Discussion board questions 1 - Essay Example

INTERNATIONAL RELATION Discussion Board Questions & Answers …………………. College/ ………….. Which level of analysis do you feel is the most appropriate for YOUR interests in IR? Though there are different levels of analysis to determine causes and effects of certain events in relation to international politics, it is important to depend on a specific one based on its appropriateness. The different levels of analysis in international relation are individual decision makers, role of decision makers, characteristics of the society, structure of government and world system etc.

Out of these analysis, The world system seems to be more appropriate because it is the most comprehensive level of analysis and it can be used to study international relations as a whole by studying the overall global patterns of behaviour among different states and it looks at how independent is each state from the other (Russett, Starr, and Kinsella 2009). 2-How do you define “power”? Do you agree with Realists in that power still matters most in the international system? Why or Why not?

Power, as Russett, Starr, and Kinsella (2009, p. 106) defined, is the ability to have an impact on the behaviour of other actors, mainly to affect the opportunities available to others and their willingness to select specific courses of actions. Many politicians view ‘power’ as an ability to reduce uncertainty in an environment. Power is often compared with money as power can be saved or spent as is the case with money too. But, a rather different and yet acceptable view is that power is a psychological phenomenon because one may have it if others think he has.

Tischler (2004, p. 344) quoted max Weber’s definition of power as it is the ability to carry out a person’s or group’s will even when there is resistance or opposition from others. Realists are like skeptical and are those who believe that people are self-interested and selfish to dominate on others. According to this perception, power always matters in international relation, because people are selfish to dominate on others. More specifically, people are more likely to use power to influence other’s will.

Realists emphasizes an assumption that all nation-states are motivated by national interests and they have almost same view regarding a nation’s or state’s power to influence on others nations or states. 3- What is a non-state actor? Which non-state actor will become the most important competitor with the nation-state in the 21st century. Non-state actors are either international organizations or transnational groups like Catholic Church or multinational companies. Inter-governmental organizations seem to have more impacts on inter-state relation and they therefore mediate conflicts and find solutions for issues between nations.

Non-governmental organizations are another kind of non-state actor and they seem to have relatively less impact on involving in international relation matters. Multinational companies are more powerful competitors and non-state actors of 21st century because they are very likely to influence wider range of people by providing jobs, investments and many other ways of contacts with others. References Russett, B, Starr, H and Kinsella, D (2009), World Politics: The Menu for Choice, Ninth revised edition, Cengage Learning Tischler, HL 2010, Introduction to Sociology, Tenth edition, Cengage Learning