Realism
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- Date Submitted: 11/30/2014 01:51 PM
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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
ASSIGNMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE COURSE
IRS 105X
(REALISM THEORY, TERMPAPER)
SUBMITTED BY: GRACE NYAMBURA 11-0838
SUBMITTED TO: MRS MURIUKI
Due date: November 10th 2014
REALISM THEORY
Jonathan Haslam, a history professor of international relations at the University of Cambridge, describes Realism as a spectrum of ideas which revolve around the four central propositions of Political Groupism, Egoism, International anarchy and Power politics.
Realism is a school of International Relations theory and continues to be one of the most accurate tools for understanding the events in the sphere of international relations. The philosophical rationale behind the realist approach assumes that human beings are selfish in nature and thus the individual’s concerns are always the same its own benefits and opportunities to gain power over others. Realism tends to focus on a state’s dominance and military might as the sole objective of a state, with realists like Mearsheimer admitting that states often look to pursue non-security goals as well.
Realism takes an explanatory rather than a normative approach to its study of International Relations, and through its analytical character provides a pragmatic framework for the examination of current issues in the international arena. Moreover, since world politics are based on opposing interests of groups, moral principles can never be accomplished; hence, instead of pursuing some unfeasible equality between groups and nations (which undermine the principle of power maximization), leaders should aspire to a temporary balance of power with other groups.
The most significant modern example of the realist approach is the cold war which proved realism on the global scale as the bi-polar world between the US and USSR seemingly edged closer to conflict through continuous...
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
ASSIGNMENT IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE COURSE
IRS 105X
(REALISM THEORY, TERMPAPER)
SUBMITTED BY: GRACE NYAMBURA 11-0838
SUBMITTED TO: MRS MURIUKI
Due date: November 10th 2014
REALISM THEORY
Jonathan Haslam, a history professor of international relations at the University of Cambridge, describes Realism as a spectrum of ideas which revolve around the four central propositions of Political Groupism, Egoism, International anarchy and Power politics.
Realism is a school of International Relations theory and continues to be one of the most accurate tools for understanding the events in the sphere of international relations. The philosophical rationale behind the realist approach assumes that human beings are selfish in nature and thus the individual’s concerns are always the same its own benefits and opportunities to gain power over others. Realism tends to focus on a state’s dominance and military might as the sole objective of a state, with realists like Mearsheimer admitting that states often look to pursue non-security goals as well.
Realism takes an explanatory rather than a normative approach to its study of International Relations, and through its analytical character provides a pragmatic framework for the examination of current issues in the international arena. Moreover, since world politics are based on opposing interests of groups, moral principles can never be accomplished; hence, instead of pursuing some unfeasible equality between groups and nations (which undermine the principle of power maximization), leaders should aspire to a temporary balance of power with other groups.
The most significant modern example of the realist approach is the cold war which proved realism on the global scale as the bi-polar world between the US and USSR seemingly edged closer to conflict through continuous...