POL SCI 41A Study Guide - Comprehensive Final Exam Guide - Yeonpyeongdo, World War I, World Trade Organization
20 Nov 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Ir = understand behavior of nation states; explaining state behavior and studying why certain states behave in certain ways; how the state is affected from the outside and the inside. Focus first on theory; theories problematic because never give whole answer. Realism, liberalism, constructivism, are three theories of ir. Final tbd, but will still be on fri. dec 15. Will be asked to explain or critique a real world situation. Can help simplify the incredibly complex realities of international politics; help to simplify the complexity of growth in ir. Depending on purpose, theory used to criticize, justify policy. Useful abstraction: can help to organize complex patterns of behavior. Understanding (historical nuances) versus explanation (generalizable patterns of behavior) Can be useful as a policy prescription. The importance of clarifying the assumptions behind theories; beware of "objective" accounts, based on "concrete facts"
