LEVEL OF ANALTSIS PROBLEM IN IR

• International Relations are relationship or interaction between the

State or ethnicity, which is inherently complex in practice and as
academic discipline.
• Since the publication of Kenneth Waltz’s “Man, the State and War’ –
1959, it provided base for level of analysis and scholars identified
three fundamental levels i.e. individual, State and International
System level, to understand ,explain and predict the behavior of
Nation – States, actions, events, foreign policy and diplomacy.
• Apart, from Kenneth Waltz, some of other thinkers have also
contributed in the development of the concept of ‘level of analysis ’.
 LEVEL OF ANALTSIS PROBLEM IN IR
• M. Kaplan “Written book “System and process in International Politics”-1957.
• According to him, the analysis should be done from macro to micro level. i.e.
• International System Level
• State Level
• Individual Level
International System Level. It is supported by the theory of neo realism.
• It argues that the foreign policies of States can be understood without
looking into the internal nature of the State or individual.
• It says that foreign policies, actions and behavior of a State can easily
understood by just looking at the conditions or characteristics of
International System including power configuration. It provide comprehensive
macro view as it is said whole is better than the parts. However, it is not
inspirable to ignore States and individuals.
• Example – Cold War --- NAM, India Boycotted Iran.
 LEVEL OF ANALTSIS PROBLEM IN IR
State Level:- It is supported by the theory of Realism.
• Realists argue that International System level provide the part of the story. But
the characteristics of the States i.e features of state for e.g. Nature of State
(theocratic or secular), Type of Government (Parliamentary Democracy or
Presidential Democracy), Economic Performance, Geographical Location,
history and cultural values provide a broader details of foreign policies,
actions, behavior may have been taken by State.
• Example --- Cold War.
Individual Level:- It is supported by theory of Liberalism
• Leaders ---- they just do not respond to the environment, rather play vital
role in deciding foreign policies, actions of the States and International
Events. Nature of leader, Psychology, behavior, Ideology, culture, history.
• Example – World War 2 ---- Hitler
• End of cold war --- Reagan and Gorbachev.
 LEVEL OF ANALYSIS - MODEL

• David Singer:- American professor of political science written seminal

article on “The level of analysis problem in International relations”-
1961.
• Requirement of Analytical Model. An Analytical Model must be
able to: -
• Describe the problem / phenomenon
• Explain the problem / phenomenon
• Predict the problem / phenomenon
 INTL. SYSTEM LEVEL ANALYSIS

• Effectiveness in Describing
• Comprehensive but lacks specific details
• Effectiveness in Explaining
• Advantage: manageable and helps making casual statements
• Disadvantage: Exaggerates the impact of system on actors as
well as suggests that every actors follows same motive
• Effectiveness in Predicting
• Satisfactory but general predictions
 NATIONAL STATE LEVEL ANALYSIS

• Effectiveness in Describing
• Specific, detailed but creates over differentiation among actors
• Effectiveness in Explaining
• Advantage: highlights nation’s motives and method to achieve
foreign policy goals.
• Disadvantage: goals and motivations are both dependent and
independent variables, may limits the scope
• Effectiveness in Predicting
• Predicts the FP of Nations effectively
• Conclusion . All three levels are important --- be simultaneously
studied for clear understanding of an event/ phenomenon in IR.