International Relations: Perspectives, Approaches

and Influences

Perspectives: Realism This perspective asserts that the world is

fundamentally anarchic (no enforceable rules) and the only thing that matters is power.

It assumes that humans are greedy and self serving and that conflict is inevitable.

Individual states and their military power are central to international relations

there are also winners and losers in international relations

Perspectives:Idealism This perspective assumes that humans are

fundamentally good and that while we occasionally go to war, war is not inevitable.

It is structure of international relations rather than human nature causes war

International cooperation will promote peace.

Perspectives: Liberalism This perspective assumes that while people

may be self interested, people can rationally cooperate to achieve self interested goals

This can be done through international organizations.

Liberals also see economics and trade as an important aspect of international relations.

Perspectives: LiberalismLiberal Institutionalism:

• This view asserts that IOs such as the UN are the best way to organize the world to ensure peace and economic prosperity.

Trade Liberalism :• This view asserts that freer trade is important

for economic prosperity • countries that are linked economically will not

threaten their prosperity with war.

Perspectives: Marxism This perspective is based on the works of Karl Marx it assumes international relations are fundamentally

about economics and that rich states use unfair trading relationships to trap poor states in a cycle of economic dependency.

This perspective sees wars as economically based and that they are used to reinforce the position of dominant states.

Perpsectives Which perspective do you think best explains International Relations?

Approaches: Pragmatism A practical way of solving problems Solutions tend to achieve the best possible

results given the limitations of a situation may often favour solutions that are self

serving A pragmatist would choose a course of action

most likely to work

Approaches: Idealism This approach involves solving problems

from the perspective of creating a perfect or ideal solution.

Approaches:Pragmatic Idealism This way of approaching problems is a mixture

of pragmatism and idealism. Canadian foreign policy tend to be a mixture of

idealism that leads us to risk lives and money to create a better world (peace keeping for example)

but also operates with a pragmatism that recognizes limitations and that balances goals that are more self interested.

Approaches:Hawkish This approach is based on a realistic

perspective and those governments that are hawkish are more likely to use war as a foreign policy tool.

Approaches: Dovish Those governments with a dovish approach

are more likely to avoid war when trying to solve problems.

Approaches:Uni and Multilateral States that conduct their foreign policy on

their own and take action on their own are acting in a unilateral fashion.

This is opposed to multilateralism where states act in a coordinated fashion with each other

Influences Geography Public Opinion and Domestic Policy Policies Of Other States Fear Power and Influence History Economics Ideology Views Of The Leaders