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165ISS Exam Plan
Kantian Triangle
- Introduction
- Democratic Peace Theory was a form of Republican Liberalism theorised by Immanuel Kant
- This essay will explore the three areas of the Kantian Triangle; International Institutions, Democracy, and Economic Interdependence, and how these three areas combined can foster peace
- Example of how the theory works, as well as responses to critique from other IR theories such as Realism will be discussed
- This essay will explore the three areas of the Kantian Triangle; International Institutions, Democracy, and Economic Interdependence, and how these three areas combined can foster peace
- Democratic Peace Theory was a form of Republican Liberalism theorised by Immanuel Kant
- P2: International Institutions
- The first point of the Kantian Triangle is International Institutions, or in Kantian terms 'Republican Constitutions'
- These institutions, such as the UN or the World Bank, solve fundamental problems of regulation and sharing
- The more international institutions a country joins, the less likely a government is to use force against its other members
- For example the UK, as a member of NATO, would under almost no circumstances use force against a fellow member such as the US or Germany
- On the flip side of this, North Korea is not a member of NATO, and therefore may be more likely to use force against a NATO member
- A further example of the EU is important to discuss; as an institution it seems inconceivable that EU member states would ever enter into a war with eachother, patricularly due to the other benefits of the EU including economic interdependence, a second point of the Kantian Triangle
- On the flip side of this, North Korea is not a member of NATO, and therefore may be more likely to use force against a NATO member
- For example the UK, as a member of NATO, would under almost no circumstances use force against a fellow member such as the US or Germany
- The more international institutions a country joins, the less likely a government is to use force against its other members
- These institutions, such as the UN or the World Bank, solve fundamental problems of regulation and sharing
- The first point of the Kantian Triangle is International Institutions, or in Kantian terms 'Republican Constitutions'
- P3: Economic Interdependence
- Economic Interdepence, or 'Commercial Exchange', refers to trade between nations in order to mutually benefit both sides; thus the collapse of this trade would not be worth entering conflict for
- It claims the more gains made without the need for force, there is incentive for more actors to lobby for peace
- Returning to the EU as an example, it shows how the economic links have fostered peace between EU nations
- The EU have gine further than Kant suggests in his theory; allowing not just movement of money and goods but also of people and information within the institution
- Trade beyond institutions, such as between China and Africa demonstrates the Kantian philosophy
- Peacefully the two partners benefit from the trade; China receiving raw materials to fuel production, while African states raise funds to improve infrastructure
- In this example there is no incentive to go to war from either side as missing out o this trade in not beneficial to either party
- Peacefully the two partners benefit from the trade; China receiving raw materials to fuel production, while African states raise funds to improve infrastructure
- Trade beyond institutions, such as between China and Africa demonstrates the Kantian philosophy
- The EU have gine further than Kant suggests in his theory; allowing not just movement of money and goods but also of people and information within the institution
- Returning to the EU as an example, it shows how the economic links have fostered peace between EU nations
- It claims the more gains made without the need for force, there is incentive for more actors to lobby for peace
- Economic Interdepence, or 'Commercial Exchange', refers to trade between nations in order to mutually benefit both sides; thus the collapse of this trade would not be worth entering conflict for
- P4: Democracy
- The last point of the Kantian triangle is having a system of international law among republics governed domestically by the rue of law; Democracy
- This is the basis for Kant's Theory of the more democracies existing, the more peaceful the world will be
- Within a democracy, it allows preferences to be converted into enforceable policies
- A specific example includes a clear incentive to not go to war. The costs and risks of going to war directly affects the citizens of that country, and under the democratic system the leader that took the country into war can be taken out of his/her position; thus creating incentive to get a response from the electorate regarding a decision to go to war
- Within a democracy, it allows preferences to be converted into enforceable policies
- This is the basis for Kant's Theory of the more democracies existing, the more peaceful the world will be
- The last point of the Kantian triangle is having a system of international law among republics governed domestically by the rue of law; Democracy
- P5: Criticism
- Criticism of the Democratic Peace Theory thends to derive off Realism
- One example would be how the Realist perspective suggests it is not the domestic political structures that define peace but rather common interests that explain the rarity of wars between democratic states
- In defence of the Kantian Triangle, this has been largely disproven, and rather these Cold War style alliances are not even close to the efficiency democracy has regarding conflict prevention
- A topical argument surrounding the UN as an international institution and North Korea is further cause for criticism
- The North Korean government consistently violates UN rules and policies despite being a member, asking the question of if a state does not recongise the overarching power of an institution, does it wield any power at all in terms of world politics
- The Kantian Triangle would suggest it does not follow any of the points Kant makes; economically it acts as a hermit, certainly in comparison with its highly globalised Asian neighbours
- Furthermore, it is not a democratic state, and therefore this cooperation with international institutions is expected, and can't be blamed on the Democratic Peace Theory
- The Kantian Triangle would suggest it does not follow any of the points Kant makes; economically it acts as a hermit, certainly in comparison with its highly globalised Asian neighbours
- The North Korean government consistently violates UN rules and policies despite being a member, asking the question of if a state does not recongise the overarching power of an institution, does it wield any power at all in terms of world politics
- A topical argument surrounding the UN as an international institution and North Korea is further cause for criticism
- In defence of the Kantian Triangle, this has been largely disproven, and rather these Cold War style alliances are not even close to the efficiency democracy has regarding conflict prevention
- One example would be how the Realist perspective suggests it is not the domestic political structures that define peace but rather common interests that explain the rarity of wars between democratic states
- Criticism of the Democratic Peace Theory thends to derive off Realism
- Conclusion
- To conclude, the Democratic Peace Theory gives a simple and attainable route to peace
- Realist critique does threaten the theory's credibility, specifically how easily the international institutions can be disregarded, leaving world politics in an anarchic state
- However, the strength of proven strength of democracy as well as working together on an economic level as well as working within international institutions are part of a utopian future which is being strived for but an almost impossible task to achieve
- Realist critique does threaten the theory's credibility, specifically how easily the international institutions can be disregarded, leaving world politics in an anarchic state
- To conclude, the Democratic Peace Theory gives a simple and attainable route to peace
- Introduction
Feminist Approaches
- Introduction
- In a predominantly andocentric field of study for almost all its lifetime, International Relations is now realising how vital it is to consider feminist approaches in order to gain further understanding within the discipline of IR
- This essay will detail the four types of feminist approaches; Feminist empiricism; Feminist standpoint; Feminist postmodernism and Postmodern feminism, explaining their key points and goals
- In a predominantly andocentric field of study for almost all its lifetime, International Relations is now realising how vital it is to consider feminist approaches in order to gain further understanding within the discipline of IR
- P2: Feminist Empiricism
- This first feminist approach can be linked with the ideas of Liberalism
- This approach believes in the existence of an objectively identifiable female category, as well as relying on the positivistic understanding of science
- Despite being an outdated, or traditional view of feminism, it was the starting point of how feminism could evolve
- It is also referred to as "Liberal feminism" due to how in the early women's liberation movement they coinsidered the state as the appropiate order to achieve gender equality
- Despite being an outdated, or traditional view of feminism, it was the starting point of how feminism could evolve
- This approach believes in the existence of an objectively identifiable female category, as well as relying on the positivistic understanding of science
- This first feminist approach can be linked with the ideas of Liberalism
- P3: Feminist Standpoint
- Feminist standpoint, or Feminist constructivism, can be linked to the traditional constructivist approach
- In feminist standpoint, power and gender are considered as integral elements in the process of construction
- This normative approach suggest the experiences and identities of women has to be made the centre of feminist theorising in IR
- Not as radical as early feminism, it claims that the female standpoint enhances the persepective on international politics and thus is essential to consider
- This normative approach suggest the experiences and identities of women has to be made the centre of feminist theorising in IR
- In feminist standpoint, power and gender are considered as integral elements in the process of construction
- Feminist standpoint, or Feminist constructivism, can be linked to the traditional constructivist approach
- P4: Feminist Postmodernism
- This approach is a step away from the previous two approaches
- Not believing in a fixed gender identity, this approach instead claims that we all have different identities depending on the situation we are in, or who we are with
- An example could be that within a lesson or class, the students will identify as student; however once the class has been dismissed they may identify themselves all differently within their own social situations
- Known also as post-colonial feminism due to its appearance in the post-colonial world, it also suggest that female perspective must be taken into account in the non-western world, in order to grasp a better concept of understanding a post-colonial country
- An example could be that within a lesson or class, the students will identify as student; however once the class has been dismissed they may identify themselves all differently within their own social situations
- Not believing in a fixed gender identity, this approach instead claims that we all have different identities depending on the situation we are in, or who we are with
- This approach is a step away from the previous two approaches
- P5: Postmodern Feminism
- This appraoch aims to solve the problem of the vanishing woman
- Rather than the feminist postmodernism view of there being no fixed gender identity, this approach argues that gender is an important point of identification
- It also emphasises the term "Multiple standpoints", claiming that you can identify as several things at once, and not just 'man' or 'woman'
- An example of how someone may identify could be an urban, white, conservative female
- The idea of a single identity self is non-existent, but each of these identities create the person
- An example of how someone may identify could be an urban, white, conservative female
- It also emphasises the term "Multiple standpoints", claiming that you can identify as several things at once, and not just 'man' or 'woman'
- Rather than the feminist postmodernism view of there being no fixed gender identity, this approach argues that gender is an important point of identification
- This appraoch aims to solve the problem of the vanishing woman
- Conclusion
- To conclude, these four approaches give a rounded overview of the feminist doctrine
- They all show how varying feminist ideas can be different, but also how they all share ideas despite the unique features they all possess
- Without a sophisticated form of feminism these 4 approaches give to the IR discipline, the field of International Relations would continue to be heavily andocentic and lose out on a perspective so vital to consider
- They all show how varying feminist ideas can be different, but also how they all share ideas despite the unique features they all possess
- To conclude, these four approaches give a rounded overview of the feminist doctrine
- Give more examples, at least 1 in each approach; Also give a name of a scholar who writes about these approaches just to make it longer
- Introduction
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- Mind Map on 165ISS Exam Plan, created by Luigi Botrugno on 27/04/2017.
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