Workshop 8 Other States & You: International Relations Debates

Last Week Social Policy Debates Social Policy Debates State-Individual Interaction State-Individual Interaction Social Contract Social Contract Rights & Freedoms Rights & Freedoms

This Week International Relations Debates International Relations Debates State-State Interactions or State-International Body Interaction State-State Interactions or State-International Body Interaction Sovereignty Sovereignty International Law International Law Universality of Rights vs. Cultural Relativism Universality of Rights vs. Cultural Relativism

Before We Begin… Many IR Debates are about information Many IR Debates are about information Examples & specific knowledge Examples & specific knowledge Where to get info: Where to get info: The Economist The Economist Council for Foreign Relations Council for Foreign Relations BBC News (Country Profiles) BBC News (Country Profiles) Newspapers (Irish Times, Guardian) Newspapers (Irish Times, Guardian) Other Debaters Other Debaters

The Theory of Sovereignty State-Individual Interaction -> World-State Interaction State-Individual Interaction -> World-State Interaction Self-Determination & Autonomy Self-Determination & Autonomy Non-Interference Non-Interference Why? Why? Pooled Sovereignty Pooled Sovereignty Democracy & Accountability Democracy & Accountability Subjective vs. Objective Truth Subjective vs. Objective Truth Cultural Relativism Cultural Relativism Functionality Functionality Holding true to mandate, constitution, “spirit” of State Holding true to mandate, constitution, “spirit” of State The Judiciary as the last guardian The Judiciary as the last guardian

What Makes a State? Montevideo Criteria Montevideo Criteria States vs. Nations vs. Races States vs. Nations vs. Races Ethnicity Ethnicity Shared belief Shared belief Shared security Shared security The Balkans as an Example The Balkans as an Example

States vs Int’l Community Sense of Greater Morality (eg TTHW Invade Zimbabwe) Sense of Greater Morality (eg TTHW Invade Zimbabwe) “White Man’s Burden” “White Man’s Burden” Universal Human Rights (Birth Lottery) Universal Human Rights (Birth Lottery) Imposition of “Western” values Imposition of “Western” values Recognising Cultural Norms Recognising Cultural Norms Derived from individual autonomy Derived from individual autonomy Non-Moralistic Ties Non-Moralistic Ties Global Interdependence Global Interdependence Trade Trade Terrorism Terrorism

Concept 1: The World as a Federalised Anarcho-State Who’s in Charge? Who’s in Charge? UN (weak Government) UN (weak Government) Treaties (weak constitution) – International Law Treaties (weak constitution) – International Law Failures Failures US as vigilante justice US as vigilante justice The Social Contract of Humanity The Social Contract of Humanity Rights & Responsibilities Rights & Responsibilities To whom are States subservient? To whom are States subservient?

Concept 2: Independent but Dependent States Even if you don’t buy the “Universality of Humanity” Crap… Even if you don’t buy the “Universality of Humanity” Crap… Interdependency Interdependency Strength in numbers Strength in numbers Global action (e.g. climate change) Global action (e.g. climate change) Fulfilling the burden to one’s own citizens Fulfilling the burden to one’s own citizens Problematic extensions of logic Problematic extensions of logic EITHER WE NEED TO ACT MORALLY OR WE NEED TO ACT PRACTICALLY, BUT EITHER WAY WE STILL NEED TO ACT EITHER WE NEED TO ACT MORALLY OR WE NEED TO ACT PRACTICALLY, BUT EITHER WAY WE STILL NEED TO ACT

How do we enact change? Force Force War (Just War Theory) War (Just War Theory) Invasions Invasions Regime Change Regime Change Problems Problems Non-Force Non-Force Sanctions Sanctions Embargoes Embargoes Problems Problems The Carrot & The Stick The Carrot & The Stick Soft Power & Hard Power Soft Power & Hard Power Finding the right balance Finding the right balance

IR Debates Two parts Two parts Theory/Morality Theory/Morality Reality Reality Efficacy in IR Debates Efficacy in IR Debates It’ll never work It’ll never work Collateral damage Collateral damage Long-term problems Long-term problems Past examples of failure Past examples of failure Most IR Debates can not be won by saying “there is no problem” Most IR Debates can not be won by saying “there is no problem”

Hot Spots Israel/Palestine Israel/Palestine Africa Africa Sudan Sudan Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Somalia Somalia EU EU Iran Iran North Korea North Korea Iraq & Afghanistan Iraq & Afghanistan

Big Questions What makes a State? What makes a State? Are rights universal or cultural? Are rights universal or cultural? Do we have a duty to other people? Do we have a duty to other people? How far does State sovereignty go? How far does State sovereignty go? How do we make the world a better place? How do we make the world a better place?