous and ticking time bombs. These same ticking time bombs played parts helping transform certain militant groups, either by arming, providing shelter, or even promoting these groups.






Lecture 2, Questions 1 and 4
1. What is the United States' national interest?
Our nation’s interest is to provide security for its citizens at all costs. In most cases, we strive to provide ‘peace’ which ends up in war, but it is war that is off our grounds. The most power our nation can secure means the longer we can stay the most dominate power to overthrow other countries which try to conquer us. We set the rules, break them, and enforce.

4. Do you agree with the maxim that, in international politics, the "strong do what
they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept"?

To some degree, I believe that the strong must do what the power they have to do, only because they must to keep the power. And the weak may not always accept, they may have hope and aspirations towards gaining more power, but in the end result no having much and accepting.

Lecture 3, Questions 8 and 9
Explain the difference between "high" politics and "low" politics.
Low politics are concerning health and environmentalist issues. High politics are towards defense issues, along with a more international perspective on issues. These different types of politics are brought out upon by different classes in our system.

What aspect of liberalism did the “Yes Men” focus on and did they “hit the
mark” in terms of their theoretical criticism?

The “yes Men” film portrayed how people wish for bettering other countries, as well as bringing profits to companies. The conferences they went to portrayed corporate America, looking for that extra buck, always out for new ideas. The Yes Men brought new radical ideas which would help improve efficiency their company sweatshops.


• Lecture 4, Questions 2 and 8
Which of the critiques of class system theory (a.k.a. globalism) do you find the
most and least compelling?
A critique that catches my eye for being the most compelling would be the

What concepts did you see in the Ungerman and Brohy film that relate to class
system theory? How would other theorists respond to their critique?