POLI 244 Lecture Notes - Bandwagoning, Democratic Peace Theory, Stephen Walt
6 Aug 2012
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Document Summary
The broad theories can be fit into one or more levels of analysis- they are a way of organizing theories and foreign policy. Levels of analysis are the vantage point from which we look at the world. Theories usually work at one or more levels. The choice of levels of analysis has a trade off and effects how descriptively accurate the theories are, how useful it is, the value for predictions, and what we study. Systemic (third image), which is where neo-realism fits in, maximum comprehensiveness, generalizable, but it compromises in terms of detail or depth a broad picture, but it shallow. Not exclusively realist though- there are certain constructivist and liberal theories that fit into the systemic level. This gels with liberal theories (ex. democratic peace theory). The focus is on variables at the domestic level to account for actions of the international stage.
