Term Paper on "Conflict and Security"

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Conflict and Security

International relations has always been an arena of conflicting theories and hypotheses; the existence of many political systems and various ideas regarding how nations should behave is a testament to the eternal nature of the questions concerning the best forms of governance. Since the ancient Greek philosophers right up through the twenty-first century, political scientists, philosophers, and laymen alike have theorized about the most effective and just form of international relations, the ways that states interact with one another.

The liberal and realist schools of thought have been seemingly opposing viewpoints for centuries; the liberal interest individual rights and an international focus on compromise and cooperation as opposed to the realist idea of self-preservation for the nation-state at any cost, even one that hampers some individual rights. This paper will not examine the prima facie value of individual rights or other moral issues discussed by the political philosophers. Instead, this paper will take a more theoretical viewpoint of two of the systems of international relations, liberalism and realism. In comparing the liberal and realist schools of thought, I will assert that liberalism's emphasis on soft power is in many instances the most effective option for self-preservation of a nation, and as such it becomes a realist idea.

A brief example of this can be seen in the recent negotiations with North Korea regarding its nuclear program. A realist perspective on handling the perceived threat posed by North Korea requires that the nation be disarmed immediately, and that inspections or other methods are used to ensur

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e that no future threat may be posed by the rogue nation. Realist thinkers say that North Korea must be disarmed even if force is required in order to ensure the security of other nations such as China and the U.S. Conversely, liberal thinkers assert that the six-party talks among nations in the region and the U.S. are the most effective way to prevent a North Korean threat, and some scholars have even asserted that allowing North Korea to keep its weapons is the most secure option, if only by virtue of appeasing the country. This is only one of many situations in which liberal and realist thinkers disagree on methods to be utilized in an international dispute.

I will argue that these two schools of thought are much more closely linked than theorists believe; both liberals and realists do desire the perpetuation of the nation-state, and in doing so, both seek out the most viable action with regard to an international situation.

Both liberal and realist thinkers can source the theory of "soft power," the concept coined by political theorist Joseph Nye, who uses it in reference to the influence held by nations without resorting to military power -- for example, the international influence gained by cooperating with other nations as opposed to participating in an armed conflict.

This influence can be seen again in the current North Korean talks; North Korea's desire for international acceptance has persuaded them to cede a few certain points; undoubtedly, the knowledge that the majority of the international community is lobbying for a scaled-back or completely disabled nuclear program has been an influence on North Korea's decision (still tenuous at the moment, but progressing) to reduce their nuclear program. This achievement was due not to simple liberal compromises offered nor realistic threats of military intervention, but due to a combination of the two offered by soft power. The threats posed in today's world of terrorism and suicide attacks are especially new to the political theory realm, and cannot necessarily be addressed with previous generations' theories, such as the realistic approach of using hard power as an influence.

This paper will explore other situations in which soft power creates a bridge between liberalism and realism, as well as explore the overriding theories which link the two much more closely than first impressions demonstrate.

Bibliography

Amin, Samir, "The Political Economy of the Twentieth Century," Monthly Review, June 2000, http://www.monthlyreview.org/600amin.htm

Amin provides a theory as to why the United States continues to build up its military power -- so that it may influence international relations via hard power. This assertion will support the argument that hard power is utilized too often in today's international relations.… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Conflict and Security" Assignment:

“

A) First of all, I think its important to tell you the kind of course this is for, here is an excerpt from the syllabus:

This course will examine historical and spatial patterns of global conflict and security from Realist, Idealist, Critical, and Marxian schools of thought. We will then use these approaches to explore (1) the meaning of `conflict’ and `security’ in different historical periods and (2) issues surrounding these concepts in global politics as it has evolved over time.

B) Second, here are the proposal guidelines:

Length: 2-3 pages, double-spaced + annotated bibliography (single-spaced). Must be typed in Times New Roman 12 point font, on white paper, with adequate (1.25 inch) margins on each side of the page.

Proposal makeup:

1. The topic of your paper (chosen from the course syllabus) Here is a list of "general" topics we can choose from:

1)Let’s do some thinking: Global conflict and security? Sources and forms of conflict? Security of what? Where? In whose interests?

2)Why do we need theory? What kind of theory?

Understanding the causes of conflict I: Realist approaches to global conflict and security

3)Understanding the causes of conflict II: Liberal approaches to global conflict and security

4)Understanding the causes of conflict III: Marxian approaches to global conflict and security

5)Understanding the causes of conflict IV: Critical approaches to global conflict and security

6)The political economy of war & conflict I: From World War I & II to the Cold-War to the “ War on Terror”.

7)The political economy of war and conflict II: From war of national liberation to class conflict to civil war to revolution

8)Conflict and security in the Middle East: from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to war of resources to American empire

9)Broadening the security agenda I: The "Third World" Security predicament: from the Cold War era to the era of globalization

10)Broadening the Security Agenda II: From national security to environment to societal to human security

2. Your research question.

3. Your thesis (answer to your research question). A thesis is one sentence that captures the central/core/key argument of your paper. Your thesis should explicitly express a stand/position that you are taking. Thesis statements are usually framed as sentences starting with “I will argue/show/demonstrate/suggest/…”. By reading your thesis, the reader should be able to determine the general direction of your writing.

Example of a bad thesis statement: “In this paper, I will demonstrate how liberal and realist accounts of international relations and security are related to the ways in which they perceive human nature”.

This is a bad thesis statement (in fact, it is not a thesis statement at all), for it merely states the topic chosen and an intention to write about it. A good thesis statement in this case should answer the question “how liberal and realist accounts of international relations and security are related to the ways in which they perceive human nature?”, that is, what is the relation between their assumptions about human nature and their accounts of international relations? It addition, it should include a claim/stand/position on this question.

Here is an example of a good thesis statement: “In this paper, I will argue that the assumption of human nature which informs both realist and liberal approaches to international relations and security serves to mystify and naturalize the current world order by presenting a static view of social relations and thus makes both approaches complicit with the maintenance of the current unequal and oppressive world order.”

4. An explanation of the logic of your argument. In other words, I want you to explain how you intend to demonstrate the validity of your thesis. What are the arguments that you are going to bring forward in support of your thesis? How do these arguments support your thesis? How are they related to one another?

5. An annotated bibliography (single-spaced; 14 sources). Your annotated bibliography should include the two outside sources that you intend to use for your paper AND your 12 sources from the course material.

Your annotations must explicitly note how your topic is addressed in the sources (what is the main argument of each sources), and how you intend to use each of these sources (i.e. how the arguments put forth in the sources relate to your own argument, do the arguments complement your own, do they challenge your own, etc.).

Keep your annotations short: between 3-4 lines for each one.

C) Twelve of the below sources need to be used in the formation of the essay, each of them varies (somewhat) in their theoretical perspective (realist, liberal, marxist or critical theorist (feminist, etc.) I've categorized the readings based on the topic, I hope this is somewhat helpful.

1)Let’s do some thinking: Global conflict and security? Sources and forms of conflict? Security of what? Where? In whose interests?

Recommended Readings:

-K.J. Holsti, Peace and War: Armed Conflicts and International Order, 1648-1989 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991, chapters 1, 12.

-K.J. Holsti, The State, War, and the State of War, pp. 19-40.

-Robert Jervis, "Models and Cases in the Study of International Conflict," Journal of International Affairs, 44 (Spring/Summer 1990), pp. 81-101.

-Thomas Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict, pp. 3-20. -Mary Kaldor, New and Old Wars: Organised Violence in a Global Era , Stanford, Cal: Stanford University Press, 2001, pp. 13-30, 69-89.

September 16 – Why do we need theory? What kind of theory?

* Robert Cox, “Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Theory,” Millennium 10:2 (1981), 126-155.

Hollis, ***** and Steve Smith. “The Growth of a Discipline.” Explaining and Understanding International Relations. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990, pp.16-44.

Jim George, Discourses of Global politics. Boulder: Rienner, 1994, pp. 1-33.

***** Campbell, Writing Security, revised edition. Manchester University Press, 1998, pp. 1-15.

Recommended Readings:

-Kenneth Walyz, “laws and Theories,” Keohane (ed.) Neorealism and Its Critics . New York: Columbia UP, 1986, pp. 27-46.

2)Understanding the causes of conflict I: Realist approaches to global conflict and security

Hans Morgenthau, Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1985, pp. 3-17.

Jack Levy, “The Causes of War: A Review of Theories and Evidence.” In Tetlock et al., Behaviour, Society, and Nuclear War. Oxford University Press, 1989, pp.223-258.

* Bradley A. Thayer, “Bringing in Darwin: Evolutionary Theory, Realism, and International Politics,” International Security, 25:2 (Fall 2000).

3)Understanding the causes of conflict II: Liberal approaches to global conflict and security

Mark W. Zacher and Richard A Matthew, “Liberal International Theory: Common Threads, Divergent Strands,” in Kegley (ed.) Controversies in International Relations Theory: Realism and the Neoliberal Challenge, pp. 107-140.

Francis Fukiyama, “the End of History?” National Interest, 16 Summer 1989, pp. 3-18.

** Thomas S. Szayna, Et al, “C. The Democratic Peace Idea” in The Emergence of Peer Competitors: A Framework for Analysis , 2001. (http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1346/)

* John M. Owen, “How Liberalism Produces Democratic Peace,” International Security, 19:2 (Fall 1994).

Recommended Readings:

-Stathis Kalyvas, "The Ontology of 'Political Violence': Action and Identity in Civil Wars," Perspectives on Politics, 1:3 (September 2003), pp. 475-494.

4)Understanding the causes of conflict III: Marxian approaches to global conflict and security

Cox, Robert W. “Production and Security.” Building a New Global Order: Emerging Trends in International Security. Eds. Dewitt, Haglund and Kirton. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Cox, Robert. "Gramsci, Hegemony and International Relations: An Essay in Method." Gramsci, Historical Materialism and International Relations. Ed. Stephen Gill. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993: 49-66.

McNally, *****. “The Marines Have Landed: War and Imperialism in the Age of Globalization.” Another World is Possible: Globalization and anti-Capitalism. Manitoba: Arbeiter Ring Publishing, 2002.

Aijaz Ahmad, “Imperialism of our Time” Socialist Register, 2004.

Anthony Brewer, Marxist Theories of imperialism: A Critical Survey, pp 108-117.

-R.N. Berki, “On Marxian Thought and the Problem of International Relations,” World Politics, 24:1 (October 1971).

-Samir Amin, “1942” Monthly Review, 44:3 (July-August 1992).

-Daugherty and Pfaltzgraff, “Economic Theories of Imperialism and War,” Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive Survey

-Behind the War on Iraq, by the Research Unit for Political Economy,” Monthly Review. http://www.monthlyreview.org/0503rupe.htm

5)Understanding the causes of conflict IV: Critical approaches to global conflict and security

** Goran Therborn, “Dialectics of Modernity: On Critical Theory and the Legacy of Twentieth-Century Marxism,” NLR I/215, January-February 1996, pp. 59–81.

** Joshua Goldstein, War and Gender, 1-58. “A Puzzle: The Cross-Cultural Consistency of Gender Roles in War,” http://www.warandgender.com/wgch1.htm

** Jim George, “Patterns of Dissent and Celebration: Critical Social Theory and International Relations.”

Recommended Readings:

-Christoph Treiblmayr, "Militarism Revisited: Masculinity and Conscription in Germany," Journal of Contemporary History, 39:4 (2004), pp. 649-656.

-Mies and Shiva, Ecofeminism, London: Zed Books, 1993.

-Mies and Shiva's "Ecofeminism": “A New Testament? Ecofeminism”

Review author[s]: Maxine Molyneux; Deborah Lynn Steinberg

Feminist Review, No. 49, Feminist Politics: Colonial/Postcolonial Worlds. (Spring, 1995), pp. 86-107.

6)The political economy of war & conflict I: From World War I & II to the Cold-War to the “ War on Terror”.

William H. McNeill, “The Business of war in Europe: 1000-1600”

Huntington, Samuel. "The Clash of Civilizations?" Global Politics in a Changing World. Eds. Richard Mansbach and Edward Rhodes. 2nd ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003, 409-21.

** Posen, Barry. "Command of the Commons: The Military Foundation of U.S. Hegemony." International Security, 28.1 (Summer 2003): 5-46.

** Samir Amin, “ The Political Economy of the Twentieth Century” Monthly Review, (June 2000). http://www.monthlyreview.org/600amin.htm

** The Editors, “After the Attack … The War on Terrorism,” Monthly Review, 53.6, November 2001.

Recommended Readings:

-Rahul Mahajan, “New Crusade: The U.S. War on Terrorism,” Monthly Review, 53.9, November 2002.

-Magdoff, Hary. “Imperialism: A historical Survey.” Sociology of ‘Developing Societies.’ Eds. Alavi & Shnin. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1982

-Perry Anderson, “Force and Consent,” NLR 17 (September-October 2002), pp. 5–30.

-Samuel Huntington, “Clash of Civilizations,” Foreign Affairs, 72:3 Summer 1993, pp. 22-49. http://www.alamut.com/subj/economics/misc/clash.html

7)The political economy of war and conflict II: From war of national liberation to class conflict to civil war to revolution

** Giovanni Arrighi, “The Social and Political Economy of Global Turbulence”, NLR 20 (March-April 2003), pp. 5–71.

The Communist Manifesto, Part 1. http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html

** John Foran, “Theories of Revolution Revisited: Toward a Fourth Generation?” Sociological Theory, 11.1 (Mar., 1993), pp. 1-20.

* V.P. Gagnon, "Ethnic Nationalism and International Conflict: The Case of Serbia," International Security, 19:3 (Winter 1994-95), 130-166.

Recommended Readings:

John Ruedy, Modern Algeria, pp. 80-93; 98-106;115-119;121-139;144-147;156-180

November 11 - The political economy of war and conflict

8)Conflict and security in the Middle East: from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to war of resources to American empire

Panitch and Gindin. “Global Capitalism and American Empire.” Socialist Register 2004.

** Michael Klare, “The New Geopolitics”, Monthly Review, 55.3 (July-August 2003).

* Mohammed H. Malek, “Kurdistan in the Middle East Conflict”, NLR 175, May/June 1989, pp. 79–94.

Stephen Shalom, “The United States and the Iran-Iraq War,” http://www.zmag.org/zmag/articles/ShalomIranIraq.html

** Ian Smart, “Oil, the Super-Powers and the Middle East,” International Affairs, 53.1 (Jan. 1977), pp. 17-35.

Recommended Readings:

-Stephen Zunes, “Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” Tinderbox, 2002.

-Bulloch, John and Adel Darwish. Water Wars: Coming Conflicts in the Middle East. London: Victor Gollancz, 1993.

-Harvey, *****. “Consent to Coercion.” The New Imperialism. Oxford:Oxfor University Press, 2003: 183-213.

-Donald Neff , The U.S., Iraq, Israel, and Iran: Backdrop to War Journal of Palestine Studies, 20.4 (Summer, 1991), pp. 23-41.

-Simon Bromley , “Oil and the Middle East: The End of US Hegemony?,” Middle East Report, No. 208, US Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Critical Assessments. (Autumn, 1998), pp. 19-22.

-Thomas L. McNaugher, “Ballistic Missiles and Chemical Weapons: The Legacy of the Iran-Iraq War,” International Security,15.2. (Autumn, 1990), pp. 5-34.

9)Broadening the security agenda I: The "Third World" Security predicament: from the Cold War era to the era of globalization

Green & Luehrmann. “Globalization: Cause or Cure for Underdevelopment?” Comparative Politics of the Third World. Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2003.107-127.

***** Wendt and Michael Barnett, “Dependent State Formation and Third World Militarization,” Review of International studies, 19:4 (October 1993), pp. 321-348.

Edward Azar and Chung-in Moon, “Third World National security: Toward a New Conceptual Framework,” International Interactions, 11:2 (1984), pp. 103-135.

** Charles Tilly, "War Making and State Making as Organized Crime", in Peter Evans, Dietrich Rueschemeyer, Theda Skocpol, eds., Bringing the State Back In, 169-191.

Recommended Readings:

-Raju G.C. Thomas , What is Third World Security?” Annual Review of Political Science, Vol 6. (June 2003), pp. 205-232.

-M. Ayoob, “Security in the Third World: The Worm about to Turn?” in International Affairs 60:1 (Winter 1983-4), pp. 41-52.

-Fred Magdoff , A Precarious Existence: The Fate of Billions? Monthly Review, 55.9 (February 2004).

10)Broadening the Security Agenda II: From national security to environment to societal to human security

Tom Keating, “Redefining Security in the Post-Cold War Era.”

UNDP (1998), “The State of Human Development, Human Development Report, New York: Oxford University Press.

Astri Suhrke, "Human Security and the Interests of States," Security Dialogue, 30:3 (1999), pp. 265-276.

** Thomas Homer-Dixon, "Environmental Scarcities and Violent Conflict: Evidence from Cases," International Security, 19:1 (Summer 1994), pp. 5-40

Recommended Readings:

-Keith Kraus, “Rationality and Deterrence in Theory and Practice,” In ***** Snyder (ed.) Contemporary Secuirty Strategy, pp. 120-149

-Lipschutz, Ronnie D. "On Security." On Security. Ed. Ronnie D. Lipschutz. New York:

Columbia University Press, 1995. pp. 1-23.

-Ole Waver, Barry Buzan, Morten Kelstrup and Pierre Lemaitre, eds., Identity, Migration and the New Security Agenda in Europe, pp. 17-92, 148-166.

-Edwar C. Luck and Toby Tister Gati, “Whose Collective Security?” The Washington Quarterly, Spring 1992, pp. 43-56.

-***** Baldwin, "Security Studies and the End of the Cold War," World Politics, 48:1 (October 1995), pp. 117-141.

-Karen Litfin, "Constructing Environmental Security and Ecological Interdependence," Global Governance, 5 (1999), pp. 359-377. -Simon Dalby, "Ecology and Security Studies," Environmental Security, pp.143-162.

-J.R. McNeill. "Diamond in the Rough: Is There a Genuine Environmental Threat to Security? A Review Essay." International Security 30, No. 1 (Summer 2005), pp. 178-195.

11)Security in the post 9/11 era: The political use of violence terror

Gill, S. Power and Resistance in the New World Order. London and New York: Macmillan-Palgrave, 2003: 181-210.

Paul R. Pillar, “The Dimensions of Terrorism and Counter Terrorism.”

** Gary C. Gambill, “The Balance of Terror: War by Other Means in the Contemporary Middle East” Journal of Palestine Studies, Vol. 28, No. 1. (Autumn, 1998), pp. 51-66.

***** Apter, "Political Violence in Analytical Perspective," in ***** Apter, ed., The Legitimization of Violence, 1-32.

** Leo, Panitch, “Whose Violence? Imperial State Security and the Global Justice Movement.”

Recommended Readings:

-Cindy C. Combs, Terrorism in the 21st Century, 3rd ed. 2002.

-Elizabeth Picard, "The Lebanese Shi'a and Political Violence in Lebanon," in ***** Apter, ed., The Legitimization of Violence, 189-233. -Adrian Guelke, The Age of Terrorism, pp. 1-17, 143-161. -Malcolm Deas, "Violent Exchanges: Reflections on Political Violence in Colombia," in ***** Apter, ed., The Legitimization of Violence, 350-404. -Bruce Hoffmann, "The Logic of Suicide Terrorism," The Atlantic Monthly, June 2003. Mary Anne Weaver, "The Real bin Laden," The New Yorker, 24 January 2000.

In addition to these twelve sources, I need references to

1 scholarly book published after 2001 (collected works are not acceptable)

1 recent peer-evaluated article from a scholarly journal

Suffice to say, its expected that we keep the page limit to below 3 pages, however, I've alloted an extra 2 pages since the requirements ask for a single-spaced annotated bibliography, plus if you want to make the content of the proposal longer (if the annotated bibliography doesnt need the extra room) go ahead!

However, if you deem it necessary to include a works cited/bibliography page, please use MLA.

Thank You!

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