Why Study IP: An Introduction

Shunji CuiDepartment of Political Science

School of Public AffairsZhejiang University

Email: ssjcui@zju.edu.cn

IPT, L1:

IR: Introduction1. About this Course2. Why Study IR/IP3. Historical Sketch of the State

System4. Levels of Analysis5. Essay Writing

1. Why Study IR: I We are part of world drama

“All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players” – Shakespeare.

Analogy of human healthHealth and disease Ways to healthy conditionDiagnosis and Prescripts

Why study IR: II The State & the State System State:

an unambiguous and bordered territory, with permanent population, under the jurisdiction of supreme government that is

constitutionally separate from all foreign governments (sovereign state) .

The State System: abt 200 states States are independent of each other -- sovereignty Yet, not isolated/insulated from each other, but adjoin

each other and affect each other have to find way to coexist and to deal with each other = System

A system of states (or International System) :

is formed when two or more states have sufficient contact between them, and

have sufficient impact on one another’s decisions. . . to make the behaviour of each a necessary element in the calculations of the other.

Why study IR: III What we generally expect from a state?Five basic values ：1. Security ——Realism2. Freedom——Liberalism3. Order & Justice——International Society

theories4. Wealth & Welfare——IPE

2. A Brief History of International Politics

The current International System or International Society – where it comes from and where it is heading to?

The subject of IR conventionally dates back to the early modern era (16c &17c) in Europe, when sovereign states based on adjacent territories were initially established.

The Westphalian System威斯特伐利亚体系 The Thirty years war (1618-1648) The Treaty of the Westphalia, 1648 Impacts to IR: Three Principles:1. Rex est imperator in regno sue = the king is emperor in

his own realm. sovereignty not subject any higher authority.

2. Cuius regio, eius religio = the ruler determines the religion of his realm. non-intervention.

3. The balance of power, intended to prevent any hegemon from arising and dominating everybody else. anti-hegemony.

The Evolution of International Society

The city-state The universal/local authorities The European Nation state Global international society Globalization and post-Westphalian World

Society?

The Evolution of International Society Ancient Greece, 500-100 BC Renaissance Italy, 1300-1500 Early modern Europe, 1500-1650 International system

After the fall of Rome, 476-1648 universal authority + feudal system

The Evolution of International Society Ancient Greece and Rome

The Greek city-states (700-300BC) The rise of Rome, 500BC-476

Today’s political characteristics were seen Territorial state --- sense of citizenship) Sovereignty --- supreme authority steamed from

political unit’s law and system of government, not just from its rulers or religion (popular sovereignty?).

Nationalism --- citizen’s identification with the polis (the city-state).

Democracy --- people = the source of political authority, though was limited one.

The Evolution of International Society After the fall of Rome, 476-1648 Authorities in the Middle Ages or Medieval

period (500-1500)Universal authority (cf: p.13-14)

Religious authority -- Secular authority

Local authority The feudal system

The decline of universal authority and the feudal system

The Expansion of International Society From medieval universal authority/feudal

system Westphalian inter-state system in Europe global international society

The expansion of international societyThe late 15c, the European political control

began to go beyond Europe.19c – into East Asia20c – Decolonization, but Cold War division1990s – one inclusive IS of global scale

世界政治的形式：国际体系 封建体系：在该体系里，个人的效忠对象和政治义务不是由“领土边界”所决定的。 帝国体系：有一个政府主导着与它交往的绝大多数国家的行为。如，罗马帝国，波斯帝国、中华帝国等。 国家体系 – 无政府的国家体系：它由相对具有内聚力的国家组成，没有一个更高的政府凌驾于这些国家之上。 1500~ ，欧洲大的领土王朝； 1648 年《威斯特法利亚和约》 = 三十年战争的结束；领土主权国家成为国际行为体的主要形式。

IS: Going Beyond Westphalia?

Globalization Actors Security Challenges Existing Institutions Searching for new mode of GG?

3. Levels of Analysis

Levels == provide a framework can use to describe the phenomena that one observes; to theorize about causes and effects.

Levels = ontological referents for where explanations and outcomes are

located. 在哪一个层次上找原因和结果

Systemic Theory Locates ： its source of explanation 问题的来源 at

the system level (Anarchy) its outcomes 产生的结果 (self help, BOP)

at the unit level. Eg, Kenneth Waltz

Reductionist Theory Locates its source of explanation 来源 at the

unite or individual levels (type of states, human nature)

Eg, Democratic Peace theory, Morganthau

Thank You !!!