Liberal Approaches to International Relations POL 3080 Approaches to IR

Three Major Distinctive Liberal Frameworks Interdependence and globalization tradition (Joseph Nye and Robert Keohane) Neoliberal Institutionalism (Robert Keohane and Lisa Martin) Democratic Peace Theory (Michael Doyle, Bruce Russett; also David Lake) These are quite different than liberalism in American politics and political ideology!!!

Commonalities Among Liberal Approaches Reject the Hobbesian view of human nature; share a much more optimistic one Focus on opportunity, rather than constraints Assume prevalence of common interests See intentions as important as capabilities Focus on cost instead of survival as base motivating factor in IR (Realists: “mistakes as deadly;” liberals: “they are costly” Predict different outcome of int’l interaction compared to realists

From Complex Interdependence to Globalization Assumptions: -- contemporary world politics is not a seamless web but a tapestry of diverse relationships; -- the resources that produce power capabilities have changed -- balance of power theories and national security imagery are poorly adapted to address problems of economic and ecological development -- military and economic interaction are not necessarily a zero-sum game -- does not assume that conflict disappears, but it takes new forms

Defining Complex Interdependence Interdependence (mutual dependence) – situations characterized by reciprocal effects among countries or actors It is not mere interaction or exchange, but a sustained relationship It is a condition in which transactions among actors have reciprocal costly effects Interdependence can be operationalized and measured

Measuring Interdependence: Sensitivity Sensitivity – how quickly do changes in one country bring costly changes in another and how costly these effects are The focus is not on the amount of trade, but on the correlation between economic transactions to economic development Sensitivity interdependence is created within a framework of policies and assumes that it remains unchanged Sensitivity interdependence can be social, political, economic Sensitivity interdependence can also be a basis for political influence when it is costly to change policies

Measuring Interdependence: Vulnerability I Vulnerability -- actors liability to suffer costs imposed by external events after the policies have been altered Vulnerability rests on relative availability and costliness of alternatives that various actors face Vulnerability can be measured only by the costliness of making effective adjustments While sensitivity reflects change in the dynamic without policy changes, vulnerability can be manipulated through policy adjustment Vulnerability is more important than sensitivity in power resources to actors The key question is to determine how effectively altered policies bring sufficient added resources

Vulnerability (continued) II Vulnerabilities may be asymmetric (e.g. the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War) Vulnerability includes strategic dimension that sensitivities does not capture Strategies of manipulating vulnerabilities also produce counter-strategies

Complex Interdependence I Conceptual definition: A combination of multiple issues with multiple channels challenges the ability of states to follow and apply a consistent strategy of linkage that will be effective in all issue areas.

Complex Interdependence II For further details, please visit Blackboard or me at Thank you!