Deck 3: International Relations Theories

Question 1

Constructivists believe that identities can change as a result of cooperative behavior and learning.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Realists argue that states act in a unitary way in pursuit of their national interest,which is defined in terms of

A) a desire to create international institutions to prevent war.
B) a desire to spread democracy.
C) a desire to cooperate with other states.
D) a desire to gain power.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is associated most closely with realist thinking?

A) cooperation
B) free trade
C) international institutions
D) state security

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Realists view international politics as similar to domestic politics.

Question 5

The idea that the international system is "anarchic," as posited by realists,means that

A) states in the international system are not rational actors.
B) there is an absence of an overarching authority in the international system.
C) states in the international system do not cooperate.
D) the international system does not have organized international institutions.

Question 6

There are different realist arguments,some of which offer very different prescriptions for appropriate foreign policy.

Question 7

Collective expectations for the proper behavior of actors with a given identity are known as

A) international laws.
B) norms.
C) treaties.
D) international institutions.

Question 8

Realists view power as stemming from ________,while constructivists view power a stemming from ________.

A) material resources; discourse and ideas
B) interdependence; discourse and ideas
C) discourse and ideas; material resources
D) discourse and ideas; interdependence

Question 9

A set of propositions that combine to explain phenomena by specifying the relationship among a set of concepts is

A) a hypothesis.
B) a theory.
C) a variable.
D) a deduction.

Question 10

Complex interdependence refers to a situation where there are multiple channels of communication between governments and corporations across state borders.

Question 11

Constructivists like Alexander Wendt argue that knowing the distribution of material capabilities in the international system is enough to predict whether two states will be friends or foes.

Question 12

Radical theorists emphasize the fact that the meanings of objects and concepts are constructed through social interaction.

Question 13

The term international institutions is used by international relations scholars to refer to

A) formal organizations only.
B) treaties only.
C) both formal organizations and treaties.
D) only the UN and its subsidiary bodies.

Question 14

What are hypotheses?

A) specific statements positing a particular relationship between two or more variables
B) general statements positing many possible relationships between two or more variables
C) specific statements regarding a single variable
D) general statements regarding a single variable

Question 15

Theories are sets of propositions that prove the existence of particular relationships between variables.

Question 16

All branches of liberalism treat the state as a unitary actor.

Question 17

Some theories treat the state as a unitary actor,meaning that they

A) think democracies are the most important states in the international system.
B) think domestic politics is the place to look for explanations of international events.
C) view it as existing in a non-anarchic system.
D) view it as having its own defined interests and choosing its own actions.

Question 18

Which of the following is an essential assumption of realism?

A) States are unitary actors; there are no subnational actors trying to overturn the decision of the government.
B) State leaders are driven by a desire to conform to international norms.
C) There is a clear hierarchy in the international system.
D) Decision makers are not rational actors.

Question 19

Despite their many differences,both realism and liberalism view people as rational actors.

Question 20

Dependency theorists believe that less developed countries will rise quickly now that colonialism has ended.

Question 21

Realists argue that states' concern with relative gains will undermine international cooperation.What do they mean by this?

A) States will not cooperate since they have relatively little to gain from doing so.
B) States cannot be sure they will gain anything from cooperation,so they have little incentive to try.
C) Because it is relatively costly to form international institutions,realists believe it is a waste of resources to contribute to cooperative endeavors.
D) States will be reluctant to cooperate even for mutual gain,because their partners may benefit more,gaining additional power to use against them in the future.

Question 22

Constructivist theory has

A) ended discussion of the foundational questions of sovereignty and citizenship.
B) focused its attention primarily on social norms,ideas,and practices.
C) focused attention on the fixed,inherent meaning of material structures.
D) produced a unified,substantive theory.

Question 23

Many liberal theories believe that ________ and ________ can reduce the likelihood of war.

A) norms; national economic self-sufficiency
B) democracy; national economic self-sufficiency
C) free trade; norms
D) democracy; free trade

Question 24

Realists argue that states are focused on relative gains because

A) they want to cooperate in order to gain as much as possible for themselves.
B) a relative loss makes them more susceptible to attack.
C) they are not concerned with economic power.
D) they do not think they can cooperate.

Question 25

The fact that India's development of nuclear weapons made Pakistan less secure,leading it to pursue nuclear weapons as well,illustrates

A) a lack of economic interdependence.
B) the security dilemma.
C) external balancing.
D) nuclear compellence.

Question 26

The fact that the European Union provides an institutional framework that creates an expectation of continued interactions among its member states is a reason

A) neorealists argue cooperation is unlikely between those states and other states.
B) neoliberal institutionalists argue cooperation is likely between them.
C) constructivists argue cooperation is likely between them.
D) dependency theorists argue cooperation between the EU states and developing countries is likely.

Question 27

Following the U.S.invasion of Iraq in 2003,Libya's choice to abandon its efforts to acquire nuclear,chemical,and biological weapons in order to hedge against potential aggression from the United States is an example of

A) defensive realists' argument that states should balance against aggressors.
B) defensive realists' argument that defense postures can limit the levels of mistrust among states.
C) offensive realists' argument that states should follow policies of restraint.
D) offensive realists' argument that periodically fighting a war can intimidate potential rivals into bandwagoning with it.

Question 28

That individuals are rational and capable of collective action that can help moderate or eliminate aggression is one of the central tenets of the foundations of ________ thinking.

A) Marxist
B) realist
C) liberal
D) constructivist

Question 29

The idea that informal meetings,such as the one between heads of state Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India at Merkel's country retreat in 2017,can help to foster cooperation between those states is an argument consistent with ________.

A) the concept of the democratic peace.
B) the Beijing Consensus.
C) the concept of complex interdependence.
D) the Washington consensus.

Question 30

The idea that aggression by one state would be countered by automatic and joint reaction by other states is known as

A) bandwagoning.
B) balancing power.
C) collective security.
D) rollback.

Question 31

The foundations of liberalism lies in the idea that

A) human beings are rational and social and can therefore develop institutions to cooperate.
B) rational human beings are not naturally social and must therefore create institutions to cooperate.
C) human beings are not rational,but institutions can help them overcome that irrationality and cooperate.
D) the rationality of human beings pushes against cooperation,but it can be overcome.

Question 32

What differentiates liberalism and neoliberal institutionalism?

A) beliefs about what causes states to cooperate
B) beliefs about the national interest
C) beliefs about capitalism
D) beliefs about war

Question 33

Democratic peace theory argues that

A) democracies are less likely to go to war than other states.
B) democracies are unlikely to go to war with other democracies.
C) democracies are inherently peaceful-type states.
D) democracies are unlikely to go to war with autocracies.

Question 34

The liberal theorists with a "bottom-up" view of international politics believe

A) states' actions represent only a subset of domestic society.
B) the importance of state security drives all state actions.
C) socialization to norms of cooperation at the domestic level will eventually lead to a lack of conflict at the international level.
D) bandwagoning is the key to cooperation.

Question 35

When the United States supported China to exert leverage over the Soviet Union and supported Pakistan to offset India's growing power,this was an example of carrying out a policy based on the idea of ________.

A) bandwagoning
B) rollback
C) preemptive war
D) power balancing

Question 36

According to realists,forming alliances with other states is

A) known as internal balancing.
B) not a good idea for protecting state security.
C) a rational decision.
D) evidence of the fact that humans are not always power-seeking.

Question 37

Which of the following is true of the liberal perspective?

A) No liberal theories believe that free trade is possible.
B) All liberal theories believe that domestic actors share an interest in cooperation.
C) All liberal theories believe that states are unitary actors.
D) No liberal theories believe that cooperation will always occur.

Question 38

Which theory argues that the amount of peace and war in the international system depends on the distribution of power in the system?

A) neorealism
B) liberalism
C) constructivism
D) dependency theory

Question 39

Iraq's forced retreat and surrender to the U.S.-led coalition after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait is an illustration of

A) defensive realists' argument that few wars benefit the states that start them.
B) defensive realists' argument that wars can enhance a state's reputation in the long run.
C) defensive realists' argument that states should bandwagon.
D) offensive realists' argument that states will inevitably balance against aggressors.

Question 40

The idea that institutions such as the League of Nations and the United Nations will significantly change international politics is a product of ________ thinking.

A) realist
B) liberal
C) constructivist
D) dependency theorist

Question 41

Which of the following is true of feminist theory?

A) Feminist theorists argue that women have been absent from international politics.
B) Feminist theorists argue that human nature is fixed and unalterable.
C) Some feminist theorists argue that women have been absent from international politics,while others argue they have been key participants.
D) Feminist theorists argue that classical realism is the best theory to explain international relations.

Question 42

Which of the following is true about theorists' view of state interests?

A) Realists believe those interests are not based on material factors.
B) Liberals believe those interests are not based on material factors.
C) Constructivists believe those interests are not based on material factors.
D) Realists,liberals,and constructivists all believe those interests are based on material factors.

Question 43

A ________ would highlight the divergent identities of Russia and the West in explaining the 2014 Russia-Ukraine conflict.

A) realist
B) liberal
C) constructivist
D) dependency theorist

Question 44

Which of the following is consistent with theorists' view of sovereignty?

A) Neorealists believe that states are not sovereign.
B) Neoliberal institutionalists believe that states are not sovereign.
C) Liberals believe that sovereignty is a contested concept.
D) Constructivists believe that sovereignty is a contested concept.

Question 45

Constructivists believe that state behavior is shaped by

A) the distribution of power in the international system.
B) the national self-interest.
C) their identities.
D) multinational corporations.

Question 46

Marxist theory argues that

A) the international system is not hierarchical,only classes within states are.
B) the capitalist system could be supplanted by the socialist system through a workers' revolution.
C) the hierarchical international system is the byproduct of the expansion of communism.
D) states are all equal in the international system,as are classes within states.

Question 47

To explain the 2014 Russia-Ukraine conflict,a liberal would highlight

A) Russia's concern about the balance of power in the region.
B) Putin's desire for power.
C) the domestic politics at work in Ukraine.
D) Russia's identity,which diverged from that of the West.

Question 48

China's creation of Confucius Institutes throughout the world in order to teach others about Chinese culture and attract them to their ways of doing things is an example of an attempt to use

A) soft power.
B) the Beijing Consensus.
C) comparative advantage.
D) bandwagoning.

Question 49

By saying that identities are socially constructed,constructivists mean that

A) identities are objective facts that characterize individuals and states.
B) identities cannot be changed.
C) identities are fixed and thus define how states act.
D) identities are influenced by the actions and discourse of individuals and states.

Question 50

Dependency theorists argue that

A) the underdevelopment of states is largely due to the bilateral distribution of power in the system.
B) the underdevelopment of states is largely due to a lack of economic interdependence.
C) the unequal positions of developed and developing countries is decreasing over time.
D) the unequal positions of developed and developing countries is intensifying over time.

Question 51

Which of the following is a core argument of dependency theory?

A) Multinational corporations are key players in maintaining the dependency of developing countries on developed countries.
B) The relationship between dominant and dependent states is static.
C) Multinational corporations are the potential source of ending the dependency of developing countries on developed countries.
D) Multinational corporations are a key source of economic interdependence,which fosters cooperation between developed and developing countries.

Question 52

The fact that Russia's military actions in Ukraine in 2014 helped develop a reputation showing a willingness to engage in conflict would be highlighted by

A) an offensive realist.
B) a defensive realist.
C) a liberal.
D) a constructivist.

Question 53

A key reason why a constructivist would argue that Saudi Arabia and Iran support different sides in the Syrian conflict that began in 2011 is

A) they are trying to balance power in the region.
B) that they have divergent identities.
C) the complex interdependence that exists between them.
D) the fact that they are not both members of the Arab League.

Question 54

The fact that,after being labeled as a member of the "axis of evil" by the U.S.President,Iran changed its policies from working with the United States post-September 11,2001 to working against it best exemplifies

A) the realist argument that interests do not matter.
B) the constructivist argument that discourse can change state behavior.
C) the liberal argument that complex interdependence takes a long time to foster cooperation.
D) the dependency theorists' argument that the more powerful developing countries will never allow themselves to be dominated by developed countries.

Question 55

A realist explanation for the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2014 would highlight

A) Russia's concern about trade with Ukraine.
B) Russia's concern about security because of the potential intrusion of the West into its sphere of influence.
C) Russia's desire to be a part of NATO.
D) Russia's identity,which diverged from that of Ukraine.

Question 56

Different theories disagree on the role and importance of economic factors in international relations.Which of the following is a correct portrayal of these theories' views?

A) Only radicals think economics is important.
B) Realists think economic factors are behind most international conflict.
C) Liberals think economic interdependence is the sole cause of international cooperation.
D) Radicals think economic factors assume primary importance in shaping actions.

Question 57

The radical perspective places emphasis on which of the following?

A) the balance of power in the international system
B) sovereignty
C) economics
D) normative structures

Question 58

Radicals such as John A.Hobson believe that capitalism necessarily leads to imperial expansion because

A) developed states seek new markets because of the underconsumption by the lower classes brought about by their low wages.
B) developing states want to export their goods and services to developed states.
C) developed states want to prevent developing countries from becoming new markets for their goods and services.
D) developed states need to address the issue of oversavings by the lower classes.

Question 59

For constructivists,a key source of power is

A) military capabilities.
B) ideas.
C) economic interdependence.
D) a state's geographical positioning.

Question 60

The analysis of economic classes produced by the capitalist system is fundamentally important to which of the following theoretical perspectives?

A) liberalism
B) realism
C) constructivism
D) radicalism

Question 61

There are several variants of theories within the liberal perspective.Some treat the state as a unitary,while others focus on domestic politics.Some focus on the role of democracy,while others focus on the role of interdependence.Identify for yourself three different theoretical "branches" that you see within the liberal perspective.Discuss the assumptions of each,and explain their similarities and differences.Given these similarities and differences,why do you think they are all included together under the overarching perspective of "liberalism"?

Question 62

Radical theories such as Marxism and dependency theory are not as central to the study of international relations today as are the other three.Why do you think this is? Discuss the main tenants of each of these two theoretical perspectives (Marxism and dependency theory),highlighting what they can help us understand and what they cannot help us understand in the world today.Given this discussion,do you think that they should be given more attention in international relations study today? Why or why not?

Question 63

"Realism is not realistic." Construct an argument that either defends or criticizes this statement.In your response,include a review of realism's basic assumptions,and offer an interpretation of a current international event that supports your position.

Question 64

Theories from which of the key perspectives (realism,liberalism,or constructivism)do you think best explain international relations today,and why? In your response,highlight the key assumptions and predictions of each perspective,and connect them to contemporary real-world events,discussing how they do or do not help us understand the world today.

Question 65

What does constructivism bring to the study of international relations that other theoretical approaches do not? Given your answer,do you think constructivism can contribute significantly to our understanding of international relations? If so,support your answer by using constructivism to explain a particular international issue or event.If not,support your answer by demonstrating how constructivism fails to explain a particular international issue or event.