International Relations Course Review Guide

2

Revised June, 2007

International Relations Course Review Guide

UNIT I. The Behavior of Nations

A. Define international relations

B. Explain the four characteristics of a state or country.

C. Define state sovereignty and explain how it serves as the foundation of

the current global system.

D. Define national interest and explain how national interests influence the

behavior of nations.

E. Explain the key security, economic, and ideological interests shared by all

nations.

F. Define foreign policy.

G. Define geopolitics and identify key geopolitical factors that influence the behavior of nations.

H. Define power in international relations. What things makes a country powerful in today’s world?

I. Define these terms and use them to explain how the global distribution of power has changed since the end of the Cold War and how it may change in the future:

1. Unipolar system

2. Bipolar system

3. Multipolar system

J. Define these terms and relate them to the use and acquisition of power.

1. Imperialism / empire

2. Sphere of influence

3. Hegemony

K. Define these key tools of foreign policy:

1. Diplomacy

2. Diplomatic relations / diplomatic recognition

3. Summits

4. Treaties and alliances

5. Economic and diplomatic sanctions

6. Foreign aid

7. Military force / war

8. Covert operations

L. Define these key terms related to the conduct of foreign policy:

1. Engagement

2. Detente

3. Rapprochement

4. Normalization of relations

5. Bilateral relations

6. Neutrality

7. Appeasement

M. Compare and contrast these conflicting approaches to foreign policy:

1. Isolationism / internationalism

2. Interventionism / non-interventionism

3. Unilateralism / multilateralism

4. Idealism / realism (realpolitik)

UNIT II. The U.S. Role in the World

A. Explain these key ideas and relate them to America’s role in the world today:

1. Superpower

2. U.S. hegemony

3. Unipolar system

4. American exceptionalism

5. Pax Americana

6. America’s “soft power"

B. Explain the following points of view on the political spectrum as they relate to America’s role in the world today.

1. The anti-war left

2. Liberal internationalism (liberal idealism)

3. Conservative internationalism (realism)

4. Neoconservativism (conservative idealism)

5. Isolationism

UNIT III. National Security Issues

A. Define national security and identify the common security interests shared by all nations.

B. Explain the concept of collective security.

C. Explain the differences between an alliance and a coalition. Define each term.

D. Explain why countries create alliances.

E. Explain the balance of power theory.

F. Explain the purpose and evolving role of NATO.

G. What are alliances of convenience?

H. What is the purpose of a defense strategy based on containment?

I. What is the definition of deterrence?

J. Define these key terms related to arms control:

1. Arms race

2. Deterrence

3. Mutual assured destruction (MAD)

4. Nuclear proliferation

5. Nuclear club

6. Non-proliferation

7. Arms control

8. Disarmament

9. Conventional weapons

10.  Weapons of mass destruction (WMD)

K. What is the purpose of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty?

L. Explain the challenges to the NPT that are posed by North Korea and Iran today.

M. Define terrorism. Explain what makes terrorism different from other acts of violence.

N. Define state-sponsored terrorism.

O What is a rogue state?

P. Explain the characteristics of Islamic fundamentalism (radical or political Islam). What are the goals of terrorists who are motivated by Islamic extremism? What is jihad?

Q. Explain how each of the following are related to the war on terrorism:

1.  September 11, 2001

2.  al Qaeda

3.  The Taliban

4.  Axis of Evil

R. Explain these key ideas that comprise the Bush Doctrine:

1.  Preemption

2.  Unilateralism

3.  Regime change in rogue states

4.  The spread of democracy

S. Explain the difference between preemptive war and preventive war. Which is acceptable under existing international law and which is not?

UNIT IV. Conflict and Cooperation

A. Define these key terms:

1. Nation

2. Nationalism

3. Separatism (separatist movement)

4. Self-determination

5. Territorial integrity

6. Ethnic group

7. Ethnic conflict

8. Minority rights

9. Local autonomy

10. Intrastate conflicts

11. Interstate conflicts

B. Define war crimes

C. Explain / define these four categories of war crimes:

1. Genocide

2. Violations of the Geneva Conventions

3. Violations of the “laws and customs of war”

4. Crimes Against humanity.

D. Define ethnic cleansing.

E. Explain the causes and consequences of these recent or current genocides:

1.  Rwanda

2.  Darfur, Sudan

F. Explain these attempts to confront war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide:

1.  The Nuremberg Trials

2.  The Genocide Convention

3.  Ad-hoc UN tribunals

4.  The International Criminal Court (ICC)

G. Explain the U.S. position on the ICC.

H. Define human rights.

I. Explain the origins, purposes, and role of the United Nations

J. Explain how these concepts relate to the U.N.:

1.  Multilateralism

2.  Collective Security

K. Explain the characteristics and the purposes of the following organs of the UN:

1.  General Assembly

2.  Security Council

3.  Secretariat

4.  International Court of Justice (World Court)

L. Explain the purposes of UN peacekeeping and the historic role played by UN peacekeepers. M. Explain the purpose of a humanitarian intervention.

N. Explain the concept and give examples of nation building

UNIT V. Global Geopolitics

The Middle East

A. Explain the origins and causes of the Arab-Israeli conflict

B. Identify these groups and explain the role they play in the Arab-Israeli conflict today.

1. Israelis

2. Palestinians

3. The PLO

4. The Palestinian Authority

5. Fatah

6. Hamas

7. Hezbollah

C. Explain the unresolved issues that are preventing a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

D. Which Arab countries have recognized and made peace with Israel?

E. Identify the following territories on a map. Which remain under Israeli control today?

1. Golan Heights

2. Gaza Strip

3. West Bank

4. Sinai Peninsula

F. Explain how the division between Sunni and Shiite Muslims contributes to the conflict and instability in the Middle East today.

G. Identify the following on a political map of the Middle East:

1. The names of all countries.

2 Arab and non-Arab countries

3. Countries that have Sunni majorities and countries that have Shiite majorities.

4. U.S. allies and U.S. adversaries.

H. Identify the most important national interests of the United States in the Middle East today.

Asia

A. Explain the economic and strategic challenges posed by the rise of both China and India today.

B. Identify the most important national interests of the United States as they relate to each of these Asian countries:

1. China

2. India

3. Pakistan

4. Afghanistan

5. Japan

6. North Korea

7. South Korea

C. Explain how relations between the countries on the above list impact the geopolitics of Asia today.

D. Identify the following on a political map of Asia:

1. The names of all countries

2. U.S. allies and U.S. adversaries.