IR theories help us understand as well as make sense of the world around us through different lenses. These lenses usually denote different theoretical perspectives. IR theories help us understand a complicated world through the use of familiar analogies just like maps. Some details are omitted in the IR theories to bring out a clear picture and avoid confusion. Some of the IR theories include realism, constructivism, Marxism, post-colonialism, and liberalism. These theories vary based on logic and the manner of approach. They also vary based on the approach used to explain an IR event. They usually gain labels in a certain form. For example, positivist concepts are called so because they are intended to pursue scenarios of natural science so as to bring accuracy and metaphorical sense (Bashota, 2011). The purpose of this essay is to elaborate on how IR theory helps us understand global politics.
One of the oldest IR theories liberalism helps us understand free trade, the world order of rule of law, collective security, and individual freedom. Liberalism also helps us understand open diplomacy. For example, liberalism emphasizes that the broad relations between countries make it difficult to figure out interests. This also compromises the usefulness of military power. 1970 when liberalism developed some nations could not rely on simple power politics to decide matters (McGlinchey et al, 2017). Liberalism states that the world is a precarious place and the outcomes of military power use occasionally outweigh the associated benefits. Also based on liberalism military supremacy is not only the type of power. Rather, social and economic powers are quite useful. The use of economic power based on liberalism theory has proved to be more effective than exercising military power. Through liberalism, we are able to understand that democracy is the ideal form of governance for most nations around the globe.
Through liberalism, we are able to understand that international organizations help foster cooperation, prosperity, and trust. For example, the ties between major western powers fit the theory of liberalism. The U.S has had disagreements with Asian and European allies on policy and trade matters. However, it is not the norm for the U.S to use military power against these allies every time they have a disagreement. Instead, the United States relies on economic pressure and motivations to attain its policy intents (Miguel et al, 2020).
Realism which is considered a pessimistic theory helps us understand the race for power and the security of a particular nation. It also helps us understand aspects such as anarchy, sovereignty, and security dilemmas. Realism helps explain the relevance of social and moral principles in a certain state, especially where security is guaranteed by the State itself. Realists have argued that Sates usually engage in war but only in different forms. This can be depicted from the illusions that came after 1945. The WWII coalition appeared to serve as a pillar to some novel collaborative and peaceful world order under the U.N. The new world order created a basis of fabricated optimism that American triumph in the cold war would be related to trespassing into a new international system. This was based on widespread democracy and legality (Bashota, 2011).
IR theory also helps us to understand national interests pursued abroad. The national interest is simply a directed policy that is made to benefit a country through political as well as in military and economic means. The distinction between objectives tools and objectives forms a basis for understanding how foreign policy works. The tools include policies, approaches, and actions that are used to help realize specific goals. These tools and objectives normally interact in complex ways and help in the attainment of certain economic objectives. Some objectives may lead to making other objectives more difficult to attain. A perfect example is where a nation uses a strong military presence to force the opening up of trade. However, this may come at the price of political objectives in the long run like peace diplomacy. The integration of military, political and economic tools helps us have a deep understanding of foreign policy (Steinmetz, 2021).
Institutionalism which is another IR theory helps us understand the rationality and self-interest of a country. According to institutionalists norms, rules, and procedures of institutions helps in doing away with an anarchic tendency towards conflict. Intuitionalism helps us understand accounts concerning the rules and norms of institutions. Institutionalism also helps understand how cooperation comes into play between different nations. For example, institutionalism theory allows us to retain information regarding State behavior so that there is learning from past interactions (Steinmetz, 2021). The idea is that institutions usually retain knowledge that is used in facilitating cooperation. These institutions also effectively create certain trajectories through their made rules and norms that streamline processes and promote cooperation. Institutionalism helps us understand why it is harder for State actors to take advantage of others in negotiations. This could be due to the fact that negotiations happen over a set period of time.
The theory of feminism in IR helps us understand the role played by gender in the political dynamic of global interactions. It is thought that men exceedingly dominate the international political system. Through feminism, we are able to understand the outcomes of this male domination especially when we are looking at certain aspects such as political violence. The idea is that men tend to overlook the idea that women and children are the most affected during times of violence. A perfect example is terrible wreckage created by the Syrian civil war. During this period it was women and families who were hardest affected by the political violence. This also greatly affected those refugees who had previously fled to Syria. When a nation accommodates a greater role for women in political life, the international environment is usually responsible for the political violence including its impacts on societies. This helps us understand the role international environment in gender politics (Steinmetz, 2021).
In conclusion, IR theories help us understand global politics through different lenses. This understanding is usually explained in IR theories such as realism, constructivism, Marxism, post-colonialism, and liberalism. IR theories help us understand the world order of rule of law, trade issues, the self-interest of nations, including the race for power and the security of a particular nation.
References
Bashota, B. (2011). The role of the theory of international relations in explicating global political events. ILIRIA International Review, 1(1), 34-46.
McGlinchey, S., Walters, R., & Scheinpflug, C. (2017). International relations theory. England: E-International Relations Publishing.[em linha]. Disponível em: http://www. eir. info/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/International-Relations-Theory-E-IR. pdf Acedido em, 2.
Miguel, A et al. (2020).Between Theory and Practice: The Utility of International Relations Theory to the Military Practitioner, https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Wild-Blue-Yonder/Article-Display/Article/2063140/between-theory-and-practice-the-utility-of-international-relations-theory-to-th/
Steinmetz, J. (2021). Politics, Power, and Purpose: An Orientation to Political Science. https://fhsu.pressbooks.pub/orientationpolisci/chapter/chapter-7-international-relations-and-comparative-politics/
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