Slide 1: Chapter 2: The Centrality of the State
CHAPTER 2: THE CENTRALITY OF THE STATE
Slide 2: Theory, Worldviews, and Human Rights
Theory, Worldviews, and Human Rights International relations theory describes, explains, analyzes, and predicts world affairs. Theory provides a framework for examining and simplifying the complicated nature of international relations by positing assumptions and propositions that guide analysis.
Slide 3: Types of Theory
Types of Theory Realism: Centers on the exercise of power by states against other states in the international system. Many realists have a very pessimistic view of human nature, believing that humans, at their essence, are violent, selfish, aggressive, base, and vain. (Morgenthau, Politics Among
Slide 4: Realism cont’d
Realism cont’d The role of international (universal) human rights and humanitarian principles in the world of the realist is a marginal one for several reasons. First, states are preoccupied with security internationally and internally. Second, attention to human rights can be seen a threat to
Slide 5: Liberalism
Liberalism Liberalism also has many variations but it is fundamentally an economic theory that is very suspicious of government, often seeing government as a necessary evil. Liberals argue that if selfish, competitive, yet maximally free individuals are allowed operate within the context of a ma
Slide 6: Liberalism cont’d.
Liberalism cont’d. Two competing schools of liberal thought: Neoclassical liberals see the role of the state to promote free market values, but with very limited government regulation of the market, unless it is to help the supply (business) side of the economic equation. Keynesian liberals se
Slide 7: Liberalism cont’d. (Marxism)
Liberalism cont’d. Marxism: For those who hold a Marxian worldview, the liberal embrace of capitalism is problematic. The Marxian approach is also known as structuralism because it characterizes and defines the central structural feature of the international system as capitalism. Capitalism is
Slide 8: Imperialism
Imperialism Imperialism (colonialism) occurred when states, controlled by capitalists, scrambled for captive territories to serve as outlets for excess goods and services that cannot be consumed at home. Neoimperialism/neocolonialism: newly “independent” states had formal sovereignty in that the
Slide 9: Constructivism
Constructivism Constructivism: Used by academics and analysts to explain how the central theories, concepts, norms and values in international relations are socially constructed and change over time. The social and political institutions in world politics are constructed by human beings and huma
Slide 10: Heads of State and Diplomacy
Heads of State and Diplomacy An active head of a state is usually a chief executive (a prime minister or president) who makes the big decisions regarding state policy, including the diplomatic recognition of states and whether to accept the credentials of representatives of foreign governments.
Slide 11: Summit Diplomacy cont’d
Summit Diplomacy cont’d Several summits are noteworthy for their impact on human rights: The Helsinki Summit was the capstone to the signing of the Helsinki Accords in 1975. The accords were a series of high level agreements that led to a thaw in the Cold War and put human rights on the internat
Slide 12: Summits cont’d
Summits cont’d Reagan-Gorbachev summits Geneva (1985) Reykjavik (1986) Washington, D.C (1987) Moscow (1988): Mostly focused on arms control and other security issues, but also on human rights. The 1997 and 1998 summits between China President Jiang Zemin and President Bill Clinton: President Cli
Slide 13: States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law After the states of UN General Assembly adopted the UDHR in 1948, they also adopted the Convention on the Prevention and the Punishment of Genocide (1948). States moved outside of the UN to redress the atrocities that
Slide 14: States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law cont’d.
States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law cont’d. States also created international law to address the continuing human rights problems associated with refugees and migrants after the World War II and the onset of the Cold War. 1951 Convention Relating to the
Slide 15: States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law cont’d.
States and the Development of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law cont’d. Even though important states, such as the US and Russia, are not formal parties to many human rights and humanitarian treaties (including optional protocols), the principles enshrined in the law (whether ratified
Slide 16: Discussion Questions
Discussion Questions What is worldview and how does worldview affect the definition and implementation of human rights and humanitarian principles? Discuss how heads of state can engage human rights and humanitarian diplomacy. Your answer should include the role of summitry in general to the pro