CSS International Relations International Relations Paper II: History, Regions and Foreign Policy Flashcards

24 sample cards from the International Relations Paper II: History, Regions and Foreign Policy deck

Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.

1. What is Samuel Huntington's "Clash of Civilizations" thesis?

   His 1993/1996 argument that post-Cold War conflict would be driven not by ideology or economics but by cultural and religious differences between civilizations (e.g., Western, Islamic, Sinic).

2. Name the major civilizations Huntington identified in 'Clash of Civilizations'.

   Western, Islamic, Sinic (Confucian), Hindu, Orthodox (Slavic), Japanese, Latin American, and African.

3. Define terrorism in the international relations context.

   The unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political, religious, or ideological aims by non-state (or sometimes state) actors.

4. Define globalization.

   The increasing interconnection and interdependence of states and societies through flows of trade, capital, technology, information, and people across borders.

5. What event made counter-terrorism a central feature of US foreign policy and the new world order?

   The 11 September 2001 (9/11) attacks, which launched the US-led 'War on Terror'.

6. Define unipolarity in international relations.

   An international system dominated by a single superpower (hegemon) whose power is unmatched—describing the US position after the Cold War's end.

7. What is meant by the "New World Order" of the early 1990s?

   The post-Cold War vision (notably articulated by President George H. W. Bush) of a US-led, multilateral order based on collective security and liberal-democratic norms after Soviet collapse.

8. Define multipolarity and give a sign of its revival.

   An international system with several roughly comparable great powers; its revival is signaled by the rise of China, a resurgent Russia, the EU, India, and groupings like BRICS challenging US dominance.

9. State two key structural differences between the League of Nations and the United Nations.

   The UN has a Security Council with five veto-wielding permanent members (vs. the League's unanimity rule) and can authorize collective military enforcement; the UN included the great powers (including the US) from its founding, unlike the League.

10. In what year was the United Nations founded and by which document?

    1945, founded by the UN Charter signed at the San Francisco Conference (entered into force 24 October 1945).

11. Name the six principal organs of the United Nations.

    The General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the Secretariat.

12. Which states are the five permanent (veto-wielding) members of the UN Security Council?

    The United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia (formerly the USSR), and China (the P5).

13. What is the European Union and when did it formally come into being?

    A political and economic union of European states; it was established by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force in 1993.

14. What is ASEAN and what is its purpose?

    The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, founded 1967, a regional organization promoting economic, political, and security cooperation among Southeast Asian states.

15. What does SAARC stand for and when was it founded?

    The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, founded in 1985 to promote regional cooperation in South Asia.

16. What is the central demand in proposals to reform the UN Security Council?

    Expanding permanent membership to reflect contemporary power realities (e.g., the G4—India, Japan, Germany, Brazil—and African representation) and reforming or restricting the veto power.

17. What is the main criticism driving reform demands at the World Bank and IMF?

    That voting power/quotas are skewed toward Western (especially US) dominance, under-representing developing and emerging economies, and that their loan conditionalities harm poorer nations.

18. What voting feature gives the United States effective veto power in the IMF and World Bank?

    Weighted voting based on financial quotas/shares; the US holds the largest share (around 16–17%), enough to block major decisions requiring an 85% supermajority.

19. Name two enduring doctrines or pillars of US foreign policy.

    The Monroe Doctrine (1823, opposing European interference in the Americas) and post-WWII liberal internationalism/containment; also key are unilateralism vs. multilateralism and the promotion of democracy.

20. What is the strategic concept of the US "Pivot to Asia"?

    The Obama-era rebalancing of US strategic, military, and economic focus toward the Asia-Pacific region, largely to counterbalance the rise of China.

21. What are the central objectives of contemporary Russian foreign policy under Putin?

    Restoring great-power status, maintaining a sphere of influence in the 'near abroad' (former Soviet states), resisting NATO expansion, and promoting a multipolar world order.

22. What was China's foreign-policy guideline under Deng Xiaoping, and how has it shifted?

    Deng's maxim was to 'hide your strength, bide your time' (a low-profile rise); under Xi Jinping it has shifted to a more assertive 'great-power diplomacy' and global leadership ambitions.

23. What is China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)?

    A massive global infrastructure and connectivity strategy launched in 2013 by Xi Jinping to expand China's economic and geopolitical influence across Asia, Africa, and Europe via land 'Belt' and maritime 'Road' routes.

24. State the 'Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence' that underpin Chinese foreign policy.

    Mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity; mutual non-aggression; non-interference in internal affairs; equality and mutual benefit; and peaceful coexistence (Panchsheel, 1954).

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