Unit/State level concepts in

International Relations&

Individual and Sub-Unitlevel concepts

Unit/State level concepts

in International Relations

Regime Type

What is a regime? Regime is a state's form of government.

What is the significance of a regime in Int’l Relations?

It is often considered that a state's form of government can dictate the way that a state interacts with others in the international system.

Democratic peace theory is a theory that suggests that the nature of democracy means that democratic countries will not go to war with each other. The justifications for this are that democracies externalise their norms and only go to war for just causes, and that democracy encourages mutual trust and respect. One more reason is that through trade and mutual benefit they usually don't war with each other.

What is an Example/Application of the Democratic peace theory in relation with regime type?

French president Charles de Gaulle shaking hands with West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer in Bonn, 1958. The rapprochement between the two countries which ended the French–German enmity became possible since for the first time, both countries were electoral democracies

Revisionism/status quo

What is Revisionism/status quo?

States can be classified by whether they accept the international status quo, or are revisionist, (i.e. want change).

Revisionist states seek to fundamentally change the rules and practices of international relations, feeling disadvantaged by the status quo. They see the international system as a largely western creation which serves to reinforce current realities.

Who are the notable states that belong to revisionist & status quo states?

Powerful and influential nations in International Relations such as the United States, United Kingdom, France and other nations like Japan who have benefited from western liberalism, are likely to fall under the category of Status Quo States.

State’s like North Korea and Iran are dissatisfied with their place on the international spectrum are often considered Revisionist States. Often political and economic issues are the reason behind why these states practices revisionism.

North Korea and Iran are among the Revisionist States

Religion

What is the significance of Religion in International Relations?

It is often considered that religion has an effect on the way a state acts within the international system.

Religion is visible as an organizing principle particularly for Islamic states; Islam is already the law and way of life in Islamic states.

But other state’s practice secularism(separation of state and religion) whereas religious groups only serves as interest groups and still in a way influence’s in the decision-making of the state.

Example of States that religion is their organizing principle.

Islamic States is the type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law (sharia). Ex. Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and most of the countries in the middle east.

Example of States that practice secularism(separation of state and religion). Whereas religion only serves as an interest/Pressure groups.

Philippines

Individualor

Sub-UnitLevel Concepts

Individual or sub-unit level concepts aims to explain and move away from a state-centric view of international relations.1. Psychological factors in international

relations

It is the role of personalities specially policymakers in decision making process.

A prominent application of sub-unit level psychological factors in international relations is:

The Concept of Groupthink is a phenomenon when a group of people get together and start to think collectively with one mind. It is also where the group, as a whole, tends to take irrational actions or overestimate their positions or moral rightness.

• So this demonstrates how people can lose sight of what is best for them when they all conform to the group's thought process and abandon their own critical reasoning skills.

• The bombing of Pearl Harbor. Many of the senior officers at Pearl Harbor did not take warnings from Washington DC about potential invasion seriously despite the fact that Japanese messages had been intercepted. Those who didn't take action believed that the Japanese wouldn't dare to attempt an assault against the U.S. because they would recognize the futility of war with the United States.

A Real world example of groupthink is:

2. Bureaucratic politics It is the “political” interaction between

individuals and organizations in the executive branch of the government---is a potentially significant force affecting the course and outcomes of governmental policymaking processes.• Example: In the case of

DAP; wherein DBM conceptualized the DAP and presented it to the President and thinks that DAP is beneficial as told him by his alter ego’s and advisers, accepted it without knowing the full extent and consequences of it;(Supreme Court decision partial-unconstitutionality of DAP).

• It is simply, wherein the bureaucracy/department heads and advisers largely affects and influences the decision-making and policymaking of the Head of Government/president.

3. Religious, ethnic, and secessionist groups

It is wherein these groups greatly affect the decision making/policy making of the Gov’t because the gov’t regards these groups. And so if a gov’t that allows these groups to influence its policymaking the state is called a “weak state”

Example: secessionist movement in mindanao Philippines (bangsamoro).

4. Science, technology and international relations – How science and technology impact the global health, business, environment, technology, and development.

This Hybrid Electric Road Train developed by the Department of Science and Technology will be tested in September in Clark, Pampanga.

5. International political economy - economic factors in international relations. International Political Economy (IPE) is mainly

defined as a combination of international relations and the political economy. It stresses on the interaction between the state and the market at an international level.

International Political Economy primarily concerns itself about the relations between different nation states and how trading and financial policies undertaken by each of them affects the other.

Example: Foreign Direct Investments in the Philippines (BPO industry)

Example: Foreign Direct Investments in the Philippines (BPO industry)

6. International political culturology – Looks at how culture and cultural variables impact in international relations.

It is basically the exportation of American culture all throughout the world.

Example: Globalization or integration of the world economy, polity and culture.