1. With William Kim and Friends
Intro to IR Theory
With William Kim and Friends

2. State Sovereignty
Says that we should not interfere with the internal affairs of other nations no matter what

3. Why IR In Debate?
-Resolutions that involve interaction between multiple nations demands an understanding of IR theory. -Understanding IR will help you construct a 1AC / 1NC framework to make sense of impacts.

4. What is IR Theory?
-International Relations Theory is a way of explaining why nations interact with one another -Great IR Primer: Joshua Goldstein, International Relations

5. One View

6. Realism Contends that the International arena is anarchic
Nations constantly compete and only act in their self-interest
Mostly descriptive not prescriptive
Proponents include John Mearsheiemer and Kenneth Waltz
Realism

7. Realism in IR
-Security is of utmost importance. -State action is centered around self interest. -Concerns over rights, international law, etc. do not affect policy-making except when in self-interest. -States are the primary actors in international relations. -States can form alliances and act cooperatively, but such action is still powered by self-interest. -Some important authors: John J. Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics Richard K. Ashley, Political Realism & The Human Interests

9. Cosmopolitanism Says that borders and nationality are arbitrary
All humans have equal worth no matter what country they are from
We should look to Humanity in general rather than individual nation-states
Cosmopolitanism

10. Cosmopolitanism in IR
-IR deeply supports respect for human rights and respect for differences across diverse cultures. -NGOs, MNCs and international political bodies (ie the UN) are just as important as nation-states. -The growth of a global economy, coupled with international communication, help power the fundamentals of cosmo. -"Global Citizens" bound together by issues that affect everyone (ie global warming, nuclear weapons possession, etc.) Important Authors: Immanuel Kant, Principles of Politics and Perpetual Peace Kwame Appiah, Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers Ulrich Beck, Power in the Global Age

12. HST - Hegemonic Stability Theory
-International politics is stabilized by the presence of a single power greater than all other nations.
-The pursuit of power is always a state interest.
-A 'hegemon' must be able to
1) be able to enforce rules, 2) have the will to enforce, and 3) be committed to a system seen as beneficial to subservient states
Contrasts with Realism:
-Security may be endangered by the pursuit of power (war triggering, cost of empire-building, etc).
-Cooperation is more important in realism.
Important Authors:
Terry Boswell and Mike Sweat. "Hegemony, Long Waves, and Major Wars: A Time Series Analysis of Systemic Dynamics
Helen Milner: Int'l Political Economy: Beyond Hegemonic Stability

13. Arguments for and against Heg
Heg good
US spreads freedom and democracy
US keeps the peace
US stops terrorists
US helps global economy
Heg bad
Heg causes great power wars
Heg makes US a target
Heg is unsustainable
US is no longer a Heg
Heg causes proliferation

14. Democratic Peace Theory
Democracies don’t go to war with each other
Thus, we should spread democracy
Democratic Peace Theory

15. IR Theories and the Resolution
Resolved: When forced to choose, a just government ought to prioritize universal human rights over national interest. Q1: How do we begin to build an understanding of the resolution? Q2: Which IR theories fit with the aff and neg sides?