Individual
Domestic
State
Systemic
Level
Level
Level
Level
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A level of analysis is a level that you study
world politics at. Any analytical model – offer
promise of reliable prediction
There are four levels of analysis.
Individual level- at this level you are looking
at the interactions between individuals (micro
level analysis) For ex: analysis of individual’s
speeches or biographies to understand their
decision making. individuals’ characters,
personality, psychology, ideology & beliefs
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Societal/Domestic level: looking at domestic
issues to analyze state’s behavior nationalism
&/or ethnic conflict, public opinion & political
parties & party systems, & other domestic
coalitions
State level -looking at the interactions between
states as actors. the power distribution, changes
to balance of power, formation & breakdown of
alliances, For ex: study of relations between
Germany and France
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Systemic level - looking at the world as a
whole (macro level analysis) total picture of
international relations North-South gap,
World environment, Technological change,
Information revolution For ex: analysis of
global relations and issues (UN, NATO).
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Individual Level: Evil human nature and desire
to have power
G.W. Bush desire to be hegemon in the
region/world
State Level: survival of the state/military
superiority/rational actors/war is inevitable
Threat of Saddam to U.S security
U.S aimed to achieve security (national
interest of the state)
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Systemic Level: international system is
characterized as being anarchic as there is
the absence of a central authority
anarchic structure
UN failure to handle situation, ineffective to
convince Saddam to cooperate on WMD
Preemptive strike was the only option
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Individual Level: good human nature/human
rights/ rule of law/diplomacy
Bush aimed to prevent human right violation
in Iraq (Saddam used chemical weapons to his
own people) and bring democracy to Iraq
State Level: state cooperation/ free trade/
States cooperate to achieve common interest
(harmony of interest)
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U.S example of liberal state/universality of its
values
spread the liberal norms and values of free
trade, freedom of human rights, democracy,
nation building
Difficulties to convince Saddam with
diplomacy
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Systemic Level: accept the fact of anarch in
international system but believes that
conflicts can be solved/reduced through
cooperation among states and the
establishment of international law
United Nations which is seen as a de facto
supreme organization that coordinates the
affairs of states
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Security Council of the UN did not pass
second resolution to use of force in Iraq
It can be argued that UNSC did best it can do
to stop war as an institution