UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS and SCIENCES

Second Semester
A.Y. 2021-2022

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Prepared by:

KATHERINE GRACE ANN FERNANDO REYNANTE

Course Instructor

Revised by:

MARISOL U. BANGANAY
Course Instructor

Reviewed by:

RENZ MARION C. GAVINO, MP

General Education Area Head

Recommended by:

VENUS I. GUYOS, Ph.D.

Academic Dean

Approved by:

EMMANUEL JAMES P. PATTAGUAN, Ph.D.

Vice President for Academics

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 UNIVERSITY PRAYER

O God, wellspring of goodness and blessings, we give you thanks and praise as one Louisian community. The
graces You incessantly grant upon us and Your divine providence have sustained our beloved University
throughout the years of mission and excellence.

Having been founded by the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we pray that You keep us
committed and dedicated to our mission and identity to serve the Church and the society as we become living
witnesses to the Gospel values proclaimed by Jesus. For if we are steadfast in our good and beautiful mission,
our works will bring success not only to ourselves but also to those whom we are bound to love and serve.

Inspired by St. Louis our Patron Saint, who was filled with a noble spirit that stirred him to love You above all
things , may we also live believing that we are born for a greater purpose and mission as we dwell in Your
presence all the days of our life.

Grant all these supplications through the intercession of

Mother Mary and through Christ our Lord. Amen.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 UNIVERSITY OF SAINT LOUIS

Tuguegarao City

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, ARTS & SCIENCES

Department of Social Sciences
S.Y. 2021-2022

USL Vision-Mission

University of Saint Louis is a Catholic institution of higher learning. The CICM-RP Province as one effective
means of evangelization to be fully integrated with the church’s educational vision founded it. It is, therefore
essential that USL must address to the apostolic commitment and priorities of the RP-CICM province in its
educational apostolate.

⚫ VISION

USL is a global learning community recognized for science and technology across all disciplines, strong
research, and responsive community engagement grounded on the CICM mission and identity for a distinctive
student experience.

⚫ MISSION

USL sustains a Catholic academic community that nurtures persons for community, church and society
anchored on CICM’s Missio et Excellentia.

⚫ EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND CORE VALUES

The University of Saint Louis upholds the philosophy that education is for building of self and persons for the
Church and the Society. Wisdom builds. To these ends, the following are University of Saint Louis’s core
values integral in the formation of every member of the Louisian community.

a. Christian Living. We are witnesses to the Gospel values as taught and lived by Christ thus
making God’s love known and experienced by all.

b. Excellence. We seek and maintain uncompromising standard of quality in teaching, learning,

service, and stewardship of school resources.

c. Professional Responsibility. We are committed to efficiently and responsibly apply the

learned principles, values and skills in the chosen field of discipline, taking initiative and command
responsibility in one’s professional advancement.

d. Social Awareness and Involvement. We engage ourselves with society by listening to the
prevailing issues and concerns in the society, thereby initiating and participating in constructive and
relevant social activities for the promotion of justice, peace and integrity of creation and for people’s
wellness and development consistent with the CICM charism.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 e. Innovation, Creativity and Agility. We keep ourselves relevant and responsive to the
changing needs of our stakeholders by being flexible, solution oriented, and having cutting-edge
decisions and practices.

Course Information and Outline in POLS 1103

DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Introduction to International Relations

CREDIT UNITS: 3 units (Lecture 54 hours)
PRE-REQUISITE/S POLS 1013

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will examine such concepts of the international system and determine whether or not a
bipolar or multipolar system is more conducive to peace and stability. It will also focus on the realist
and idealist approaches to world politics. This course will discuss the different instruments of
international relations. A discussion of the concept of the balance of power and its relationship to the
causes of war is also included. It will analyze various theories of the international political economy.
The course will conclude with a discussion of various scenarios for world society in the twenty-first
century.

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

After completion of the course, the students should be able to:

CLO 1: think theoretically about the basic principles and concepts of international relations
CLO 2: recognize that no single variable may cause an international event to occur

CLO 3: demonstrate and explain the multi-causal factors of international events

CLO 4: apply the level of analysis approach to international relations

CLO 5: analyze international events using the multi-causal approach

CLO 6: appraise the efforts of states and non-state institutions in the preservation of international
cooperation.

COURSE OUTLINE:

I. Vision- Mission of USL

A.Classroom Policies
B.Overview of the course expectations

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

II. Understanding International Relations
III.Historical Setting of International Relations
IV.Actors in the International System
V. Theories on International Relations
VI.International System
VII.Instruments of International Relations
VIII.War & Strife
IX.Penetration Operations: Intelligence, Covert Acts & Propaganda
X.International Political Economy
XI. Struggle for World Order
XII. Sharing a planet and planetary experiences
XIII.Global Governance
XIV.Global Issues

REFERENCES:

Textbook:

Mingst, K. (2003). Essentials of International Relations.

Books:

Daddow, O. (2017). International Relations Theory. SAGE Publications Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd.

Cassese, A. (2016). International law. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Graham, G. (2008). Ethics and international relations. 2nd ed., Rev. and updated. Malden, MA :Blackwell.

Goldstein, J. (2002). International relations. Brief. New York: Longman.

Rourke, J. (2017). Taking sides : Clashing views on controversial issues in world politics. 11th. Iowa:
McGraw-Hill.

Rourke, J. (2015). International politics on the world stage. 9th. Sluice Dock, Guilford, Connecticut:
Dushkin.

Colaresi, M. (2007). Strategic Rivalries in World Politics: Position, Space and Conflict Escalation.

Daddow, O. (2018). International Relations Theory.

Kegley, Jr. & Charles W. (2009). World Politics: Trend and Transformation.

Mansbach, R. (2012). Introduction to Global Politics.

Babor, E. (2001). Logic. Manila C & E Publishing Inc., Philippines.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Henderson, C. (1998). International Relations, Conflict and Cooperation at the turn of the 21st Century,
McGraw Hill Companies, Inc.

Morales, N. (1995). Philippine Diplomacy: Meeting the Challenge of Development.

Salamanca, B. (1995). Toward A Diplomatic History of the Philippines

Online References:

Bernas, J. SJ. (1996). The 1987 constitution of the republic of the philippines.
www.gov.ph/aboutphil/constitution.asp. Date Retrieved: October 24, 2007.

Rourke, J. International politics on the world stage. From: www.goodreads.com/.../6949525.John_Rourke.

Retrieved: November 2013.
Mingst, K. Essentials of international relations. From: www.goodreads.com/.../8948755.Karen_Mingst.
Retrieved: November 2013.

Journals/Periodicals: (Philippine Political Science Journals)

Buendia, R. (2011). Multinational states in asia: Accommodation or resistance edited by Jacques

Piertrand and Audre Laliberte. Philippine Political Science Journal, Volume 32, No. 55 series of 2011

Montiel, c. & De Guzman, J. (2011). Social representation of a controversial peace agreement: Subjective
public meaning of the GRP_MILF moa. Philippine Political Science Journal, Volume 32, No. 55 series of
2011

Panao, A. (2011). State politics and nationalism beyond borders: Changing dynamics in filipino overseas
migration edited by Jorge V. Tigno. Philippine Political Science Journal, Volume 32, No. 55 series of 2011

Berkeley School of Law, University of California. (2013). United states labor law. Berkeley Journal of
Employment and Labor Law.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 School of Education, Arts and Sciences
Department of Social Sciences
Curriculum 2020-2021

CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

GENERAL INTRODUCTION:

WELCOME TO THE SECOND SEMESTER, SCHOOL YEAR 2021-2022! You are enrolled in the
Correspondence Learning Modality. I am Miss Marisol U. Banganay, your instructor in Introduction to
International Relations. Should you have further concerns regarding the course, please feel free to contact
me as I am ready to accommodate your queries. You may call me Ma’am Sol, and I wish to have a fruitful
encounter with you.

Stay Connected

For queries, please feel free to contact me through the following:

 Facebook account/ name: Sol Banganay
 E-mail : marisolbanganay22@gmail.com

Get Involved. USL expects you to do the following:

 Let your parents pick up your module on the first day of the week.
 Send back your accomplished lessons/learning tasks as your parent will pick up the next.
 Contact me for any query that you want to make about your lessons or procedures in school.
 Comply with all requirements (written outputs, projects/performance tasks examinations and the like.)

Remember:

 Individual work and required learning tasks must be done properly.

 Do not copy articles from the Net. Any plagiarized material will be automatically marked zero. (this
includes copy paste from internet and from your classmates)
 If you need to quote, you have to mention the author and properly cite your source. As a Louisian, we
uphold honesty and integrity in our work.

Academic Intellectual Property Rights: Materials posted over NEO-LMS are the properties of USL and the
Facilitators. Students are not allowed to share it to any third-party individuals not part of the class without any
permission from the owners.

I hope you find this flexible approach helpful. Continue to learn amidst this pandemic. Stay safe while learning.

Included in this module are the following:

1. Course Outline ( Read from your books, internet sources in advance)
2. The USL Vision-Mission and Values, Program Outcomes, Course Learning Outcomes
3. Weekly Study and Assessment Guide
4. Worksheets to be submitted to your teacher.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 CORRESPONDENCE LEARNING MODULE
AY 2021-2022
POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Lesson 1

Topics: Understanding International Relations

Learning At the end of this module, you are expected to:

Outcomes: 1. determine the nature of international relations as a discipline;
2. illustrate the role of international relations in attaining global peace; and
3. scrutinize the various approaches, tools and theories used in the study of
international relations.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

January 12-15, 2022 Read the Lessons
January 14, 2022 Understanding International Due Date of Participation
January 18, 2022 Relations Quiz
January 21, 2022 Due Date of Learning Task

LEARNING CONTENT

INTRODUCTION:

No man is an island. This famed quote traces its root from the wisdom that man, as much as he is
rational, is a social being. While others prefer to be on their own, it is widely known that no one could
easily survive the vicissitudes of this world alone, especially that we face different challenges each
day, some of which prove to be more arduous than the last we overcame. It seems that we are riding
on a roller coaster where the destination is a blur, and we can only anticipate pressing issues and
predicaments as we go. Thus, we need each other. We need each other for strength and assurance.
We need each other to survive. Such is the foundation of any relations ever built, may it be personal,
or formal.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

LESSON PROPER:

Above is a photo taken from Syria in the midst of the enduring Civil War. Surrounded by debris and
the frightful air of hostility, the child holds his toy and manage a smirk, perhaps hopeful of a peaceful
day— a day without bullets raining under people's head and killing thousands of innocent. It is such a
disheartening sight to behold. The world has become a cold and dangerous place for children who,
literally, have not started to live their lives yet. This scenario could not only be seen in Syria. The war
torn Sarajevo must have witnessed hundred thousands of this. How many children would lose their
dreams and future before we realize war is not the answer to our differences?

Why do wars happen? Why do skirmishes turn out to be a full blown political fight despite of
measures undertaken to remedy the differences? Why do people violate rights? Why do protesters
seem to grow in number in a day? Why do rebellions happen? Why do we have terrorists? What
bring about territorial disputes? These are only some of the questions that led to the idea of
international relations. In an attempt to address the abovementioned, international relations was
shaped into a discipline.

What is International Relations?

International relations, as a subfield of political science, is the study of the interactions among the
various actors that participate in international politics. It encompasses the study of the behaviors of
these actors as they participate individually and together in international political processes.
International relations is also an interdisciplinary field of inquiry, drawing concepts and substance from
history, economics, and anthropology, as well as political science.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Scope:

In modern world, the scope of International Relations has greatly expanded. Initially, it was the study
of diplomacy. Later, international law became the subject matter. Then it widened with the
establishment of league of nations. The study of international organizations was also included in IR.

The scope of IR expanded during the Second World War as USA and USSR emerged as super
power. The multiplications of nation states, the danger of thermo-nuclear war, increasing
interdependence of states and rising expectations in the people of the underdeveloped world
contributed to the expansion of the discipline.

Greater emphasis was made on the scientific study of IR which developed methodologies and
introduction of new theories. Today IR includes the study of behavior of political actors and groups
and it has an extensive scope.

Writers, on the other hand, seem divided on the scope of IR. For instance, Alfred Zimmern says that
IR is not a discipline but a combination of History and political science. It is heavily dependent on
other disciplines and has so far failed to develop a coherent body of knowledge.

According to Organski “as a science, IR today is in its infancy. It is still less a science than a mixture
of philosophy and history and its theories are shockingly unstable”

Do you think Alfred Zimmern and Organski are right? Let's find out by delving deeper
into the intricacies of this discipline.

Approaches to International Relation:

Political scientists develop theories or frameworks both to understand the causes of events that occur
in international relations and to answer the foundational questions in the field. While these are many
contending theories, they helped developed and refined the idea that is International Relations.
True to what Political scientist Stephen Walt explains, “No single approach can capture all the
complexity of con temporary world politics. Therefore, we are better off with a diverse array of
competing ideas rather than a single theoretical orthodoxy. Competition between theories helps
reveal their strengths and weaknesses and spurs subsequent refinements, while revealing flaws in
conventional wisdom.”

1. Idealism. The Idealist Approach holds that old, ineffective and harmful modes of behaviour such
as war, use of force and violence should be abandoned in favour of new ways and means as
determined by knowledge, reason, compassion and self-restraint. It stands for improving the course
of international relations by eliminating war, hunger, inequality, tyranny, force, suppression and
violence from international relations. To remove these evils is the objective before humankind.
Idealism accepts the possibility of creating a world free from these evils by depending upon reason,
science and education. According to Bertrand Russell, “Political idealism in international relations
POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations
represents a set of ideas

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

which together oppose war and advocate the reform of international community through dependence
upon moral values and the development of international institutions and international law. A world full
of human happiness is not beyond human power to achieve.”

Idealist approach derives strength from the general idea of evolutionary progress in society and the
spirit of liberal idealism which was at the back of American policies, particularly during the inter-war
years. During the inter-war years (1919-39), the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson became its most
forceful exponent.

The Idealist Approach advocates morality as the means for securing the desired objective of making
the world an ideal world. It believes that by following morality and moral values in their relations,
nations cannot only secure their own development, but also can help the world to eliminate
war,inequality, despotism, tyranny, violence and force.“For the idealists, politics is the art ofgood
government and not the art of possible. Politics provides for the good life and respectfor his fellow
humans, both domestically and internationally.” —Couloumbis and Wolfe. As such Idealism
advocates the need for improving relations among nations by removing the evils present in the
international environment.

Main Features of Idealism:

1. Human nature is essentially good and capable of good deeds in international relations.

2. Human welfare and advancement of civilization are the concerns of all.

3. Bad human behaviour is the product of bad environment and bad institutions.

4. By reforming the environment, bad human behaviour can be

eliminated. 5.War represents the worst feature of relations.

6. By reforming international relations, war can be and should be eliminated.

7. Global efforts are needed to end war, violence and tyranny from international relations.

8. International community should work for eliminating such global instruments, features and
practices which lead to war.

9. International institutions committed to preserve international peace, international law and order
should be developed for securing peace, prosperity and development.

The main supporters of idealism have been:

Mahatma Gandhi,

Bertrand Russell

Woodrow Wilson
POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations
Aldous Huxley

William Ladd

Richard Cobben

Margret Mead

They strongly oppose the realist view of international politics as struggle for power and national
interest and advocate the use of reason, education and science for securing reforms in relations and
for eliminating war and other evils from international relations.

2. Realism posits that states exist in an anarchic international system; that is, there is no overarching
hierarchical authority. Each state bases its policies on an interpretation of its national interest defined
in terms of power. The structure of the international system is determined by the distribution of power
among states.

Key Features of Realism:

1. History gives evidence that humanity is by nature sinful and wicked.

2. Lust for power and dominance has been a major, all important and all-pervasive fact of human nature.

3. Human instinct for power cannot be eliminated.

4. Struggle for power is the incontrovertible and eternal reality of international relations.

5. Each nation always seeks to secure the goals of national interest defined in term of power.

6. Self-preservation is the law that always governs the behaviour of all the states.

7. Nations always seek power, demonstrate power and use power.

8. Peace can be preserved only by management of power through such devices as Balance of
Power, Collective Security, World Government, Diplomacy, Alliances and the like.

3. Liberalism is historically rooted in several philosophical traditions that posit that human nature is
basically good. Individuals form groups and, later, states. States gen-erally cooperate and follow
international norms and procedures that they have agreed to support.

4. Radical theory is rooted in economics. Actions of individuals are largely determined by economic
class; the state is an agent of international capitalism; and the international system is highly stratified,
dominated by an international capitalist system.

5. Constructivists, in contrast to both realists and liberals, argue that the key structures in the state
system are not material but instead are social and dependent on ideas. The interests of states are not
fixed but are malleable and ever-changing.
POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations
Foundational Questions of International Relations

How can human nature be characterized?

What is the relationship between the individual and the society?

What are the characteristics and role of the state?

How is the international system organized?

*** END of LESSON ***

Lesson 2

Topics: Understanding International Relations

Learning At the end of this module, you are expected to:

Outcomes: 1.determine the nature of international relations as a discipline;
2.illustrate the role of international relations in attaining global peace; and
3.scrutinize the various approaches, tools and theories used in the study of
international relations.

Date Topics Activities or Tasks

January 17-22, 2022 Read the Lessons
January 14, 2022 Understanding International Due Date of Participation
January 18, 2022 Relations Quiz
January 21, 2022 Due Date of Learning Task

LEARNING CONTENT
Lesson Proper:

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 How do political scientists find information to assess the accuracy, relevancy, and p

To address the foundational questions laid down in the previous module, political scientists use
tools that include history, philosophy and the scientific method.

Let's explore each of these tools.

1. History

Inquiry in international relations often begins with history. We will all agree that history is very
significant in fields like Political Science. History narrates in details our collective memory of the past.
Thus, it is almost indispensable to various fields of discipline. It explains how and why a particular
event happened. Without any historical background, many of today’s key issues are
incomprehensible.

Take a look at the example below.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

 History tells us that the periodic bombings in Israel by Hamas are part of a dispute over territory between A

As illustrated above, history provides a crucial background for the study of international relations. In
fact, it has been so fundamental to the study of international relations that there was no separate
international relations subfield until the early twentieth century. Before that time, especially in Europe
and the United States, international relations were studied under the umbrella of diplomatic history in
most academic institutions. Having knowledge of both diplomatic history and national histories
remains critical for students of international relations. History invites its students to acquire detailed
knowledge of specific events, but it also can be used to test generalizations. Having deciphered
patterns from the past, students of history can begin to explain the relationships among various
events.

Example:

The ancient Greek historian Thucydides (c. 460–401 BCE), in History of the Peloponnesian War, used this app

Those using history, however, must be wary because it is not always clear what history attempts to
teach us. We often rely on analogies. For example, we compare the 2003 Iraq War to the Vietnam
War. In both cases, the United States fought a lengthy war against a little understood, often
unidentifiable enemy. In both, the United States adopted the strategy of supporting state building so
that the central government could continue the fight, a policy labeled Vietnamization and Iraqization in
the respective conflicts. The policy led to a quagmire in both places when American domestic support
waned, and the United States withdrew. Yet differences are also evident; no analogies are perfect.
Vietnam has a long history and a strong sense of national identity, forged by wars against both the
Chinese and French. Iraq, in contrast, is a relatively new state with significant ethnic and religious
divisions, whose various groups seek a variety of different objectives. In Vietnam, the goal was
defense of the U.S. ally South Vietnam against the communist north, backed by the Soviet Union. In
Iraq, the goal was first to oust Saddam Hussein, who was suspected of building weapons of mass
destruction, and second, to create a democratic Iraq that would eventually lead the region to greater
stability. In both, although we cannot ignore history, neither can we draw simple “lessons” from

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

historical analogies.

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Lessons are often derived from one’s theoretical orientation. From the above mentioned, realists
might draw the lesson from both Vietnam and Iraq that the United States did not use all of its military
might; political actors constrained military actions; otherwise, the outcome may have been different.
Liberals on the other hand, might conclude that the United States should have never been involved
since the homeland was not directly affected and one country’s ability to construct or reconstruct
another state is limited.

2. Philosophy

Philosophy can help us answer questions in international relations. Much classical philosophy
focuses on the state and its leaders— the basic building blocks of international relations—as well as
on methods of analysis.

How did the Philosophers shape International Relations?

1. Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) , in The Republic, concluded that in the “perfect state,” the people who
should govern are those who are superior in the ways of philosophy and war. Plato called these ideal
rulers “philosopher- kings.”

Though he did not directly discuss international relations, Plato introduced two ideas seminal to the
discipline:
1. Class analysis
2. Dialectical reasoning

These two ideas later became bases for Marxist analysts. Radicals like Marxists see economic class
as the major divider in domestic and international politics; Marxists also acknowledge the importance
of dialectical reasoning— that is, reasoning from a dialogue or conversation that leads to the
discovery of contradictions in the original assertions and in political reality. In contemporary Marxist
terms, such analysis reveals the contradiction between global and local policies, whereby, for
example, local- level textile workers lose their jobs to foreign competition and are replaced by high-
technology industries.

2. Aristotle (384–322 BCE), lay both in substance and method the search for an ideal domestic
political system. Analyzing 168 constitutions, Aristotle looked at the similarities and differences
among states, thus becoming the first writer to use the comparative method of analysis. He
concluded that states rise and fall largely because of internal factors— a conclusion still debated in
the twenty- first century.

3. Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679), in Leviathan, imagined a state of nature, a world without

governmental authority or civil order, where men rule by passions, living with the constant uncertainty
of their own security. To him, the life of man is solitary, selfish, and even brutish. Extrapolating to the
international level, in the absence of international authority, society is in a “state of nature,” or
anarchy. States in this anarchic condition act as man does in the state of nature. He believes that the
solution to the dilemma is a unitary state— a leviathan— where power is centrally and absolutely
controlled.
POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations
4. Jean- Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) addressed the same set of questions as Hobbes but, having
been influenced by the Enlightenment, saw a different solution. In “Discourse on the Origin and

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

Foundations of Inequality among Men,” Rousseau described the state of nature as an egocentric
world, with man’s primary concern being self- preservation— not unlike Hobbes’s description of the
state of nature.

The story of the stag and the hare: In a hunting society, each individual must keep to his assigned
task so the hunters can find and trap the stag for food for the whole group. However, if a hare
happens to pass nearby, an individual might well follow the hare, hoping to get his next meal quickly
and caring little for how his actions will affect the group. Rousseau drew an analogy between these
hunters and states. Do states follow short- term self- interest, like the hunter who follows the hare? Or
do they recognize the benefits of a common interest?

Rousseau’s solution to the dilemma posed by the stag and the hare: Creation of smaller
communities in which the “general will” could be attained. Indeed, according to Rousseau, it is “only
the general will,” not a leviathan, that can “direct the forces of the state according to the purpose for
which it was instituted, which is the common good.”

Rousseau’s vision: "Each of us places his person and all his power in common under the supreme
direction of the general will; and as one we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.”

5. Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), envisioned a federation of states as a means to achieve peace, a

world order in which man is able to live without fear of war. Sovereignties would remain intact, but the
new federal order would be both preferable to a “super- leviathan” and more effective and realistic
than Rousseau’s small communities. Kant’s analysis was based on a vision of human beings that was
different from that of either Rousseau or Hobbes. In his view, though man is admittedly selfish, he can
learn new ways of cosmopolitanism and universalism.

The tradition laid down by these philosophers has contributed to the development of international
relations by calling attention to fundamental relationships: those between the individual and society,
between individuals in society, and between societies.

3. Behavioralism proposes that individuals, both alone and in groups, act in patterned ways. The
task of the behavioral scientist is to suggest plausible hypotheses regarding those patterned actions
and to systematically and empirically test those hypotheses.

Using the tools of the scientific method to describe and explain human behavior, these scholars hope
to predict future behavior.

The Correlates of War project permits us to see the application of behavioralism.

Beginning in 1963 at the University of Michigan, the political scientist J. David Singer and his historian
colleague Melvin Small investigated one of the fundamental questions in international relations: Why
is there war?

Motivated by the normative philosophical concern with how peace can be achieved, the two scholars
chose an empirical methodological approach. Rather than focusing on one “big” war that changed the

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations

tide of history, as Thucydides did, they sought to find patterns among a number of different wars.
Believing that generalizable patterns may be found across all wars, Singer and Small turned to
statistical data to discover the patterns. The initial task of the Correlates of War project was to collect
data on international wars between 1865 and 1965 in which 1,000 or more deaths had been reported
in a 12- month period. For each of the 93 wars that fit these criteria, the researchers found data on its
magnitude, severity, and intensity, as well as the frequency of war over time. This data- collection
process proved a much larger task than Singer and Small had anticipated, employing a bevy of
researchers and graduate students. Once the wars were codified, the second task was to generate
specific, testable hypotheses that might explain the outbreak of war.

Is there a relationship between the number of alliance commitments in the international system and
the number of wars that are fought?

Is there a relationship between the number of great powers in the international system and the
number of wars?

Is there a relationship between the number of wars over time and the severity of the conflicts?

Which factors are most correlated over time with the outbreak of war?

How are these factors related to each other?

What is the correlation between international system– level factors— such as the existence of
international organizations— and the outbreak of war?

Although answering these questions will never prove that a particular factor is the cause of war, the
answers could suggest some high- level correlations that merit theoretical explanation . That is the
goal of this research project and many others following in the behavioralist scientific tradition.

Another example of research in the behavioral tradition can be found in human rights literature.
The question many scholars probe is why countries violate human rights treaties. Is it because states
never intended to follow the provisions? Is signing onto treaties just cheap talk? Is it because there is
no threat of direct international enforcement? Or is it because states often lack the capacity to
implement new standards?

Sociologist Wade M. Cole began with a hypothesis that “noncompliance with international treaty
obligations is neither willful or premediated.” Rather, it depends on a state’s bureaucratic efficiency.
Using data from each in dependent variable of state bureaucratic efficiency and dependent variables
of state empowerment and physical integrity rights data found in the Cingranelli- Richards (CIRI)
Human Rights Dataset, Cole uses sophisticated statistical models that confirm his expectations.
Improvements in a state’s empowerment and physical- integrity rights after the signing of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights depend on state capacity.

However, methodological problems occur in both projects. The Correlates of War data-base looks at
all international wars, irrespective of the different political, military, social, and technological contexts.
Can wars of the late 1800s be explained by the same factors as the wars of the new millennium?
Answering that question has led subsequent researchers to expand the data set to include
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militarized interstate

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disputes, conflicts that do not involve a full- scale war. And those data include not only international
and civil wars but also regional internal, intercommunal, and nonstate wars.

The human rights study also involves major problems of measurement and operationalization of key
variables. How can one measure concepts like state’s empowerment and state capacity? Many
different indicators need to be combined. And data may not be available for all states across all the
time periods studied. In each case, alternative explanations need to be investigated. Such studies are
never an end in themselves, only a means to improve explanation and to provide other scholars with
hypotheses that warrant further testing.

Disillusionment with behavioral approaches has taken several forms:

1. Data have to be selected and compiled. Different data may lead to substantially different conclusions.
2. Some critics suggest that attention to data and methods has overwhelmed the substance of their
research. Few would doubt the importance of Singer and Small’s initial excursion into the causes of
war, but even the researchers themselves admitted losing sight of the important questions in their
quest to compile data and hone research methods. Some scholars, still within the behavioral
orientation, suggest simplifying esoteric methods to refocus on the substantive questions.
3. Many of the foundational questions— the nature of humanity and society— are neglected by
behavioralists because they are not easily testable by empirical methods. These critics suggest
returning to the philosophical roots of international relations. Nevertheless, most scholars remain
firmly committed to behavioralism and the scientific method, pointing to the slow incremental progress
that has been made in explaining the interactions of state.

4. Alternative Approaches

Just like in other disciplines, some international relations scholars are dissatisfied with using history,
philosophy, or behavioral tools. Hence, they developed alternative approaches to further their
understanding in the field.

a. Constructivists turned to discourse analysis. They engage in analyzing culture, norms,

procedures and social practices to trace how ideas shape identities. In the process, they use texts,
interviews and archival material. The case studies found in Peter Katzenstein’s edited volume The
Culture of National Security use this approach. Drawing on analyses of Soviet foreign policy at the
end of the Cold War, German and Japanese security policy from militarism to antimilitarism, and Arab
national identity, the authors search for security interests defined by actors who are responding to
changing cultural factors. These studies show how social and cultural factors shape national security
policy in ways that contradict realist or liberal expectations.

b. Postmodernists seek to deconstruct the basic concepts of the field, such as the state, the nation,
rationality, and realism, by searching texts (or sources) for hidden meanings underneath the surface,
in the subtext. Once those hidden meanings are revealed, they seek to replace the once- orderly
picture with disorder, to replace the dichotomies with multiple portraits. Cynthia Weber, for example,
argues that sovereignty is neither well defined nor consistently grounded. Digging below the surface
of sovereignty, going beyond evaluations of the traditional philosophers, she has discovered that
conceptualizations of sovereignty are constantly shifting, depending on the exigencies of the moment

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and the values of different communities. Karen T. Litfin shows how norms of sovereignty are shifting
to address ecological destruction, although the process remains a contested one.

Note:These analyses have profound implications for the theory and practice of international relations,
which are rooted in state sovereignty and accepted practices that reinforce sovereignty. They
challenge conventional understandings.

Postmodernists also seek to find the voices of “the others,” those individuals who have been
disenfranchised and marginalized in international relations. Christine Sylvester illustrates her
approach with a discussion of the Greenham Common Peace Camp, a group of mostly women who
in the early 1980s walked more than 100 miles to a British air force base to protest plans to deploy
missiles at the base. Although the marchers were ignored by the media— and thus were
“voiceless”— they maintained a politics of resistance, recruiting other political action groups near the
camp and engaging members of the military stationed at the base.

*** END of LESSON ***

REFERENCES

Reference:

Mingst, K. (2003). Essentials of International Relations.

Online References:

researchgate. net/introduction to international relations

POLS 1103-Introduction to International Relations