Theories and Concepts of World Politics

Theories and Concepts of World Politics
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Theories and Concepts of World Politics
In recent weeks, we learned about theories of world politics, including actors, such as countries, and international organizations, including the International Monetary Fund, among others. The process further included exposure to motives and specific individuals that shape world politics. For example, in its attempts to maintain hegemony and dominance in global politics, the US is assuming a realism approach. The theories and concepts, including deterrence, human rights, alliances, and collective action, dominate the course and expose lessons that we cannot easily appreciate with simple models.
The recent Ukraine invasion by Russia indicates that President Putin is an example of individuals who shape world politics. It indicates the importance of international conflicts, stirred by the need to maintain or acquire territory, among other objectives. Putin’s actions can be tied to theories and concepts such as alliances, deterrence and compellence, human rights, and collective action. The self-interest of individual actors, such as Putin and countries, such as Russia, result in tragedies that easily consume larger groups, including civilians, signaling a violation of human rights. As expected, the aftermath of war includes dilapidated regions and economic instability, which has attracted refugee crises in neighboring countries. Ukrainians have been fleeing the country and settling as migrants in other regions, including Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The theories dominant in this case include the violation of human rights, the influence of alliances, and deterrence and compellence policies.
The Ukraine-Russia incident exposes the prevalence of the above theories and how they exceed simple models. For example, we learn that Russia is using compellence theory, which includes asserting considerable levels of force and threats to compel Ukraine to embrace decisions such as annexation, among other factors. It deviates from the theory of deterrence, which includes refraining from any action, thus retaining the status quo. Putin is arguably forcing Ukraine to take action, which includes embracing behaviors and international relations that do not threaten its national security and global interests. This is a lesson that we could not easily appreciate with very simple models, as it details international relations and how conflicts are started...