 International
Relations: how
countries relate to one another, how
they work together, and how they
conflict.
 A state or country is an independent,
defined territory with a government,
a population, and sovereignty over
these.
 State sovereignty gives nations the
right to carry out laws and policies
within its borders without
interference from other states
What’s another word for
state?
State and country mean
exactly the same thing.
•
A group of people with
a distinct identity.
•
What do these people share in common?
race
ethnicity
history
culture
language
religion
 Interstate
(or international)
“Between states”
 Intrastate
“Within a state”
“Underlying the behavior of nations is the
concept of national interest”
What question does this statement
answer?
Why do nations behave the way they
do?
 What
is best for a particular country
 Anything
that is good for or beneficial to
a country.
The goals viewed as being beneficial to a
country…
… and that determine that country’s
behavior.
A Country’s National Interests / Goals
A Country’s Behavior
(It’s Foreign Policy)
•
A country’s national interests change over
time.
•
Each country’s interests are unique, but all
countries share these broad goals:
State sovereignty
Territorial integrity
Military security
Economic well-being
 Citizens
often disagree
on what their country’s
national interests are.
 National
interests are ultimately defined
by a country’s leaders.
A
country’s national interests will
determine its foreign policy.
 Combines
Security, Economic and Ideological
concerns of a country
 Must
meet basic needs so it can survive and
improve it’s citizens’ living standards
 Examples
of a nation’s basic needs…
1. Survival concerns: Mali and Bangladesh
2. Development of Natural Resources to trade:
Niger and Malaysia
 Physical
survival is a universally
shared concern. We build armies,
create alliances 
 Sense of national security is based
on perceived threats from other
nations.
1. Israel: few allies/strong military
2. Switzerland: few enemies/no large
army
 Countries
seek to promote
economic welfare
 Countries vary in economic
interests
• Depends on availability of
resources
• Depends on development of
resources
 Need
to obtain basics first (food, water, shelter,
health care)
 Lack agricultural methods and industrial
developments to provide these
• Cash crops/ raw materials are often traded for
food
• Attract foreign investment and tourism to
supplement national income
• Example: Sub-Saharan Africa
Turn out a variety of products including processed
food, machinery, autos, computers, clothing etc.
 Production often exceeds actual needs
• Excess of manufactured goods is exported in
exchange from raw materials, products or money
• Economic growth is dependent upon ability to buy
or sell products abroad.
• Economic interests are determined by wants and
needs of citizens, types of products to sell, and
development of the economies


Ideology is a combination of beliefs, values, culture,
religion, and historical experiences of a nation’s
people
• Plays a unique role in National Interest
• Countries are interested in protecting a way of life
and trying to promote that abroad
a) Example of US: promoting democracy in
dictatorial nations
b) Example of Iran: promotes religion of Shiite
Islam.
 Concerns
do not exist independently
(economic interests affect security and
ideological interests)
• Example: If people do not have enough to
eat, the stability and therefore the security
of government may be threatened
• Example: Some nations believe that the
security of their nation depends on the
adherence to a certain ideology and will
go to war to defend it
 Please
complete the above titled
survey
 You
will then work collaboratively to
narrow your top three interests.
“In every nation, leaders develop a foreign
policy --or a course of action--to pursue
the national interests of their countries.”
 “A
course of action developed by a
country’s leaders to pursue the national
interests of that nation.”
 “The
actions taken by a government in
pursuit of a country’s global interests and
goals.”
National Interests
(Goals)
Foreign Policy
(Actions taken in pursuit of goals)
•
What is Power?
Power refers to a nation’s ability to
influence the actions of other nations.
•
Why is Power Important?
Powerful nations are more likely to reach
their foreign policy goals than less
powerful countries.
1. Economic Power
•The possession of products or
resources that other nations
want to buy.
•The
wealth to buy what other
nations want to sell.
2. Military Power
•
Having a strong
enough military
to deter (prevent)
attack.
•
Having the ability to
project military power
overseas.
3. Geography
Geopolitics:
The influence of geography on politics –
especially on foreign policy.








Its size
Its location
Its borders and terrain
Its control of critical resources
Its need for critical resources
Its access to water
Its neighbors (its proximity to
allies and enemies)
Its strategic interests around
the globe
Geopolitics involves the competition
between states for :
•
The control of strategically
important territory.
•
Access to resources.
Influence throughout the
world.
•
Thinking Geopolitically
To
think geopolitically,
what questions should
be asked before using
military force against
the country outlined in
yellow on this map?
With
your group come up with 2
questions.







What part of the world is this? Is this a
strategically important part of the world?
How far is this country from the U.S.?
What is the value of this country/area in
terms of natural resources, trade, bases,
etc. to the U.S.?
What are the natural barriers to invasion,
such as seas or mountain ranges?
Are the surrounding countries friends or
enemies of this country? Would they
support our invasion?
Are the surrounding countries friends
or enemies of the U.S.?
What is the make-up of this country’s
population? Will the people there welcome
or hate us?
4. The Acquisition of Modern
Technology
•
May overcome other
disadvantages.
•
Allows small countries to
compete economically and
militarily.
5. Strong National Resolve
•
Shared strong beliefs about the nation’s national
interests and strong determination to achieve
them.
•
Can overcome other disadvantages.
Balance of Power:
•
A concept used in analyzing the
distribution of power in the world.
•
When there is a balance of power, states
enjoy relatively equal power and no one
state is able to dominate.
The idea that states will adopt policies or form
alliances designed to keep any one state or
group of states from becoming too powerful.
A Unipolar System:
 An
international system
dominated by one
powerful nation.
 Describes
the world today
in which the U.S. is the sole
superpower.
A Bipolar System:
 An
international system dominated by
two powerful nations.
 Describes
the Cold War system when
there were two superpowers.
A Multipolar System:
 An
international system
where power is evenly
distributed between four
or more nations.
 No
nation is dominant.
 “Hobbled
Hegemon” review on pg. 36
 Straw Structure Challenge on pg. 18
• Discussion & Debriefing
Straw Structure Challenge
Hegemony
The influence or domination of a powerful
nation over other, weaker nations within its
sphere of influence.
Sphere of Influence
An area of the world in which a powerful
nation (a hegemon) exerts cultural,
economic, military or political domination
over other, less powerful, nations.
Imperialism:
A policy of extending a country’s power
through the acquisition of additional
territory or through the direct control
over other nations.
Empire:
Extensive territory or peoples under the
direct control of a single, powerful state.
Imperial power:.
A state that controls an empire
“Carrot – and – stick”
Etymology: From the traditional alternatives of driving
a donkey on by either holding out a carrot or whipping
it with a stick.
“Characterized by the use of both reward
and punishment to induce cooperation”
What are they?
The specific actions taken
by a state in pursuit of its
national interests.
Three groups:
• Political tools
• Economic tools
• Tools associated with
use of military force
Political Tools:
Diplomacy:
Conducting relations between
nations through negotiations and
dialogue.
•
• “ Tool
of first resort” used by nations
to peacefully resolve differences.
•
Carried out by diplomats.
The “Chief Diplomat” ?
Cabinet member responsible for day to day diplomacy?
Secretary of State heads State Department
•
•
•
Advises President on foreign policy.
Negotiates agreements with foreign countries.
Represents the U.S. abroad and in international
organizations.
 Diplomacy
may involve summits between
heads of state. (Face to face talks)

Bilateral summit with Russian
President Medvedev


Multilateral G20 economic summit
Diplomatic Relations:
The formal contact established between
two governments that normalize
relations.
•
Diplomatic recognition is extended to
each other’s governments.
•
Ambassadors are exchanged.
•
Embassies are opened in respective
capitals.
 Bhutan
 Cuba
 Iran
 North
Korea
North Korea
Iran
Cuba
Bhutan
Diplomacy may result in the signing of
treaties.
• Formal, written agreements between states
(Bilateral or Multilateral)
Peace Treaty
Commercial Treaty
Arms Control Treaty
Diplomacy may result in the formation of
alliances.
•
Formal agreements
between states to
defend each other
in the case of attack.
•
Based on idea of collective security –
the idea that peace and security is best
achieved by states acting together to
confront aggression.
NATO
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
NATO meeting at NATO headquarters
in Brussels, Belgium.
Democracies in North America
Atlantic Ocean
Diplomatic Sanctions
•
Sanctions are actions meant to punish
the targeted state for bad behavior.
•
Examples:
Withholding recognition.
 Recalling one’s own diplomats.
 Expelling another country’s diplomats.
 Breaking off diplomatic relations.

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
(left) and Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan (above)
A
policy of dealing with another country
through direct talks and negotiations in
an attempt to improve relations.
A
relaxation of tensions
or a decrease in the level of
hostility between states.
Nixon meets then-Soviet premier Leonid
Brezhnev on the eve of the 1974 Moscow
summit, and both leaders are depicted with a
handful of missiles behind their backs.
 Means “to
approach” or
come together with the intent of
establishing or reestablishing
friendly relations.
 Describes
a reconciliation
between nations that have
had poor relations.
 The
policy of granting concessions to
potential enemies to maintain peace
• In May 2008, President Bush cautioned against
"the false comfort of appeasement" when dealing
with Iran and its President, Ahmadinejad
 Act
of not taking sides
• “To avoid making a dicey situation worse,
Obama’s guiding principle must be to make sure
that America is not identified with any one
Pakistani politician or party.”-OP-Ed, Boston
Globe, January 4, 2010
 One-sided
or exaggerated information
used by a nation to gain support for its
policies.
Tehran, Iran, January 2010 
•
The establishment or reestablishment of
full diplomatic relations between
nations.
 Economic
rewards:
• Foreign Aid: Assistance given from one country
to another in the form of:
 Economic Aid
 Military Aid
 Trade
agreements
• The lifting (removal) of sanctions
Economic Punishments are designed to force a
state to change their policies:
•
Sanctions
Boycotts
(we don’t buy)
Embargoes
•
(no commerce, no trade)
Trade (import) restrictions:
 Tariffs

Quotas
Critics say...
•
•
They are rarely effective
They can backfire by isolating sanctioned
countries and causing their leaders to
become even more repressive
•
They cruelly and unfairly punish civilians
•
They hurt U.S. businesses by cutting the
markets in which they can sell their
products
 Your
homework articles & questions
 Vocabulary from your Unit 1 glossary
 Fill-in the blank notes
 Use your course review guide (pg. 12)
and Unit 1 glossary (pg. 16) in your
syllabus packet as a more formal guide
for studying
 Usually
used as a last resort
in resolving disputes.
 Carries
risks.
 Part
high costs and serious
of a policy of coercion (means to
force, compel, or threaten a state to do
what it would not otherwise do).
Show of strength: strategic positioning of
military forces around the world
Would include…
•Clandestine
•Subversive
activities
activities:
planning to overthrow
an established
government
•Espionage
FDR declares war on the
Japanese
Limited wars:
• Fought for limited objectives and
with limited types of weapons.
• Usually end with negotiated agreement.
Total wars:
• Fought without limitations on the
objectives, targets, or weapons used.
• Goal is usually the defeat and the
unconditional surrender of an enemy.
ISOLATIONISM
•
A policy of withdraw and
non-involvement in
world affairs.
•
Means avoiding
alliances with other
states and following a
policy of strict
neutrality .
INTERNATIONALISM

A policy of active
involvement in world
affairs.
ISOLATIONISM


U.S. isolationism was
primarily directed
against Europe.
Meant the U.S. tried to
stay out of Europe’s
politics and wars.
APPEASEMENT
 Taken
to the extreme,
a policy of trying to
avoid war may result
in appeasement
-- a policy of buying
off an aggressor by
giving in to its
demands.
INTERVENTIONISM
•
A policy of using military
force, or the threat of force, to
interfere in another nation’s
internal affairs.
•
U.S. interventionism has often
resulted in sending American
troops into other countries to
protect U.S. interests.
•
“Hawks” are those who
support the use of military
force overseas.
NON-INTERVENTIONISM

A policy of not interfering
in the internal affairs of
other nations.
UNILATERALISM


MULTILATERALISM
A policy of acting alone –
without consulting allies
•
A policy of acting together
with other nations.
Supporters believe that
the U.S. should exercise
its power without the
limitations imposed by
allies and international
agreements (NATO, UN)
•
Argues U.S. should work
with other nations to solve
global problems.
•
Argues the use of military
force is only legitimate if
the international
community supports it.
•
IDEALISM
Argues that a country’s
foreign policy should
reflect and promote
moral values and
ideals:
 Freedom and liberty
 Democracy
 Respect for human
rights
REALISM (“REALPOLITIK”)
 Argues that a country’s
foreign policy should
promote its own
national interests.

German for the “politics”
of reality”
On the Left
Carter
On the Right
Reagan and Bush
On the Left
On the Right
Nixon (and don’t
forget Kissinger!)
The Other
One
Pragmatists – Stress doing what is practical
and possible. Guided by facts rather than
ideology.
IDEALISM


Based on doing what’s
right and what’s best for
the world at large.
Sees the world as it
should be or could be
and driven by a desire to
change or “save” the
world.
REALISM


Pragmatic policy of
doing whatever is
necessary and best for
one’s own country.
Accepts and deals with
the world as it really is.
•
IDEALISM
Argues that our relations
with other countries
should be based on
shared values.

Opposes dealing
with governments
that don’t share our
values
 No
alliances with
dictators
•
REALISM
Argues that U.S. relations
with other countries
should be based on
shared interests.

Must deal with all
governments– even
those we dislike.

Must sometimes ally
with dictators that
share our goals.
IDEALISM
• Envisions a global
REALISM

system based on:
 International

agreements
 Multilateral
cooperation between
states.
(Liberal idealism)

Favors a global system
based on state power.
States must acquire and
use power to defend
their interests and to
ensure order and
stability in the world.
Strives for a balance of
power between the most
powerful states.
IDEALISM
• Based on the optimistic
belief that states can
learn to live and work
together in peace and
harmony.
REALISM
•
Based on the more
pessimistic belief that
states always act in their
own interest.
•
“World peace”
impossible because
states will always have
opposing interests that
lead to competition and
conflict.
IDEALISM

Argues for humanitarian
interventions to make the
world a better place
REALISM

Cautious about using
military force and only
supports using it when
vital U.S. interests
are at stake.
IDEALISM
•
•
Liberal idealists
support interventions to
stop human suffering
and protect human
rights.
Conservative idealists
(neoconservatives)
support interventions to
expand freedom and
spread democracy
around the globe.
REALISM
•
Realists believe that
what other countries do
to their own people
shouldn’t be our
concern.
•
Realists believe that
another country’s
government is not our
business.
•
Stability is more
important than either
democracy or human
rights.