PSCI 2601 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Kenneth Waltz, Defensive Realism
10 Oct 2018
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Neorealism, also called structural realism (theory of international politics) Kenneth waltz (defensive realist which is part of structural/neorealism) we need to understand the structure of the way things are. States will only seek as much power as they need to secure themselves, in order to attain a balance. Discussed anarchy has a huge factor to how international politics is organized. Absence of structuralized gov anarchic. : all like units, states are all functionally similar. Due to the pressures of the systems they live under. Discussed polarity= distribution of capabilities is the only changing thing in the world: unipolar system (one against all), 3. multipolar (many states balancing/ checking each other out. We start with the big, then analyze the small parts. Waltz was very critical of morgenthau (side note) how to study why there is war: man- 1st image is human nature 2.
