Flashcards on Realism in International Relations Theory
Realism in International Relations Theory: An Essential Guide
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Realism in International Relations
74 cards
Card 1
Question: What was the most frequently cited theoretical text on international politics until the 1970s?
Answer: Hans J. Morgenthau: Politics Among Nations (first edition 1948).
Card 2
Question: What is the relationship between Morgenthau's work and realism in international politics?
Answer: It is considered a central pillar of realism; Morgenthau laid the theoretical foundations that other authors either developed further or built in oppo
Card 3
Question: Why did realism seem to decline in IR after the 1970s?
Answer: Realism was perceived as a historical and criticized approach, often considered 'on display' in the museum of IR theory, yet its influence persisted.
Card 4
Question: What does the renewed post-realist interest in Morgenthau and other realist authors indicate?
Answer: That the legacy of Morgenthau's realism for IR encompasses more than just fundamental questions and intellectual stimuli — it still significantly infl
Card 5
Question: What did Morgenthau himself consider the purpose of his theoretical reflections in Politics Among Nations?
Answer: To lay the groundwork for a theory of international relations, not to present a complete, finished theory.
Card 6
Question: Why is there confusion regarding the meaning of the term 'realism' in IR theory?
Answer: Because expositions of realism after Morgenthau did not create a unified, internally coherent theory, and realist ideas evolved from a long philosophi
Card 7
Question: How does the author distinguish between 'realism' and 'realist thought'?
Answer: 'Realism' refers to theoretical approaches developed in the 1930s-1950s to explain international relations; 'realist thought' encompasses a broader, h
Card 8
Question: Which historical figures does the author cite as key representatives of the long tradition of realist thought?
Answer: Thucydides, Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Max Weber.
Card 9
Question: What event or circumstance contributed to the emergence of realism in the 1930s and 1940s?
Answer: The emergence of realism was a result of the specific circumstances and crises of that era (the text states that realism appeared due to specific circ
Card 10
Question: According to the text, how did Thucydides link the cause of the military conflict in the Peloponnesian War?
Answer: Thucydides identified the rise in Athenian power as the key reason for the military conflict (referencing The History of the Peloponnesian War, Book 1