International Relations - POSC 292 Resource Guide

This is a list of streaming videos on international relations .

Literally self-rule, used to mean rule by an agent who holds all power himself, and who exercises that power in an arbitrary manner.

In politics, the theory that the best way of ensuring international order is to have power so distributed among states that no single state is able to achieve a dominant position.

Collective security is an inclusive, formal interstate arrangement aimed at deterring aggression through the display of joint and preponderant power.

The Congress of Vienna was a diplomatic gathering of the major European powers held in the Austrian capital from September 15, 1814, to June 9, 1815. The original purpose of the congress was to restore the political structure of Europe after a generation of political upheaval and warfare wrought by the French Revolution.

[Gr.,=rule of the people], term originating in ancient Greece to designate a government where the people share in directing the activities of the state, as distinct from governments controlled by a single class, select group, or autocrat. The definition of democracy has been expanded, however, to describe a philosophy that insists on the right and the capacity of a people, acting either directly or through representatives, to control their institutions for their own purposes.

Globalization refers to the changing nature of the world economy. The changes are associated with the growth in economic interactions across state borders. The main changes are generally thought to be increasing trade flows, greater mobility of finance capital, and the internationalization of production chains. Many observers associate these changes with the rapid development of information technology.

In IR, there has long been a conflation of nation and state. In fact, the relations that were predominantly studied in this subfield were those not between nations but rather between states. The useful (but empirically false) assumption that all relevant actors in the world system were “nation-states” enabled IR scholars to avoid the problems posed by the existence of states that contained several nations, and the existence of nations without their own states.

International organization formed after World War I to solve international disputes by arbitration.

Sovereignty is the exclusive authority that a state has within its territorial boundaries. Generally, sovereignty acts as a legitimizing concept: we ascribe authority and legitimacy to whoever is deemed to hold it. Effective sovereignty thus comes in large part from the recognition of legitimacy by at least some actors within and outside the given territory.

The word 'state' arose from the Latin status, which referred to the different legal standings that people might have. A revival of Roman law in fourteenth-century Europe saw the word 'status' being used to pick out the different estates of the realm – king, lords, and commons – and to discuss the unique standing of the king within the realm.

Act of force, usually on behalf of the state, intended to compel a declared enemy to obey the will of the other. The aim is to render the opponent incapable of further resistance by destroying its capability and will to bear arms in pursuit of its own aims. War can therefore be seen as a continuation of politics carried on with violent and destructive means, as an instrument of policy. Conversely, politics and diplomacy can be seen as attempts to avoid war.

The Foreign Policy Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring the American public to learn more about the world. Founded in 1918, FPA serves as a catalyst for developing awareness, understanding of, and providing informed opinions on global issues. Through its balanced, nonpartisan programs and publications, the FPA encourages citizens to participate in the foreign policy process.

CSIS is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. The Center’s 220 full-time staff and large network of affiliated scholars conduct research and analysis and develop policy initiatives that look to the future and anticipate change

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource to help better understand the world and the foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries.

Foreign Affairs has been the leading forum for serious discussion of American foreign policy and global affairs. Academic Search Premier has issues back to 1922.