Neorealism or structural realism is a theory of international relations that emphasizes the role of power politics in international relations,sees competition and conflict as enduring features and sees limited potential for cooperation. The anarchic state of the international system means that states cannot be certain of other states' intentions and their security,thus prompting them to engage in power politics.
International Relations is an academic discipline. In a broader sense,the study of IR,in addition to multilateral relations,concerns all activities among states—such as war,diplomacy,trade,and foreign policy—as well as relations with and among other international actors,such as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs),international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs),international legal bodies,and multinational corporations (MNCs).
International relations theory is the study of international relations (IR) from a theoretical perspective. It seeks to explain behaviors and outcomes in international politics. The three most prominent schools of thought are realism,liberalism and constructivism. Whereas realism and liberalism make broad and specific predictions about international relations,constructivism and rational choice are methodological approaches that focus on certain types of social explanation for phenomena.
In international relations,the concept of balancing derives from the balance of power theory,the most influential theory from the realist school of thought,which assumes that a formation of hegemony in a multistate system is unattainable since hegemony is perceived as a threat by other states,causing them to engage in balancing against a potential hegemon.
Bandwagoning in international relations occurs when a state aligns with a stronger,adversarial power and concedes that the stronger adversary-turned-partner disproportionately gains in the spoils they conquer together. Bandwagoning,therefore,is a strategy employed by states that find themselves in a weak position. The logic stipulates that an outgunned,weaker state should align itself with a stronger adversary because the latter can take what it wants by force anyway. Thucydides' famous dictum that "the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" captures the essence of bandwagoning.
Kenneth Neal Waltz was an American political scientist who was a member of the faculty at both the University of California,Berkeley and Columbia University and one of the most prominent scholars in the field of international relations. He was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War.
In international relations,the security dilemma is when the increase in one state's security leads other states to fear for their own security. Consequently,security-increasing measures can lead to tensions,escalation or conflict with one or more other parties,producing an outcome which no party truly desires;a political instance of the prisoner's dilemma.
International security is a term which refers to the measures taken by states and international organizations,such as the United Nations,European Union,and others,to ensure mutual survival and safety. These measures include military action and diplomatic agreements such as treaties and conventions. International and national security are invariably linked. International security is national security or state security in the global arena.
Realism,a school of thought in international relations theory,is a theoretical framework that views world politics as an enduring competition among self-interested states vying for power and positioning within an anarchic global system devoid of a centralized authority. It centers on states as rational primary actors navigating a system shaped by power politics,national interest,and a pursuit of security and self-preservation.
Polarity in international relations is any of the various ways in which power is distributed within the international system. It describes the nature of the international system at any given period of time. One generally distinguishes three types of systems:unipolarity,bipolarity,and multipolarity for three or more centers of power. The type of system is completely dependent on the distribution of power and influence of states in a region or globally.
In international relations (IR),constructivism is a social theory that asserts that significant aspects of international relations are shaped by ideational factors. The most important ideational factors are those that are collectively held;these collectively held beliefs construct the interests and identities of actors.
Offensive realism is a structural theory in international relations that belongs to the neorealist school of thought and was put forward by the political scholar John Mearsheimer in response to defensive realism. Offensive realism holds that the anarchic nature of the international system is responsible for the promotion of aggressive state behavior in international politics. The theory fundamentally differs from defensive realism by depicting great powers as power-maximizing revisionists privileging buck-passing and self-promotion over balancing strategies in their consistent aim to dominate the international system. The theory brings important alternative contributions for the study and understanding of international relations but remains the subject of criticism.
In international relations theory,the concept of anarchy is the idea that the world lacks any supreme authority or sovereignty. In an anarchic state,there is no hierarchically superior,coercive power that can resolve disputes,enforce law,or order the system of international politics. In international relations,anarchy is widely accepted as the starting point for international relations theory.
The balance of power theory in international relations suggests that states may secure their survival by preventing any one state from gaining enough military power to dominate all others. If one state becomes much stronger,the theory predicts it will take advantage of its weaker neighbors,thereby driving them to unite in a defensive coalition. Some realists maintain that a balance-of-power system is more stable than one with a dominant state,as aggression is unprofitable when there is equilibrium of power between rival coalitions.
Defensive neorealism is a structural theory in international relations that is derived from the school of neorealism. The theory finds its foundation in the political scientist Kenneth Waltz's Theory of International Politics in which Waltz argues that the anarchical structure of the international system encourages states to maintain moderate and reserved policies to attain national security. In contrast,offensive realism assumes that states seek to maximize their power and influence to achieve security through domination and hegemony. Defensive neorealism asserts that aggressive expansion as promoted by offensive neorealists upsets the tendency of states to conform to the balance of power theory,thereby decreasing the primary objective of the state,which they argue to be the ensuring of its security. Defensive realism denies neither the reality of interstate conflict or that incentives for state expansion exist,but it contends that those incentives are sporadic,rather than endemic. Defensive neorealism points towards "structural modifiers," such as the security dilemma and geography,and elite beliefs and perceptions to explain the outbreak of conflict.
Theory of International Politics is a 1979 book on international relations theory by Kenneth Waltz that creates a structural realist theory,neorealism,to explain international relations. Taking into account the influence of neoclassical economic theory,Waltz argued that the fundamental "ordering principle" (p. 88) of the international political system is anarchy,which is defined by the presence of "functionally undifferentiated" (p. 97) individual state actors lacking "relations of super- and subordination" (p. 88) that are distinguished only by their varying capabilities.
Jennifer Sterling-Folker is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Connecticut. She was the Alan R. Bennett Honors Professor of Political Science. She is a specialist in International Relations theory.
Neoclassical realism is a theory of international relations and an approach to foreign policy analysis. Initially coined by Gideon Rose in a 1998 World Politics review article,it is a combination of classical realist and neorealist –particularly defensive realist –theories.
Classical realism is an international relations theory from the realist school of thought. Realism makes the following assumptions:states are the main actors in the international relations system,there is no supranational international authority,states act in their own self-interest,and states want power for self-preservation. Classical realism differs from other forms of realism in that it places specific emphasis on human nature and domestic politics as the key factor in explaining state behavior and the causes of inter-state conflict. Classical realist theory adopts a pessimistic view of human nature and argues that humans are not inherently benevolent but instead they are self-interested and act out of fear or aggression. Furthermore,it emphasizes that this human nature is reflected by states in international politics due to international anarchy.
Jeffrey W. Taliaferro is an American political scientist and international relations scholar. He is a professor of political science at Tufts University. His teaching and research focus on security studies and international relations theory.
