Deck 2: Theories of World Politics

Question 1

Unlike neorealists, neoliberals believe that international anarchy can be overcome through the creation of strong global institutions.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Realists believe states are the most important actors in global politics because

A)state leaders are stronger than the leaders of non-governmental organizations.
B)international law recognizes states as the most important actors.
C)states answer to no authority higher than themselves.
D)international organizations have no impact on global politics.
E)there are more states than NGOs.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The Kellogg-Briand Pact was one of the most important treaties signed during the Cold War.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The Peloponnesian Wars were fought between the Spartans and the Romans.

Question 5

The Greek historian who first analyzed the Peloponnesian Wars was

A)Alexander the Great.
B)Machiavelli.
C)Thucydides.
D)Plato.
E)Aristotle.

Question 6

Transnational relations are defined as interactions across state boundaries that involve only nation-states as actors.

Question 7

Who of the following is considered an important realist philosopher?

A)Adam Smith
B)Immanuel Kant
C)Niccolò Machiavelli
D)Woodrow Wilson
E)Karl Marx

Question 8

Neorealism is sometimes referred to as structural realism.

Question 9

A theory is an example, model, or essential pattern that structures thought about an area of inquiry.

Question 10

Post-modern thinkers believe it is impossible to analyze world politics from a purely objective, value-free point of view.

Question 11

__________ is a set of statements that purports to explain a particular phenomenon.

A)Construction
B)Global system
C)Paradigm
D)Deconstruction
E)Theory

Question 12

Neo-realism focuses more on the individual rather than the structural level of analysis.

Question 13

Realists view the state as the most important actor in international politics.

Question 14

Liberalism believes that global politics is primarily a zero-sum game.

Question 15

Liberals believe that establishing stable democracies will lead to peace.

Question 16

The goal of behavioralist methodology in the study of world politics is to use scientific methods and the rigorous application of quantitative techniques.

Question 17

All feminist theorists agree that there are not significant differences in the capabilities of men and women.

Question 18

According to realists, the anarchic structure of the international system leads to

A)a reliance on collective security arrangements.
B)greater cooperation among states.
C)chaos in interstate relations.
D)increased interdependence among states.
E)a self-help system where states are responsible for their own security.

Question 19

Liberals believe that war is a global problem that requires collective action to control it.

Question 20

Constructivism is the study of how the global system is constructed or managed.

Question 21

World-system theory divides the world into

A)democratic and non-democratic nations.
B)core, periphery, and semi-periphery areas.
C)bourgeoisie and proletariat.
D)capitalist and command economies.
E)Global North and Global South.

Question 22

Another term for liberalism in the study of world politics is

A)progressivism.
B)idealism.
C)anarchism.
D)structuralism.
E)constructivism.

Question 23

Which of the following is not a basic tenet of liberal thought?

A)Human nature is essentially altruistic and cooperative.
B)Morality should be a part of politics.
C)Violence is a product of bad institutions, not bad people.
D)Unilateralism is the best means to prevent war.
E)War is not inevitable.

Question 24

An international regime

A)brings some order to international anarchy.
B)is a body of norms that facilitates cooperation on a specific issue.
C)can apply to a variety of issues, such as trade, monetary affairs, and the environment.
D)is the result of increasing interdependence in the international system.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 25

Feminism challenges traditional international relations theory in all except which of the following ways?

A)The scientific study of world politics
B)Fundamental gender bias
C)The capitalist economic system
D)Reformulation of core concepts
E)Incorporation of the female perspective

Question 26

A relationship between two states in which one side gains and the other loses is known as

A)a zero-sum game
B)a positive sum game
C)game theory
D)balance of power
E)collective security

Question 27

Compare and contrast the assumptions about international phenomena made by liberalism and realism.What assumptions about the nature of world politics are advanced by each tradition? What accounts for the rise and fall over time of their relative popularity as paradigms for organizing our orientation toward the international arena?

Question 28

When did feminist theories first emerge to challenge conventional theories in the field of international relations?

A)Last quarter of the nineteenth century
B)First quarter of the twentieth century
C)World War II
D)Last quarter of the twentieth century
E)The twenty-first century

Question 29

The Kellogg-Briand Pact was signed in

A)1918.
B)1928.
C)1938.
D)1948.
E)1958.

Question 30

Who was the first Marxist thinker to develop the idea of imperialism, which was the result of global capitalist monopolies?

A)Karl Marx
B)Immanuel Wallerstein
C)V.I.Lenin
D)Friedrich Engels
E)Mao Zedong

Question 31

A security arrangement guided by the principle that an act of aggression by any state will be met by a collective response from the rest is known as

A)the Kellogg-Briand Pact.
B)a self-help system.
C)geopolitics.
D)collective security.
E)alliance building.

Question 32

The study of world politics using scientific methods based on measurement, data, and evidence is known as

A)behavioralism.
B)epistemology.
C)hypothesis.
D)constructivism.
E)feminism.

Question 33

Which of the following was a criticism of the realist school of thought?

A)It was too idealistic.
B)It could not account for new trends in international relations, like economic cooperation.
C)It was too precise in how it defined key terms, like power and interest.
D)Both options b and c are true.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 34

According to the text, a common critique of liberalism is that

A)international institutions are ineffective.
B)states are the primary level of analysis.
C)it places too much emphasis on moral rationales.
D)Both options a and c are true.
E)All of the above are true.

Question 35

Which of the following was not an important liberal philosopher?

A)John Locke
B)Immanuel Kant
C)Adam Smith
D)Hans Morgenthau
E)Woodrow Wilson

Question 36

The school of thought that emphasizes the importance of shared ideas and understandings that are developed between actors that define their interests, identities, and images of the world is called

A)feminism.
B)realism.
C)international regimes.
D)constructivism.
E)complex interdependence.

Question 37

According to realist theory, the primary goal of every state is

A)to promote its national interest.
B)to negotiate alliances with allies.
C)to strengthen international collective security arrangements.
D)to limit nuclear proliferation.
E)to increase its economic wealth.

Question 38

Which of the following is an example of a policy influenced by liberal principles?

A)Economic autarchy
B)Focus on a strong defense
C)Spread of free markets
D)Both a and c are examples of a policy influenced by liberal principles.
E)Both b and c are examples of a policy influenced by liberal principles.

Question 39

The main focus of Marxist thought when applied to world politics is

A)state security.
B)individual freedom.
C)ideas and identities.
D)class conflict.
E)None of the above is true.

Question 40

Complex interdependence

A)is used by realists to argue in favor of relative gains as opposed to zero-sum gains.
B)stress ties between transnational actors, not just states, and focuses on issues besides national security.
C)emphasizes security issues and the prominence of states in the international system.
D)is the result of states refusing to work together on global trade issues.
E)is most closely associated with realism.

Question 41

Describe the three structural positions that world system theory divides the world's nation -states.Explain how these structures perpetuate wealth and poverty in the global capitalist system.

Question 42

Discuss the twentieth century development of feminist thought in the study of international relations.Explain the connection between feminism and other forms of radical thought.How has feminism transformed the way scholars perceive global politics?

Question 43

Discuss the three main groups of liberal thinkers that emerged after World War I.Explain why the enthusiasm for liberalism waned with the onset of World War II and why liberal ideas failed to prevent that war.

Question 44

How have feminist scholars been critical of other international relations scholars? Are their critiques justified?

Question 45

Describe socialism including Karl Marx's views on capitalism and Lenin's ideas on imperialism.

Question 46

Discuss the realist views on human nature.Can such human attributes be applied to the study of the state and other institutions in global politics? Explain.

Question 47

What is the main concern of constructivism? How does it seek to expand on the theories of realism and liberalism? How useful is constructivism for understanding international phenomena?

Question 48

Explain why behavioral methodology rose to prominence in the study of international relations.Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of behavioral methods in the study of world politics.

Question 49

Explain the constructivist worldview and the evolution of constructivist thought.Discuss three main critiques of constructivism.