Houghton Mifflin Textbook - Essay Questions

Textbook Site for:



	Global Politics, Eighth Edition James Lee Ray, Vanderbilt University Juliet Kaarbo, University of Kansas



	Essay Questions Chapter 1: Theories of Global Politics Chapter 2: The Historical Setting Chapter 3: The Modern Era Chapter 4: The Power of States Chapter 5: Inside States: The Making of Foreign Policy Chapter 6: International Conflict Chapter 7: State Efforts to Avoid Conflict: Alliances, Arms, and Bargaining Chapter 8: Global Security Efforts: International Organizations, Law, and Ethics Chapter 9: Interdependence Among Rich States: International Political Economy in the North Chapter 10: The Developing States in the International Political Economy Chapter 11: Regional Economic Integration in the Global Political Economy Chapter 12: The Global Environment and Its Inhabitants Chapter 13: Transnational Actors: The Wave of the Future? Chapter 14: Globalization: Contemporary Dynamics and the Future of World Politics Chapter 1: Theories of Global Politics Despite the emergence of alternative approaches, realism remains the dominant theoretical perspective toward world politics. Describe the major assumptions of realism as well as the historical origins of these ideas. In retrospect, has the world changed significantly since Thucydides' treatment of the Peloponnesian Wars? Describe the shared assumptions of feminism as well as the differences between feminist schools. In your opinion, which view of feminism offers the most prom-ise for theoretical development? Which offers the most promise for political reform in the 21st century? Compare and contrast liberalism and idealism. What are the major similarities in these theoretical perspectives? What are the major differences? Apply these per-spectives to interpret the development of international cooperation since World War II. Do you agree with liberalism that globalization will promote greater in-ternational cooperation? Constructivism is a fascinating, yet complicated theoretical approach. Describe its major elements and then critique them in relation to world politics. In your opin-ion, is there an "objective reality" in international politics? What are some accepted international norms and do they truly constrain state behavior? Why or why not? Top Chapter 2: The Historical Setting When and where was the modern state system invented? What role did the Thirty Years' War play in bringing about this invention? What kinds of solutions to international problems did early policy makers believe could be solved through the creation of the modern state system? How did it happen that a conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia in August 1914 led to a German attack on France? What features in the structure of the international system were primarily responsible for bringing this about? How did Hitler come to power in Germany? That is, what were the major factors and events that led to his political success in that respect? Was his success unique or more representative of a pattern visible in other times and places? Did he gain power democratically or not? Describe the historical patterns of hierarchical authority and revolutionary challenges that shaped the emergence of the modern state system. Was the emergence of the state system truly a democratic process, or something else entirely? Finally, in your opinion, is nationalism a positive or negative force in world politics? Top Chapter 3: The Modern Era Describe the historical evolution of U.S. foreign policy in the decade after World War II by developing several themes to characterize its behavior. Specifically, re-flect on how and why U.S. foreign policy became global in scope in the 1940s and 1950s. What were the major causes of the Cold War? Compare theories of realism and world economic systems in their ability to explain the outbreak of the Cold War. What are the fundamental premises of these theories and how do they help us to understand this important period? Some have argued that the United States of America, now more than ever, is rich, powerful-and more vulnerable-than at any other time in history. Do you agree or disagree with this assessment? Relate in theories and specific examples from course material to argue how the U.S. foreign policy posture is stronger (or weaker) in the post-Cold War era. Many people believe that the United States lost its first war in Vietnam. Describe key events related to American involvement in this conflict. In retrospect, how did the Vietnam experience change U.S. foreign policy? Describe major economic policy changes that shaped world politics in the Cold War. How significant were the actions of President Nixon, OPEC, and Soviet col-lectivization in this period? Can the development of the Cold War be understood primarily through an "economic lens"? Top Chapter 4: The Power of States Define nationalism. Describe the evolution of nationalism since the French Revolution and reflect on whether nationalism is a positive or negative force in contemporary world politics. Should every nation have a state? What is the paradox of unrealized power? Drawing on historical information presented in Chapters 2 and 3, consider when and how this paradox has shaped the course of world politics. Finally, what are the implications of this paradox for social science? Describe contending definitions of power. Why is power important in international politics? What are some of the important factors that determine how powerful a state is? Why are these factors significant? Address the differences between hard and soft power. Apply both conceptual models to real world cases of foreign policy development, and then focus on the attributes of soft power. Would you agree with scholar Joseph Nye who argues that American soft power makes it the most influential country in the world today? Why or why not? Top Chapter 5: Inside States: The Making of Foreign Policy Surveys show that most Americans know little about foreign policy issues and international politics. Does this mean that public opinion has very little influence on foreign policy decision making? Why or why not? Is the influence of public opin-ion on foreign policy always harmful? Why or why not? Compare and contrast the role of the military in the foreign policy making processes of major powers (such as the United States) with that of less developed states. What concrete indications are there of the influence of the military-industrial complex in the United States? Why is the military generally so important in the policy making processes of developing countries? Discuss how the tendency of bureaucracies to adhere to standard operating procedures and how competition among different bureaus of the foreign policymaking establishments of the United States and the Soviet Union affected the course of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Did those procedures and the competition make the crisis more likely or less likely to result in nuclear war? Why did the United States take such a hardline position against Iraq after it invaded Kuwait in August 1990? Was the United States simply concerned about losing access to Kuwait's oil? What other considerations played a role in U.S. decision making? Which do you feel were the most important, and why do you come to that conclusion? Are democracies more peaceful than nondemocracies? Given your knowledge of the decision-making process explore whether you think that political institutions and the policy-making process will shape state behavior? Top Chapter 6: International Conflict War is described as a persistent challenge for the international community. What are historical patterns that define warfare? In your opinion, which theories at which levels of analysis provide the most comprehensive theories of the causes of warfare? Apply these theories to an example of the outbreak of a conflict in the 20th century. What is ethnicity? Why does ethnicity lead to conflict? Reflect on possible solutions to ethnic conflict that have been advanced, and specific situations where these have been successful or not. In your opinion, should every nation have a state? Does the type of economy have a relationship with state behavior? What is your opinion of Lenin's perspective that "in a world of many capitalist countries, imperialism means economic competition between rival states?" Critique the democratic dyadic relationship argument and whether there is really a democratic peace? If there has been an impressive accumulation of evidence supporting the idea that democratic states avoid wars with each other because they are democratic, not other factors. But the puzzle remains why democracies do not fight each other, especially given that they are as war prone as non-democratic states? Top Chapter 7: State Efforts to Avoid Conflict: Alliances, Arms, and Bargaining Discuss reasons why states join alliances. What are the primary differences be-tween balancing power and bandwagoning? Drawing on historical examples, discuss whether alliances tend to foster stability or conflict. What were the crucial differences in the structure of the nuclear confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union in the global system during the Cold War and the structure of the prisoners' dilemma game discussed in the book? Did these differences for the most part make it more or less likely that a nuclear war would occur? Why do states proliferate? Describe the debate over the implications of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and take a stand on whether or not this destabilizes international relations in the 21st century. Diplomats are often tempted to engage in coercive bargaining and negotiation strategies in order to deter or compel their adversaries. What is the benefit of coercive bargaining strategies and what do they give us for international peace? Briefly describe the historical evidence in favor of the size principle as it applies to the international system since the Napoleonic Wars. What is the logic behind the size principle? Why does this logic not apply perfectly to states that are in competition with one another in the global political system? Discuss the future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Is its expansion to include states such as Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary good or bad for peace? Are Russian objections to recent expansions reasonable, or do they constitute an attempt to restore some control over the region? Top Chapter 8: Global Security Efforts: International Organizations, Law, and Ethics Describe the general development of international organizations and the principle of collective security. What are the primary principles and prerequisites for collec-tive security? To what extent can the United Nations meet these requirements? Why did the League of Nations fail? How did the lessons that world leaders and scholars draw from this failure affect the structure and the evolution of the United Nations? It is commonly asserted that ethics and moral principles are irrelevant to international politics, but just war theory seems to challenge this position. Describe just war theory and whether major principles have been applied to real world circumstances in the past decade. Some have suggested that it is an appropriate shift from peacekeeping to peacemaking in modern world politics. Discuss the differences between these approaches and whether you believe peacemaking is a productive avenue for world politics. According to basic principles of international law, states should be free of interference in their internal affairs. But sometimes, corrupt policies of some governments against their own citizens create temptations for action. When, if ever, does a state have the right to intervene in another, and why? Discuss some of the more prominent examples of discrimination against women in various countries of the world. What should be done about this discrimination? Which countries, or which organizations, should take steps to eliminate it and why? How would those steps relate to the international legal right that states have to conduct their internal affairs as they see fit? Top Chapter 9: Interdependence Among Rich States: International Political Economy in the North Describe the evolution of the Bretton Woods system. What were the major institu-tions on which that system was based, and what functions did they serve? What brought about the reputed demise of this system, and why? Compare and contrast economic liberalism and mercantilism. Which is the best strategy for the development of national economies? What is comparative advantage and will globalization in a liberalized international system truly work as an invisible hand to promote prosperity in the world market? During the 1980s, there was much talk about the United States being a hegemony in decline. But in 2004, many people say that the United States is the only superpower left in the world. In your opinion, which perception of the role of the United States in the global political system is more valid? Why? Discuss the evidence that the increasingly close integration of the U.S. economy with the global economy has resulted in a decrease in the number of relatively low-skilled jobs with good pay. Why has this occurred? That is, why might increased integration with the world economy have such an effect? In your opinion, what should the U.S. government do about this problem? Top Chapter 10: The Developing States in the International Political Economy Describe the plight of the global South in some detail. What are significant differ-ences in terms of development of the South? In addition, what are some of the different measures of economic development and how representative are they? What are historical explanations of the plight of the global South? Is it true that the roots of the North-South Gap lie in the historical patterns of colonialism and imperialism? Or do you perhaps agree more with the neo-imperialistic arguments of the North versus the South? What are the major tenets of dependency theory? In what ways does dependency theory differ from more orthodox theories of political and economic development? Debate the potential solutions to economic development challenges. Is global aid or trade a better solution to the plight of the South? What is wrong with foreign aid? Reflect on whether you agree with critics who call foreign aid a form of neo-imperialism? Apply contending theoretical perspectives to unearth the programs. What is the NIEO? What are the major principles or arguments of the NIEO? What do you think about the issue of NIEO fundamental transformation of the global economy? What is the policy choice of aiding the South by providing greater foreign assistance? What of the developed state's economies? To what degree do the Asian Tigers challenge theoretical interpretations of development as presented here? Describe the historical record of the Asian Tigers and explain why they might fundamentally be different than other economies? Which economic development theory best explains their relative success during a tumultuous period of world history? Top Chapter 11: Regional Economic Integration in the Global Political Economy Describe the comparisons and contrasts between regional initiatives and globalization. When, if ever, do regional efforts to integrate economies conflict with other political values such as state sovereignty? Describe the political origins of the European Union. What was the historical context that drove this process? Who favored this plan and who did not? In your opin-ion, what is the status of political achievements of the EU? Has it succeeded in achieving the goals laid out by Jean Monnet? What are the differences between federalism and functionalism? What are the basic principles of each theory, and what are some specific examples of these principles in action? In your opinion, which route provides the best avenue toward international cooperation? Describe an initiative for regional economic cooperation in developing countries. In what ways is this different from the patterns of developed states? What are obstacles to integration among LDCs? What is the NAFTA? Describe past and present debates about the advantages and disadvantages of NAFTA. In your opinion, does NAFTA represent an example of success in regional cooperation? Why or why not? What is the neofunctionalist theory of integration? Who are its proponents, and why? How well has this theory worked in Europe? Is neofunctionalism by its very nature anti-democratic? Top Chapter 12: The Global Environment and Its Inhabitants Discuss the general relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution. Does economic growth lead to a worsening of environmental pollution problems in all situations? Why or why not? Could economic growth ever present solutions to environmental problems? Describe different theoretical interpretations of the challenges to the global environment. Compare whether realism or liberalism better account for the problems and potential solutions. Using global warming as a case study, describe the delicate politics of international environmental policy. What is global warming, and what have different countries proposed to do about it? Adopting the pessimist versus optimist debate, predict whether you believe that international politics will successfully overcome environmental challenges in the future. Do you think that the world has a chance to make a difference and overcome the problem? Top Chapter 13: Transnational Actors: The Wave of the Future? What are transnational organizations? What type of transnational organization is the most important in the global political system, and why? Explore contending definitions of international terrorism. Why are there radically different perspectives on terrorism in relation to the state system? Can terrorism ever be conducted for "rational" purposes? Why or why not? Finally, what are potential solutions to terrorist challenges in the 21st century? What are multinational corporations and why are they powerful actors in world politics? Are they engaged in global economic power and influence on par with states today? In your opinion, are MNC behaviors bad or good for international politics, and why? How would you define terrorism, and why? What are the most promising solutions to international terrorism? In recent years, are incidents of international terrorism increasing or decreasing? Top Chapter 14: Globalization: Contemporary Dynamics and the Future of World Politics What is globalization? What are the three dimensions of globalization presented in this chapter? Is globalization really Americanization? And in your opinion, is globalization a good or bad thing for the future of world politics? Political globalization raises the intriguing prospect of global governance. Discuss the evolution of international cooperation building to globalization in the modern era. Do you think that one world government is possible in our lifetimes? What are the pros and cons of this solution to global challenges? Is economic globalization really the engine for future development and what can be done about economic globalization? What economic trends are encouraging what type of developments in world politics and why? Is the world likely to head toward the creation of a global homogeneous single world economy? Why or why not? Describe three general camps toward globalization in detail, and what are their primary arguments-hyperglobalists, skeptics, and transformationalists. Which of these camps do you most associate your views with, and why? Top