Introducing Global Politics

Politics in a Globalizing World

How is described the global sphere?
Anarchic bc no world government

=/= than chaotic

What was the ancient term for Global Politics?

International Relations
Now, G. P. involves study of non-state actors

What is Globalization

Process. Have to do w/ compression of time and space and an observable

increase in interdependence, integration, and interconnectedness

What is Culture?

process through which people organize their group lives, establishing rules
and norms of behaviour as well as ways of dealing with the
environment in which they find themselves.

Essential to intergroup relations

What is the claim of “hyper-globalists”

Sovereign state is already dysfunctional → will become redundant

This is largely debated

Why did the study of International Politics (or IR) emerge as separated from Pol.
Sc.?

After WW1, feeling that this would contribute to decrease risk of another
massacre → even greater after WW2

Introducing Global Politics 1

 To which concept does “global citizen” relate?

Cosmopolitanism: belong to one world, common fate/interest/problems

States & Nations in Contemporary G.P.

What are “weak states”

States that encompasses multiple nations e.g. Papua New Guinea

To what concept is mainly related nation?

Culture, e.g. Québec in Canada

Although difficult to define and not always right, “nation-state” is still a category in
G.P. But often deep intrastate contestation

States & Empires in Global History

Why could the sovereign state system disappear?

Bc the empires one disappeared too

Even if the process of state/nationhood originated from Europe (Greek/Roman),

which other part was also connected?

North-Africa and Middle East

What is an Empire?

Large-scale political entities

Include a number of smaller political communities (generally states)

Central controlling power (often force)

What were the first empires?

Sumerian

Egyptian

Babylonian

Introducing Global Politics 2

 Assyrian

Persian

Empires list

Introducing Global Politics 3

Introducing Global Politics 4
 Modernity and the State System
How does N. Ferguson describe USA?

Empire in denial

What’s the difference b/w empire & hegemony?

Former rules subordinates in a formalized hierarchical system

Latter is an acknowledged leadership/dominant influence over a community

of units not bonded by a single authority

What was the founding moment of the nation-state concept?

Peace of Westphalia b/w Catholics & Protestants - 1648

Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius set important developments e.g. co-equal juridical
status to states

What was sovereignty meant for?

guarantee non-intervention in the internal governmental arrangements

juridical sovereignty remains a basic principle of international law

What is the “moral conundrum” of sovereignty?

if applied strictly, prohibits any action by actors outside the state even in
cases of genocide or other forms of human rights abuses

Then new notion/duty for the state: responsibility to protect its

inhabitants e.g. Lybian intervention

The Globalization of the State System

Introducing Global Politics 5