100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
logo-home
Previously searched by you
Previously searched by you
logo
Summary International Relations Theory $6.95
Add to cart
Quickly navigate to
Preview
  2.  
  3. Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
  4.  
  5. Social Sciences En Politieke En Sociale Wetenschappen
  6.  
  7. International Relations Theory

Summary

Summary International Relations Theory
 85 views  1 purchase
  • Course
  • International Relations Theory
  • Institution
  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
  • Book
  • International Relations Theory

Very complete document with class notes and course material included Grade in first exam session: 16/20

Preview 4 out of 115  pages

Document information

  • No
  • Unknown
  • June 20, 2021
  • 115
  • 2019/2020
  • Summary

Subjects

  • politics
  • international relations
  • international politics
  • political science
  • social sciences

Connected book

book image

Book Title:

Author(s):

  • Edition:
  • ISBN:
  • Edition:

Written for

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
  • Social Sciences en Politieke en Sociale Wetenschappen
  • International Relations Theory
All documents for this subject (4)

Seller

avatar-seller
dly

Reviews received

Content preview

‌

‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌

INTERNATIONAL‌‌RELATIONS‌‌THEORY‌ ‌
2019-2020‌ ‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌
‌

BACHELOR‌‌SOCIAL‌‌SCIENCES‌‌ PROF.‌‌DRIES‌‌LESAGE‌ ‌
D.L.Y.‌ ‌
‌

,International‌‌Relations‌‌Theory‌ ‌ ‌ ‌D.L.Y.‌‌ ‌

CHAPTER‌‌ONE‌ ‌
INTRODUCTION‌ ‌



1.‌‌THEORISING‌‌THE‌‌SYRIAN‌‌WAR‌‌(2011‌‌-‌‌?)‌‌ ‌

1.1.‌‌WHY‌‌HAS‌‌THE‌‌UNSC‌‌NOT‌‌STOPPED‌‌THE‌‌WAR?‌ ‌

● UNSC‌‌(United‌‌Nations‌‌Security‌‌Council)‌‌watch‌‌over‌‌war‌‌and‌‌peace‌‌ ‌
○ Impose‌‌peace‌‌by‌‌legally‌‌binding‌‌decisions‌‌ ‌
● Fails‌‌to‌‌impose‌‌peace‌‌in‌‌Syria‌‌ ‌
● Russian‌‌VETO‌ ‌
○ Russia‌ ‌unhappy‌ ‌with‌ ‌foreign‌ ‌intervention‌ ‌after‌ ‌what‌ ‌happened‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌Western‌ ‌intervention‌ ‌in‌‌
Libya‌‌and‌‌what‌‌happened‌‌with‌‌Khadafi‌‌ ‌
■ Greenlighted‌‌UNSC‌‌mandate‌‌regarding‌‌intervention‌‌in‌‌making‌‌Libya‌‌a‌‌“no‌‌flight‌‌zone”‌ ‌
■ Killed‌‌in‌‌NATO‌‌mission‌ ‌
■ Ended‌‌up‌‌in‌‌regime‌‌change‌‌ ‌
○ Principles‌‌problem‌‌(also‌‌CN)‌‌ ‌

1.2.‌‌WHY‌‌DO‌‌RUSSIA‌‌AND‌‌IRAN‌‌SUPPORT‌‌ASSAD?‌ ‌

Russia‌ ‌ Iran‌ ‌

● Navy‌‌in‌‌Mediterranean‌‌ ‌ ● Backing‌‌Assad‌‌ ‌
● Influence‌ ‌in‌ ‌Syria‌ ‌(competition)‌ ‌after‌ ‌Syria‌ ‌cosied‌‌ ● Logistical,‌‌technical‌‌and‌‌financial‌‌support‌‌ ‌
up‌‌to‌‌RU‌‌and‌‌CN‌‌instead‌‌of‌‌the‌‌West‌ ‌ ● National‌‌interests‌
● Assad‌ ‌important‌ ‌for‌ ‌world‌ ‌hegemony,‌ ‌RU‌ ‌cannot‌‌ ● Syria‌‌is‌‌the‌‌only‌‌ally‌‌of‌‌Iran‌ ‌
lose‌‌SY‌‌to‌‌the‌‌West‌‌ ‌
● Putin‌ ‌must‌ ‌protect‌ ‌Assad‌ ‌at‌ ‌all‌ ‌costs‌ ‌in‌ ‌order‌ ‌to‌‌
show‌‌his‌‌capabilities‌ ‌
● Putin’s‌‌image‌‌and‌‌Russia’s‌‌prestige‌‌are‌‌at‌‌stake‌‌ ‌
● Losing‌ ‌SY‌ ‌as‌ ‌ally‌ ‌would‌‌be‌‌harmful‌‌since‌‌they‌‌lost‌‌
numerous‌ ‌allies‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌recent‌ ‌past‌ ‌(Baltic‌ ‌states‌‌
after‌ ‌collapse‌ ‌of‌ ‌Soviet‌ ‌Union,‌ ‌Hussein‌ ‌of‌ ‌Iraq,‌‌
Malasovich‌ ‌of‌ ‌Yugoslavia,‌ ‌Yanukovych‌ ‌of‌ ‌Ukraine‌‌
and‌‌Khadafi‌‌in‌‌a‌‌way)‌ ‌
● Stakes‌ ‌increase,‌ ‌RU‌ ‌increases‌ ‌effort‌ ‌to‌ ‌protect‌‌
remaining‌‌allies‌‌(military‌‌aid,‌‌arms‌‌trade)‌ ‌
● From‌ ‌2015‌ ‌on,‌ ‌RU‌ ‌army‌ ‌enters‌‌SY,‌‌creates‌‌tipping‌‌
point‌‌in‌‌the‌‌war‌‌by‌‌backing‌‌Assad‌‌(national‌‌interest‌‌
or‌‌prolonging‌‌war?)‌ ‌

‌‌

1‌ ‌

,International‌‌Relations‌‌Theory‌ ‌ ‌ ‌D.L.Y.‌‌ ‌

● Putin‌‌fears‌‌mass‌‌protests‌‌(fueled‌‌by‌‌the‌‌West)‌‌in‌‌Moscow‌‌against‌‌Putin‌‌regime‌‌ ‌
● Competition:‌‌realism‌‌ ‌
○ Based‌‌on‌‌idea‌‌“you‌‌fight‌‌or‌‌you‌‌perish”‌‌ ‌
○ Great‌‌powers‌‌have‌‌to‌‌rely‌‌on‌‌themselves‌‌(and‌‌allies)‌‌ ‌
○ Opposed‌‌theories:‌‌security‌‌dilemma‌‌(would‌‌still‌‌back‌‌Assad),‌‌RU‌‌always‌‌been‌‌expansionist‌‌(strategic‌‌
culture)‌ ‌
● Geopolitical‌‌reality‌ ‌
○ Geopolitics‌‌in‌‌the‌‌strict‌‌sense:‌‌relations‌‌between‌‌geographical‌‌conditions‌‌and‌‌international‌‌relations‌‌ ‌
○ Russia‌‌has‌‌always‌‌portrayed‌‌interest‌‌in‌‌the‌‌Mediterranean‌‌area,‌‌Indian‌‌Ocean‌‌(Afghanistan,‌‌Iran,‌‌…),‌‌
access‌‌to‌‌high‌‌seas,‌‌buffer‌‌zones‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌Napoleon’s‌‌incursions‌‌via‌‌DE‌)‌‌ ‌
○ Russia‌ ‌has‌ ‌always‌ ‌had‌ ‌the‌ ‌poisonous‌ ‌idea‌ ‌that‌ ‌they‌ ‌were‌ ‌entitled‌ ‌to‌ ‌these‌ ‌buffer‌ ‌zones‌ ‌in‌‌other‌‌
countries,‌‌s.a.‌‌Baltics‌ ‌
○ Problematic‌‌mindset‌‌from‌‌early‌‌tsars‌‌up‌‌until‌‌Putin‌‌ ‌

3.‌‌WHAT‌‌DO‌‌THE‌‌US,‌‌GULF‌‌STATES‌‌AND‌‌TURKEY‌‌WANT?‌‌ ‌

US‌ ‌ Gulf‌‌States‌ ‌ Turkey‌ ‌

● Support‌ ‌Syrian‌ ‌Kurds‌ ‌(YPG)‌‌ ● Aid‌ ‌anti-Assad‌ ‌as‌ ‌opposed‌ ‌to‌‌ ● Supported‌‌Syrian‌‌rebels‌‌against‌‌
who‌ ‌rebel‌ ‌against‌ ‌Assad‌ ‌until‌‌ Iran‌‌(their‌‌rivals)‌ ‌ Assad‌ ‌(national‌ ‌interest‌ ‌or‌‌just‌‌
2017‌ ‌ ● Balancing‌ ‌choices‌ ‌competitors:‌‌ prolonging‌‌war?)‌ ‌
○ Provided‌ ‌reconstruction‌‌aid‌‌ equal‌‌positions,‌‌more‌‌powerful‌‌ ● Receive‌‌a‌‌lot‌‌of‌‌Syrian‌‌refugees‌‌ ‌
to‌‌SY‌‌ ‌ ⇒‌‌existential‌‌interests‌‌Realism‌ ‌ ● If‌ ‌Arab‌ ‌spring‌‌went‌‌as‌‌Erdogan‌‌
○ Unclear‌‌intentions‌ ‌ ● Religion‌‌aspect,‌‌but‌‌not‌‌key‌‌ ‌ wanted,‌ ‌increase‌ ‌prestige,‌‌
● Provided‌ ‌air‌ ‌support‌ ‌and‌‌ ● More‌ ‌pragmatic‌ ‌perspective:‌‌ demoralise‌ ‌secularists‌ ‌in‌ ‌TR,‌‌
weapons‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Syrian‌‌ religious‌ ‌divide‌ ‌makes‌ ‌it‌ ‌more‌‌ military‌‌allies‌‌in‌‌region‌‌ ‌
Democratic‌ ‌Forces‌ ‌(ally‌ ‌of‌‌ difficult,‌ ‌but‌ ‌is‌ ‌not‌ ‌the‌ ‌main‌‌ ● Within‌ ‌NATO,‌ ‌TR‌ ‌combatting‌‌
Kurds‌ ‌and‌ ‌Arab‌ ‌forces‌ ‌fighting‌‌ reason‌‌of‌‌the‌‌conflict‌ ‌ forces‌ ‌that‌ ‌are‌ ‌helping‌ ‌to‌‌
ISIS)‌ ‌ ● More‌ ‌elaboration‌ ‌is‌ ‌possible:‌‌ overthrow‌‌Daesh‌ ‌
● Targets‌ ‌IS‌ ‌and‌ ‌other‌ ‌extremist‌‌ sociological‌ ‌aspect‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌‌ ○ Other‌ ‌side‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌story:‌‌
groups‌‌ ‌ division‌ ‌between‌ ‌secularism‌‌ defense‌ ‌mechanism‌ ‌not‌‌
● US‌ ‌wants‌ ‌to‌ ‌block‌ ‌Iran‌ ‌and‌‌ and‌‌islam‌ ‌ helping‌ ‌TR‌ ‌in‌ ‌combatting‌
Lebanon‌ ‌(shia‌ ‌militia‌‌ ● Want‌‌to‌‌control‌‌the‌‌Arab‌‌world‌‌ these‌‌forces‌ ‌
Hezbollah)‌ ‌→‌ ‌threatening‌ ‌US’‌‌ in‌ ‌their‌ ‌own‌ ‌way‌ ‌(hegemonic‌‌ ○ Opportunity‌ ‌for‌ ‌Putin‌ ‌→‌‌
ally‌‌Israel‌‌ ‌ world‌‌order)‌‌ ‌ weaken‌ ‌bond‌ ‌between‌ ‌TR‌‌
● Middle‌‌East‌‌has‌‌a‌‌terrorist‌‌issue‌‌ and‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌NATO‌‌
(Sunni-Shia‌ ‌divide)‌ ‌→‌ ‌if‌ ‌the‌‌ countries‌ ‌
Gulf‌ ‌states‌ ‌gain‌ ‌control‌ ‌over‌‌ ‌
this‌ ‌area‌ ‌they‌ ‌can‌ ‌widen‌ ‌their‌‌
sphere‌‌of‌‌influence‌ ‌ ‌

‌

2‌ ‌

, International‌‌Relations‌‌Theory‌ ‌ ‌ ‌D.L.Y.‌‌ ‌

Numerous‌‌perspectives‌‌of‌‌the‌‌Syrian‌‌conflict‌ ‌

● Dimension‌‌1/core:‌‌anti-Assad‌‌rebels‌‌fight‌‌Assad‌‌regime:‌‌who‌‌are‌‌they?‌‌Jihadi‌‌elements‌‌(managed‌‌to‌‌gain‌‌more‌‌
control‌‌as‌‌the‌‌war‌‌dragged‌‌on,‌‌groups‌‌like‌‌Al‌‌Nusra‌‌gained‌‌ground‌‌in‌‌what‌‌started‌‌as‌‌the‌‌core‌‌conflict)‌ ‌
● Dimension‌‌2:‌c‌ ountry‌‌destabilised,‌‌Kurdish‌‌see‌‌an‌‌opportunity‌‌for‌‌dream‌‌of‌‌their‌‌own‌‌state‌‌ ‌
● Dimension‌ ‌3:‌ ‌emergence‌ ‌Daesh‌ ‌as‌ ‌benevolent‌ ‌for‌ ‌Assad‌ ‌(coexistence)‌ ‌→‌ ‌association‌ ‌of‌ ‌Daesh‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌‌
rebellion,‌ ‌framed‌ ‌as‌‌problem‌‌for‌‌the‌‌whole‌‌world‌‌→‌‌effective:‌‌after‌‌terrorist‌‌attacks‌‌in‌‌Paris,‌‌priority‌‌shifted‌‌
towards‌‌combatting‌‌Daesh‌ ‌


1.4.‌‌COULD‌‌A‌‌MILITARY‌‌INTERVENTION‌‌AGAINST‌‌ASSAD‌‌EVER‌‌WORK?‌ ‌

● Looking‌‌at‌‌the‌‌physical‌‌military‌‌dimension:‌‌Hussein‌‌and‌‌Khadafi‌‌were‌‌isolated,‌‌but‌‌Assad‌‌is‌‌not‌‌ ‌
● Russia‌‌supported‌‌Assad‌‌with‌‌sophisticated‌‌arms‌‌and‌‌missiles‌‌ ‌
○ If‌‌the‌‌West‌‌would‌‌attack,‌‌their‌‌planes‌‌would‌‌be‌‌shot‌‌in‌‌the‌‌air‌‌because‌‌Russia‌‌provided‌‌Syria‌‌with‌‌the‌‌
equipment‌‌(as‌‌opposed‌‌to‌‌unequipped‌‌Iraq‌‌and‌‌Libya)‌ ‌
● Russia‌‌gained‌‌time‌‌to‌‌throw‌‌option‌‌of‌‌intervention‌‌off‌‌the‌‌table‌‌ ‌

1.5.‌‌WAS‌‌IT‌‌POSSIBLE‌‌TO‌‌PREVENT‌‌THE‌‌CONFLICT‌‌OR‌‌MAKE‌‌IT‌‌STOP‌‌EARLIER?‌‌ ‌

● Russia‌‌didn’t‌‌want‌‌Syria‌‌to‌‌be‌‌influenced‌‌by‌‌the‌‌West‌‌or‌‌destabilised‌‌ ‌
○ Perhaps‌ ‌if‌ ‌Syria‌ ‌remained‌ ‌under‌ ‌RU‌ ‌influence‌ ‌if‌ ‌RU‌ ‌prevented‌ ‌Assad‌ ‌from‌ ‌mass‌ ‌atrocities,‌ ‌there‌‌
would‌‌be‌‌an‌‌exit‌‌strategy‌‌possible‌‌for‌‌Assad‌ ‌
○ In‌‌this‌‌case,‌‌Putin‌‌would‌‌not‌‌care‌‌about‌‌Assad‌‌as‌‌a‌‌person‌‌but‌‌only‌‌about‌‌the‌‌national‌‌interest‌‌in‌‌SY‌‌ ‌
● Lacking:‌‌great‌‌power‌‌concert‌‌→‌‌1815-1850s‌‌(Crimean‌‌war):‌‌Concert‌‌of‌‌Europe‌‌(RU,‌‌Prussia,‌‌UK,‌‌FR,‌‌AT)‌‌ ‌
○ 21st‌ ‌Century:‌ ‌no‌ ‌concert‌ ‌of‌ ‌great‌ ‌powers‌ ‌with‌ ‌joint‌ ‌responsibility‌ ‌and‌ ‌understanding‌ ‌(with‌ ‌own‌‌
interests‌ ‌included)‌ ‌that‌ ‌could‌ ‌keep‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌stable‌ ‌→‌ ‌could‌‌prevent‌‌mass‌‌atrocities‌‌s.a.‌‌in‌‌Syria,‌‌
Somalia,‌‌Sahel‌‌conflict‌‌ ‌


2.‌‌WHY‌‌INTERNATIONAL‌‌RELATIONS‌‌THEORY?‌ ‌

2.1.‌‌OVERVIEW‌‌OF‌‌MAIN‌‌CURRENTS‌ ‌

● Theories‌‌offer‌‌conceptual‌‌frameworks‌‌and‌‌explanations‌‌for‌‌events‌‌and‌‌developments‌ ‌
● Each‌‌theory‌‌adopts‌‌a‌‌specific‌‌lens,‌‌highlighting‌‌certain‌‌factors,‌‌dimensions,‌‌dynamics‌ ‌
○ Emphasis‌‌on‌‌perpetual‌‌competition‌‌between‌‌states‌‌(realism)‌ ‌
○ Emphasis‌‌on‌‌potential‌‌for‌‌cooperation‌‌(liberalism)‌ ‌
○ Emphasis‌‌on‌‌economic‌‌interests,‌‌class‌‌struggles‌‌(Marxism)‌ ‌
○ Emphasis‌‌on‌‌ideas‌‌(constructivism)‌ ‌
● Potential‌‌for‌‌eclecticism‌‌ ‌
● Relevance‌‌of‌‌theory‌‌can‌‌change‌‌over‌‌time‌‌and‌‌space‌‌ ‌

2.2.‌‌NORMATIVE‌‌ASSESSMENT‌‌AND‌‌POLICY‌‌RELEVANCE‌ ‌

● Theories‌‌provide‌‌insight‌‌in‌‌the‌‌motivations‌‌of‌‌actors‌‌(empathy,‌‌understanding)‌‌ ‌


3‌ ‌

The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.

Quick and easy check-out

Quick and easy check-out

You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.

Focus on what matters

Focus on what matters

Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!

Frequently asked questions

What do I get when I buy this document?

You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.

Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?

Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.

Who am I buying these notes from?

Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller dly. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy these notes for $6.95. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

53022 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now

Start selling
$6.95  1x  sold
  • (0)
Add to cart
Added