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 Foreign Affairs › State Of The Union. by sorzy1(op): 4:46pm On Jan 31, 2018 |
what are the implications of SOTU on international community? I'll like us to try and establish a link between this congress meeting and probable happenings in the international system. Students of International relations should please fall in. thanks |
| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: 2016 Firstbank Graduate Trainee Programme by sorzy1(m): 3:11pm On Jan 31, 2018*. Modified: 5:00pm On Jan 31, 2018 |
Patience my people is all we need. |
| Education › Re: Social Media And Political Socialization In The 21st Century: The Nigerian Case. by sorzy1(op): 1:47am On Jan 28, 2018 |
Ajayi and Adesote, (2015:  stated that social media is a volatile platform to trend political issues as anonymity of sources makes it a vulnerable instrument for perpetuating fraudulent acts and spreading wrong values, ideas and beliefs about a political system thereby inculcating in people the wrong political ideas and values. The multiplicity of ideas on social media which comes about as a result of freedom that users have to generate content of their own, breeds confusion in the minds of most people. Another challenge is the literacy level of most Nigerians. For to be able to fully enjoy the benefits that comes with social media he or she must be literate to some extent. Also social media in Nigeria is still mainly used in the urban areas, hardly can you find people in the rural area enjoying the fruits of social media, this may not be because they are not literate but it may be because of the absence of internet service in the rural areas. Another challenge that affects the use of social media as an agent of political socialization is the pessimistic view that some Nigerians have about it. They tend to focus on the negative/bad side of social media while at the same time negating its positive side. CONCLUSION: Social media can be used as a viable tool in the process of political socialization to aide other agents of political socialization in Nigeria. The average Nigerian nowadays is more attached to his or her phone than to television set or newspapers as such political parties, government agencies such as the National Orientation Agency, as well as media outlets that are charged with the responsibility of educating the Nigerian masses about Nigeria's political values and beliefs should take advantage of social media platform to effectively discharge their duties. They should focus more on creating and managing social media accounts on different social media platforms where political values and norms of Nigeria will be discussed , where citizens wont be passive participants but rather active and responsive participants. The present administration of Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is really making strides in the use of social media in government, such should be replicated at the state and local government levels, ministries, departments and parastatals of government. Nigerians also learn to look at the good side of social media, they should be optimistic in that regards. REFERENCES: Owen, D. (2008). Political socialization in the twenty first century: Recommendations for researchers. Paper presented at "The future of civic education in the 21st century" conference. Ajayi, A.I. and Adesote, S.A. (2015). The new social media and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria: uses, potentials and challenges. Journal of Good Governance and sustainable developent in Africa. 2 (4), p. 47-48. Dewig, M. (2010). Social media: an introduction. Canada, library of parliament. Constantinides, E. and Fountain, S. (2008). Web 2.0: conceptual foundation and marketing issues. Journal of Direct Data and Digital Marketing Practice. 9, p. 231-244. Nnanyelugo, O. and Nwafor, K.A. (2013). Social media and political participation in Nigeria during the 2011 General Elections: lapses and the lessons. Global Journal of Arts Humanities and Social Science. 1 (3), p. 29-46. |
| Education › Re: Social Media And Political Socialization In The 21st Century: The Nigerian Case. by sorzy1(op): 1:45am On Jan 28, 2018 |
In the present 21st century the social media platforms have also been used as an independent agent of political socialization or used in assisting other agents of political socialization such as family, schools, peers, mass media, political parties e.t.c in the process of political socialization. Social media makes it very easy for people to be politically educated in the present era that we are in. Political parties, government agencies and parastatals have all understood the power of social media in educating people as such they have created their own website address and social media platforms to carryout their activity of information dissemination in a bid to enlighten the public about the political ideas, beliefs and values of the country. Most Nigerian youths are members of one social media platform or the other, and they religiously and diligently follow the activities on the social media platform which they are registered to as such they get most of the information they consume from the social media. If you should ask an average Nigerian youth the source of most of the news or information he or she hears or knows about the country, the reply is mostly "i saw/read it online". Social media platforms like Facebook have been used and are still being used to pass political information and educate members of the public. Most Nigerians don't concentrate on watching news on the television and they also find it very tedious and expensive to purchase newspapers and magazines from vendors to read as such they see their social media handles as sources of political information. Nnanyelugo & Nwafor, (2013:7), started that the new technology played an unprecedented role in the 2011 Nigerian General Elections. They further said that INEC officials had in early March 2011 welcomed the assistance of civil society volunteers with its Facebook and twitter accounts as well as a new media situation room which received feedback from the public and later began to provide real time information and answered constituent questions. Nigerian politicians have also utilized various social media platforms to facilitate their campaigns. It has been claimed by many that the victory of APC and General Muhammamadu Buhari in the 2015 election can to an extent be attributed to the social media prowess of the party, the party ensured a very solid presence on social media platform which they effectively used in their campaign. Now my point is this, if such success can be attained by effectively utilizing social media then the same tactics can also be utilized in educating and transmitting political ideas and values of the society to members of the public. INEC for example can do its voters' education online via social media platforms even before it is done on the day of election by the presiding officers of the various polling stations on the day of the election. They should also use it to communicate to prospective voters and voters before, during, and after the election. Adibe, Odoemelam and Orji, (2012 cited in Nnanyelugo & Nwafor 2013: , observed that "a 33 years old IT consultant and an activist named Gbenga and his team had designed a smart phone application called Revoda which allows voters to instantly upload reports of delayed voting materials and intimidating gangs at their local poling stations to their database: a daily summary was then sent to Nigerian election officials and western observers as well as posted on their Revoda website". The point is this, similar synergy and/or efforts should be directed towards the development and distribution of mobile applications and softwares that will enable an average Nigerian to get basic knowledge of their political values, ideas, and information and at the same time ask questions. Such inventions should be sponsored/supported and maintained by the government as it goes a long way in socializing the citizens politically. Thus, for effective political socialization to take place communication of some sort must be established and maintained, social media provides such platform for continual communication between members of the societies as well as between citizens and political parties. Social media is an indispensable tool of sensitization and conscientization in advancing political engagement and mobilization.Using social media as an agent of political socialization is an idea that is flourishing in the western world but it is bound to face some challenges in Africa as a whole and Nigeria in particular. In other words using social media as a tool for political socialization in Nigeria also has its own challenges. |
| Education › Re: Social Media And Political Socialization In The 21st Century: The Nigerian Case. by sorzy1(op): 1:43am On Jan 28, 2018 |
POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION: Wikipedia defines political socialization is a learning process that begins very early and continues throughout one's lifetime. It is through political socialization that people acquire their perceptions and feelings about their political environment. Political socialization is the study of the developmental processes by which people of all ages and adolescents acquire political cogniting attitudes and behaviors. It refers to learning process by which norms and behavior acceptable to a well running political system are transmitted from one generation to another. According to Owen, (2008:1) political socialization is the process by which citizenship orientations are transmitted. She further opined that it is conditioned by shifts in the political, social, and economic contexts at the community, nation-state, and international levels. This is to say that political socialization is a process that involves the transfer of political orientations, values, norms, and beliefs from one generation to the other. It is a lifelong process is further influenced by changes in the political, economic, and socio-cultural spheres at the local and global levels. In the same vane Almond and Verba, (1963, cited in Owen, 2008:2) defines political socialization as "broadly, the transmission of political culture to new generations of citizens in a given society". Sapiro, (2004 cited in Owen, 2008:2) also opines that political socialization is the means by which politics and other political societies inculcate appropriate norms and practices in citizens, residents and members. This definition according to Owen, (2008) is a macro or political system level which tends to focus on how polities transmit values, attitudes, beliefs, opinions and behavior to the public. In line with the above Beck (1977, cited in Owen, 2008:4 ) states that polities convey established patterns of thought and actions, laws and norms and traditions and folkways, through agencies such as the family, educational system, peer groups, mass media, political institutions, community organizations, religious organizations and the military. At the micro level political socialization according to Sapiro (2004:19 cited in Owen 2008:4) constitutes "the patterns and processes by which indivisuals engage in political development and learning, constructing their particular relationships to the political context in which they live". Political socialization therefore enables citizens to know about their political system and its mode of operation, it also enables them to understand their position and roles expected of them to play in the polity. SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION IN NIGERIA: Having looked at some of the definitions of "social media" and "political socialization" i can thus say that political socialization is an end and of the means through which this end (political socialization) can be achieved is through the social media. Political socialization as we have seen is a life long process which is ever changing, In other words political socialization which can also be reffered to as political education is a never ending process that goes on in the life of an indivisual as long as he or she is still breathing, although the content of what is being transmitted or taught, that is, the idea, values or belief, may change overtime as a result of some shifts that may occur in the society's life. Social media has affected virtually every aspect of human life that you can think of in the 21st century, as such i am of the opinion that political socialization is not an exception, it has not been able to resist the impact of social media. Political socialization starts from an early stage firstly at the family level. Thus, the family unit is seen as a very important agent of political socialization, thir is because the first people that a child comes in contact with are members of his or her family. As the child grows up he or she is enrolled in school, the school system then starts contributing its own quota towards the child's political socialization. In Nigeria, at the primary school level subjects like civic education, social studies, current affairs e.t.c are being taught as part of pupils's curicullum, at the secondary school level subjects like Government and Civic Education are also being taught, at the tertiary level compulsory courses like Nigeria's people and culture are being offered al in a bid to ensure that the political values, norms, beliefs and standards are inculcated in the minds of young Nigerians |
| Education › Social Media And Political Socialization In The 21st Century: The Nigerian Case. by sorzy1(op): 1:41am On Jan 28, 2018*. Modified: 2:12am On Jan 28, 2018 |
SOCIAL MEDIA AND POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION IN THE 21ST CENTURY: THE NIGERIAN CASE. By Ishaya, Solomon. Phone number: 08095266843. Email address: ishayasolomonzuru@gmail.com INTRODUCTION: Socialization has been in existence from time immemorial, as elderly people in every society have always been in the business of transmitting the values, ideas, and beliefs of the society to the younger generation in other to ensure continuity. Socialization has been defined as a process by which values, ideas and beliefs are inculcated in the minds of members of society from a very tender age continually. That is to say socialization never ends, it is a life long process that starts when a child is born to when he or she dies. Many institutions in the society have been charged with the responsibility of socialization, example of such agents of socialization are the family units, peer groups, mass media, religious organization, political party e.t.c Political socialization simply put is the transmission of political values, beliefs, and ideas from one generation to another. The advent of social media has made the transmission of information much more easier. With social media information will be available at the fingertips of members of the society. This work basically looks at how social media can be utilized as a viable tool for political socialization in Nigeria. Social media according to Nnanyelugo and Nwafor (2013:33) simply connotes those internet-based tools and services that allow users to interact with each other, create content, disseminate, and unravel information online. In other words the social media is a platform powered by internet connection for interaction that provides avenue for people to connect and communicate virtually, share ideas, opinions, experiences, contacts, knowledge, expertise, values, beliefs, jobs and career tips. Social media is the new phase of media that has evolved in the 21st century which focuses on social networking which permits users to share information with much level of ease and freedom as well as publish their views on issues that affect them in all ramifications be it political, economic, or social on the world wide web. The collaborative or interactive nature of these tools according to Chatora, (2012, cited in Nnanyelugo and Nwafor 2013:33) is the distinct feature that makes them "social". Mayfield, (2008, cited in Nnayelugo and Nwafor, 2013:33) describes social media as "online platforms that promote participation, openness, conversation and connectedness". They are online content created by people using highly accesible and scalable publishing technologies to distribute information across geographical boundaries, providing interaction among people (Adibe, Odoemelam and Orji, 2012, cited in Nnanyelugo and Nwafor, 2013:33). Constanides and Fountain, (2008) opined that social media is a system that supports the creation of informal users' network facilitating the flow of ideas and knowledge by allowing the effective generation and dissemination, sharing, and editing of informational content. Social media technologies according to Ajayi and Adesote, (2045:49) provides flexibility, adaptability, usability and customizability. Kaplan and Haenlein, (2010, cited in Ajayi and Adesote, 2015:49) see social media as internet-based application built on the technological and ideological foundations of web 2.0. Cohen, (2012:12, cided in Ajayi and Adesote 2015:49) further stated that social media can equally be called a strategy and an outlet for broadcasting. Dewig, (2012:1) opines that the term "social media" reffers to wide range of internet-based and mobilize services that allow users to participate in online exchanges, contribute user created content, or joint online communities. The kind of internet services commonly associated with social media include blogs, wikis, social bookmarking, twitter, facebook, google, youtube, whatsapp and lots more. From the above conceptualizations of the term social media, we can say that the term has been subjected to various definitions by various scholars who see the term from different points of view but we can still say that all these definitions have certain common ground upon which they stand. They all believe that social media is internet-based, networking based and links people from different parts of the world, it does not respect boundaries. On its platform people interact with one another, engage themselves in personal or group discussions, share ideas, beliefs, values, share their opinions and feelings on issues being discussed, this makes it social. People produce and consume information on the platform of social media. Social media platforms are virtually-oriented, this connotes that with social media you must not be in physical contact with people to engage them in live conversations. Social media further signifies an advancement in technology, where people have gone beyond the stage of being passive participant as in the case with television or radio, with feedbacks generated almost immediately. |
| Education › Re: International Relations: An Introduction. by sorzy1(op): 1:37am On Jan 28, 2018 |
Navies to protect their borders on the sea to avoid invasion. Other natural protective barriers are mountains, rivers, snow, deserts, swamp, and forest. The nation of Israel today in the international system is greatly feared mostly because of its military/strategic capability. Other factors determining IR according to Dahal, (2011) are organizational and administrative factors, the historical, psychological and sociological factors. CONCLUSION: International relations as a form of relationship as well as an academic field of study has been an important topic of discourse for centuries and it will continue to be, largely because no nation can live in isolation, nations must interact with each other whether in a friendly or in an unfriendly manner. Thus international relations will enable them to understand themselves better in their quest to ensure their survival. In other to prevent the advent of a Third World War, scholars of international relations have to intensify they research on how to prevent such and also offer viable advises to states and international organizations. Thus, in a way international relations studies can help to identify and suggest more channels of cooperations and continue exposing the collective dangers that violent conflict poses on humans. REFERENCES: Gayu, B. (2012). Meaning, nature, scope and approaches to international politics. Retrieved from http://bijugayu..im/2012/04/meaning-nature-scope-and-approaches-to-international-politics-17.html?m=1 Dahal, A.K. (2011). Introduction to international relations. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/akdahal/introduction-to-international-relations Prachi. (2010). Comprehensive information on the nature and scope of international relations. Retrieved from http://www.preservearticles.com/201106208247/comprehensive-information-on-the-nature-and-scope-of-international-relations.html Mnungu, M. (n.d). Development studies/international relations. Retrieved from http://www.aiu.edu/publications/student/english/DEVELOPMENT%20STUDIES%20%20INTERNATIONAL%20RELATIONS.html |
| Education › Re: International Relations: An Introduction. by sorzy1(op): 1:35am On Jan 28, 2018 |
Individuals are also another group of non-state actors. It is actually impossible to ignore the roles played by some individuals in the international system who are/were not acting for or on behalf of any state or organization. Examples of such individuals are Edward Snowden the wikileaks whistle-blower, he wasn't representing the interest of any state or organization but his own interest when he did what he did. When some Nigerian fishermen were killed on the disputed lake chad in the 60s it almost led to physical confrontation between the two countries, one may say "but they are just fishermen, not diplomats" but that's to tell you the extent to which private individuals can influence the behavior of states, what about the deportation of Nigerian citizens in 2015 by South African government immediately the landed in the country because they failed to meet the set medical requirement, this led to a diplomatic fiasco between the two nations with South Africa later apologising. There are many other instances that can be cited to show how individuals influence state actions. In essence, what am trying to say is that individuals just like states and other organizations are also actors in international relations. FACTORS DETERMINING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: States are constantly in one form of relationship or another with each other in the international system such that even when a state chooses to ignore the actions of another state or other states it is also considered to be a line of action taken by that state. Different forms of interaction exist between states, it is either friendly or unfriendly, hostile or cordial, radical or moderate, but the bottom line is that a particular form of interaction exists. Certain factor do shape or determine international relations, some of those factors are given below; (1) Geographic factors: the geographical location of a states, its climate and size are some factors which influence its international relations. A state that is blessed with abundant and rich mineral resources, good weather, and favourable land for agriculture for example can afford to pursue and independent foreign policy, though this does not imply that it will live in isolation but the state will pursue its national interest with some level of independence on the international stage. On the contrary a state that is landlocked, often plagued by famine and natural disasters will find it difficult to pursue an independent foreign policy because it has to depend on rich neighbouring states as well as other states for its survival, thus, such a state can not afford to be hostile to its neighbour, example of such relationship exists between the Niger Republic and her rich neighbour the Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2) Economic factor: states in the international system always try to device ways to improve their economies by promoting their economic interest in the comity of states. According to Dahal, (2011) The chief economic element which determines the position of a state in relation to other states are its self-sufficiency and its capacity to provide food, clothing and shelter to its population. He further opines that a state maybe agriculturally rich in its raw materials and food stuffs only but lack in mineral resources such as coal, iron, crude oil, etc and hence such state cannot be industrially advanced. Again, a state may be rich in mineral resources which can lead to the establishment of huge centres of production, and hence they may be industrially advanced but are not agriculturally rich. They can not claim to be self-sufficient because they have to depend on other states to import food and other agricultural products which can be in the form of raw materials without which their industries cannot function well. This kind of relationship exist between most western states and African states. (3) Demographic factor: the population and ethnic configurations and circumstances of a state can to a large extent play an important role in its international relations. Nations are in some quarters perceived to be great when they possess a growing large population especially one that is productive. Nigeria today is to some states the "giant of Africa" largely due to its population, it has the largest concentration of dark-skinned people in the world. Apart from its economic prowess, China is a force to reckon with in international affairs because of its massive and productive population. India is also significant in world politics because of its population and large ethnic and religious configurations which makes it unique as well. (4) Strategic factors: according to Dahal, (2011)the military strategy of a country is another important factor that determines foreign policy, this is because it is linked with national security. Thus, nations that have natural border protector such as Britain and Japan surrounded by ocean, hardly worry much about its security, since they only have to empower their |
| Education › Re: International Relations: An Introduction. by sorzy1(op): 1:32am On Jan 28, 2018 |
(4) international relations also exposes the dangers inherent in the proliferation of sophisticated weapons of mass destructions, IR scholars constantly warn about the threat being posed by such weapons to world peace, they also talk about precautionary measures to be taken in other to ensure survival of the human race, for example promotion of the Non-nuclear Proliferation Act to which many states are signatories. ACTORS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: By actors of international relations i mean the principal participants in international relations. The actors of IR are basically categorised in to two categories, they are state and non-state actors. STATE ACTORS: A state can be defined as a group of people living within a territory with defined borders, having a set of institutions capable of making and enforcing laws over those individuals and group as are found within its borders (internal sovereignty) and at the same time it is being recognized by other states in the international system as being the sovereign within that territory (external sovereignty). That is to say state actors in the IR are those actors that possess sovereignty within their borders and are recognized as such by other state actors. Another word for state actors is country or nations, for example the representatives of Nigeria, Ghana, United States of America, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, China, Philippines, Russia, Iceland and other countries are all state actors in the international system since they are not acting in their own capacities as individuals but on behalf of the state they represent, as such any action from such representatives in the international arena is seen as an action of the states they are representing NON-STATE ACTORS: these are actors in the international system that do not represent the interest of any nation but their own individual or group interest, they act in their own capacities as individuals or groups. They do not possess sovereignty of any kind. Examples of non-state actors are; international organizations. These are institutions with formal membership and procedures in which only sovereign states can become members. Although, membership can be limited or universal and its purpose may be broad or narrow, example of international organizations with limited membership and at the same time narrow purpose are Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) whose membership is limited to only crude oil producing states and having a narrow purpose of regulating the price of crude oil in the international market to their advantage. Example of international organization with limited membership and broad purpose are African Union, European Union and Commonwealth of Nations. Example of international organizations with universal membership and narrow purpose are Universal Postal Union, and FIFA. Example of International organization with universal membership and broad purpose is United Nations. Another group of non-state are Multinational Corporations (MNCs), these are large business corporations that offer services in more than one country. They have branches in different countries and continents of the world and they have a headquater which is usually located in the home country to which all other branche report to. Multinational corporations spring up due to many reasons such as insufficient market for products in the home country, the desire for cheap labour and land, and even an expansionist desire. Example of such MNCs are Coca-cola, Pepsi, Sony, Peaugeout automobile, Nike, Shell etc. These MNCs also do participate in IR from time to time and even influence happenings in the international sytsem atimes. Another group of non-state actors are Non-Governmental Organizations. As the name implies, these are organizations that have no affiliation whatsoever to the government, they are mostly interest groups whose members are bound by certain interest(s) or goal(s) which they seek to achieve in the international stage, for example International Red Cross, Doctors without borders, Amnesty international, and even terrorist organizations such as Al-Qaeda, ISIL, Hamas, Hezbollah e.t.c It is important to note that membership of these Non-governmental Organizations cut across various nationalities. |
| Education › Re: International Relations: An Introduction. by sorzy1(op): 1:30am On Jan 28, 2018 |
From my own point of view, the term international relations can be defined from two points of view, firstly it can be defined as a form of relationship, secondly it can be defined as an academic field of study. As a form of relationship i define international relations as relationships that transcends national borders, i see it as any form of relationship be it emotional, personal, economic, political and cultural that exist between individuals, groups, institutions, and organizations be they government or non-government sponsored located within the borders of different sovereign states. This definition adopts a holistic or broader view of international relations which is not limited to only official government businesses and interactions but extends to even issues considered to be personal like marriages between citizens of different nations. A narrow view of international relations tends to focus strictly on relations between state actors or national governments which is mostly dominated by politicians/diplomats. The problem with such narrow view of international relations is that it tends to ignore the "unofficial" relationships that citizens of different sovereign nations develop with each other which has a times had tremendous impact on "official" government relations. As an academic field of study, international relations can be defined as an academic field that studies the relationships that exists between sovereign nation state. International relations studies states behavior and the international system by the development and testing of hypotheses. It concerns itself with the study of the nature and pattern of states' behavior in the international system. The study of internationational relations as a discipline emerged only after the First World War in 1919 when the first chair of international relations was founded at the University of Wales. Thus, one can decide to pursue a carreer in international relations as a diplomat or an expert in explaining states behaviors and happenings in the international system. The terms international relations and international politics are most times confused to be the same leading to an erroneous use of the two interchangebly by scholars and students of IR. International politics as Hans Morgenthau puts, is simply a struggle for power between nations in the international system. From David Easton's definition of politics i can say international politics has to do with relationships between states that lead to the authouritative distribution or allocation of values in the international system. IMPORTANCE OF IR: the study of IR is of great important to students and even non-student of IR who truly wants to understand how the international system operates, there is no any other discipline dedicated to explaining this other than IR. Other importance of IR are but not limited to: (1) To prevent the emergence of large scale military confrontations, that is, war between countries. The 20th century witnessed two worl wars which was instrumental to the destruction of man and material, it is feared that a third worl war would wipe out the human race from the face of earth if it comes. The study of IR Helps us to analyze the goals and targets (national interests) of states in the international system and see how these goals can be attained in such a way that it will be of mutual benefit to the states and in the long run prevent violent interaction between states, the consequences of which will be very davastating. (2) To understand the defects of nationalism: according to Dahal, (2011) interest of nationalism was one of the major causes of the Fir World War because each state thought of the entire problem in its own national interest and forgot the international imterest, but IR teaches that the nations must learn the basic factors of national trust and goodwill in order to stop any possible conflict. (3) Foster interdependence between nation-states: it has been practically impossible from time immemorial for nations just like humans to exist in isolation, they had to mingle and interact in one way or another with other nations in other for them to survive, thus as a form of relationship IR is very essential to the existence of a nation. Today each country has become dependent more and more upon the other states in one aspect or the other. As such survival can only be attained through cooperation and interdependence, it is the study of IR that exposed us to this. |
| Education › International Relations: An Introduction. by sorzy1(op): 1:28am On Jan 28, 2018*. Modified: 2:10am On Jan 28, 2018 |
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: AN INTRODUCTION. By Ishaya, Solomon. Phone number: 08095266843. Email address: ishayasolomonzuru@gmail.com INTRODUCTION/HISTORY OF IR: The concept of IR is quite old, given that humans have been establishing governments and communicating with each other for thousands of years. However, many people agree that IR emerged around the 15th century when people started exploring the world and interacting with other governments and cultures, organizations like the Dutch East corporations for example where among first multinational corporations for example, which representatives of European governments met with foreign governments to establish trade agreements and to discuss mutual concerns. According Mnungu, (n.d page 7) the history of international relations is often traced back to the Peace of Westphalia of 1648 where the modern state system was developed. Prior to this, the European medieval organization of political authority was based on vaguely hierarchical religious order. Westaphalia encouraged the rise of independent nation-state, the institutionalization of diplomacy and armies. Westaphalia instituted the legal concept of sovereignty which essentially meant that rulers, or the legitimate sovereigns would recognize no external superiors as the ultimate authority within the territory's sovereign borders. Classical Greeks and Roman at times resembled the Westphalian notion of sovereignty.(Mnungu, n.d. Page 7) More than the peace of Westphalia, the treaty of utrecht of 1713 is thought to reflect an emerging norm that sovereigns had no internal equals within a defined territory and no external superior as ultimate authourity within the teritory's sovereign borders. Having taken a brief history of IR, this work will further look into the definition, importance, actors, and factors determining IR. DEFINITIONS OF IR: There has been a great confusion in defining international phenomenoms which came to be described in different ways by different scholars as international relations, international affairs, world affairs, world politics, and international politics. This confusion was as a result of the absence of a systematic study of the subject. International relations has been defined variovsly by various scholars overtime. That is to say different scholars have come up with different perspective of the subject-matter. There has never been a single generally accepted definition of IR, this due to the fact that the scope of the field is a fluid one, changing from time to time, such flux in the field happens to be its chief future. Below are some of the definitions: Seymon Brown(1988 as cited in Gayu, 2012) defines international relations as "the investigation and study of patterns of actions and reactions among sovereign states as represented by their elites". Trevor Taylor (1979 as cited in Gayu, 2012. Para 4) defines international relations as "a discipline which tries to explain political activites across state boundaries". Ola Joseph (1999 as cited in Gayu, 2012) opines that "international relations are the study of all forms of interactions that exist between members of seperate entities or nations within the international system." For Prof. Charles Schleicher(n.d cited in Prachi, 2010, para 5) defines international relations as the relations among states. In the same vane Quicy Wright defines international relations as relations between groups of major importance in the life of the world at any period of history. According to Dahal (2011, para. 1) international relations is a term used to reffer to a branch of political science which focuses on the study of these interactions. In line with this definition Mnungu (n.d page 6) opines that international relations is "a branch of political science; is a study of foreign affairs and global issues among states within the international system, including the roles of states, intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and multinational corporations(MNCs)". Apart from political science international relations crossess path with many other disciplines such as law, economics, history, geography, sociology, philosophy, pschology, anthropology and cultural studies (Mnungu, n.d, page 6). |
| Education › Re: Theories Of International Relations. by sorzy1(op): 1:23am On Jan 28, 2018 |
In conclusions, there abound theories of international but this work focused on only three-realism, liberalism and constructivism, which the writer considers to be the foundational theories of IR, that is, theories upon which the foundations of other theories were built. I am of the opinion that for students of international relations to vividly understand other theories of IR it is paramount for them to first of all seek to understand the three afore explained theories of IR, this prompted me to embark on this task of watering down these theories in other to make it clearer for students of IR. From the above theories we can thus conclude by saying that survival is of essence for every state in the international system as such states use what ever tool at their disposal to ensure that they survive in the midst of hostilities in the international system even if it means going to war but that does not mean that cooperation between states is overruled, as a matter of fact the possibility for cooperation is higher because states have realized that it is of mutual benefit to them, we can also sufficiently argue that the international system consists of other non-state actors who play a crucial role in international relations, and also the role of idea in shaping state behavior and the international system can not be overemphasized. REFERENCE Newmann, B. (n.d). A brief introduction to the theories of international relations. Retrieved from http://www.people.vcu.edu/~wnewmann/468theory.htm Slaughter, A.M. (2011). "International relations, principal theories". Max plank Encyclopedia of public international law. Retrieved from http://www.mpepil.com |
| Education › Re: Theories Of International Relations. by sorzy1(op): 1:21am On Jan 28, 2018 |
NEO-REALISM: this is an offshoot of classical realism, its major proponent is kenneth Walts. Neo-realists agree with classical realists in some aspects but their major point of departure is that neo-realists adopt a system level of analysis and thus argues that state struggle for power in the international system is not as a result of the nature of the state but as a result of the nature of the international system, in other words the atmosphere or situation obtainable in the international system compels states to struggle for power. What then is the nature of the nature of the international system that forces states to struggle for power? Neo-realists opined that the absence of a central government in the international system to regulate the behavior of states and checkmate their excesses makes the international system to be in a state of anarchy, as such states are being forced to look for means of survival and since state A can not trust state B to guarantee its survival state A has to resort to "self-help survival technique" which has to do wit acquiring enough power as possible to with stand and overcome any form of threat (Newmann, n.d. Para. 9). NEO-CLASSICAL REALISM: this is a combination of both classical realism and neo-realism in that they argue that states behavior is as a result of the nature of the states and that the fear of other states in the international system and a desire for survival by states is a determinant of their behavior. Neo-classical realists went further to state that there are other things that maybe responsible for state behavior other than the nature of the states, nature of international system and the desire for survival by states (Newmann, n.d. Para 10). LIBERALISM Liberalism also called idealism by some is a theory of International relations that originated as a critique of realist theories. Some of the proponents of this theory are but not limited to Immanuel Kant, Andrew Moravcsik, Edward Mainsfield, and Jack Snyder. Liberalists adop a state level of analysis and argued that international relations is not all about rivalry between states, they opined that there is a lot of cooperation between and among states in the international system. Interaction between states in the international system is not limited to military/political/security but also economic, social, and cultural. Liberals opined that overtime states have learned that cooperation is much more mutually beneficial for all of them as such they try to establish a kind of social order in the international system which promotes cooperation. This brings about the creation of enforceable international laws, the creation of an international judicial body such as the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and lots of its kind. CONSTRUCTIVISM: Constructivism adopts a state level of analy and thus argues that states are dynamic and unique as such they view states behavior from the angle of indivisual state characteristics. They argued that states have their unique social, political, ideological, cultural and even religious characteristics that influence their behaviors (Wendt, 2000 as cited in Slaughter, 2011 para. 13). The major arguement of Constructivists is the belief that international relations is shaped by persuasive ideas, collective values, culture and social identities. By "ideas" constructivists reffe to the goals (national interest), threats, fears, beliefs, norms, values and other similar things that influence the behavior of state and non-state actors in the international system. Constructivist argue that state behavior is socially created by cognitive structures whic gives meaning to the material world. Whereas realists are concerned about security and military capability (power) and liberalists are concerned about cooperation and inter-dependence in all aspects especially economically between states, constructivism is concerned mainly with the role of ideas in shaping the behavior of states and the international system. For example they argued that an increase in the size of the North Korean military is likely to be viewed with much greater concern by South Koreans and vice-versal(Slaughter, 2011). Some proponents of constructivism are Alexander Wendt, Emmanuel Adler, Iain Johnstone, Micheal Barnett and others. |
| Education › Re: Theories Of International Relations. by sorzy1(op): 1:19am On Jan 28, 2018 |
(2) secondly, realists view states to be the sole actors in international politics, they also argued states are rational actors. That is to say since states desire and work to survive, they act in any way in other to ensure their continuous existence and to prevent their extinction. (3) Realists also argue that states possess some military capacity, and the level of military capacity of a particular states tells more of the power that the state possess. Thus, realists emphasize the distribution of coercive material capacity as the determinant of international politics (Slaughter, 2011 para.2). (4) realists also argue that no state knows what its neighbours intend precisely. This can be used as a way to view the rise in secret agencies having secret agents infiltrating in to other states' affairs in other to know what they are up to, the CIA, MOSAD, MI6, KGB are some of such secrets agencies. This makes the world an uncertain place according to realists. (5) realists further opined that in such and atmosphere of hostilities and uncertaintiess it is the great powers, that is, those states with superior military capability that are decisive, international relations is thus viewed as a story of great power politics (Slaughter, 2011 para.3) Mearsheimer (2001 as cited in Slaughter, 2011) argued that there are two types of realists who tend to disagree on certain issues, the offensive realists argued that in order to ensure survival states will seek to maximise their power relative to others. He further stated that if rival countries possess sufficient power to threaten a state it can never be safe. Hegemony is thus the best strategy for a country to pursue if it can. Defensive realists on the other hand uphold that domination is an unwise strategy for any state that wants to survive, they note that seeking hegemony may bring a state into dangerous conflicts with its peers. Instead defensive realists emphasized the need for stability of systems through balance of power, in which there is a certain degree of power distribution amongst states to the extent that none will risk attacking the other. Polarity which connotes distribution of power among the great powers is thus a major to tool for ensuring state survival. Lets take a look at the some of the sub-theories that are embedded in realism. CLASSICAL REALISM: this is a standpoint that was first developed and adopted by theorist of IR, classical realist adopt a state level of analysis. They argue that states by their very nature try to possess power in the international system in other to decrease the powers of other states deemed to be hostile or unfriendly. States believe that the more power they have they more secure they are, as such they try as much possible to always try to top-up the military and diplomatic capabilities in other to create the notion that they are more powerful. This explains the reason for the cold war between USSR and USA. The both of them being most powerful states then in the post-world war era perceived themselves as enemies though with no physical confrontations because they both believed they possessed equal power. Thus, the struggle for power according to classical realists doesn't breed war due to the presence of mechanisms to ensure a balance of power between and amongst states. In other words in such an environment of hostility in the international system the only guarantee for peace is a stable balance of power (Newmann, n.d. para. . |
| Education › Theories Of International Relations. by sorzy1(op): 1:17am On Jan 28, 2018*. Modified: 2:08am On Jan 28, 2018 |
Theories of International Relations-Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism. By Ishaya, Solomon. Phone number: 08095266843. Email address: ishayasolomonzuru@gmail.com Basically, theories of international relations seek to explain happenings in the international system based on historical evidences. Furthermore, the theories of IR attempt to uncover why states behave the way the do in the international system. In other words they seek to answer one question, that is, why do states behave the way they do in the international system?. It thus becomes clear that state behavior in the international system is the major focus of theories in international relations. Different states react differently to different actions and inactions from other states in the international system, this work therefore seeks to explain some of the core theories of international relations. In trying to comprehend and explain their behaviors theorists of international relations have adopted different levels of analysis from which they are to analyze state behavior. According to Newmann(n.d. Para. 3) Some theorists of IR adopt the stystem level of analysis in which state behavior is seen as a consequence of the nature of the international system in which states operate, other scholars adopt the state level of analysis under which internal factors peculiar to indivisual nation-states are responsible fo the way and/or manner in which sates behave in their dealing with other sovereign states in the international system. Other scholars tend to adopt the organization level of analysis of state behavior which argues that organization within a particular states can influence how the state acts towards other states for example the FBI, CIA or military influencing the way the US behaves in the international system. Lastly, some scholars adopt the indivisual level of analysis to put forward their theory, they argue that state behavior has a lot to do with the personality of the leaders or indivisuals at the helm of affairs. For example they asked questions like would The US have reacted different towards Iraq and the 9/11 incident if another person other than George .W. Bush was the president? Or would Nigeria have allowed Cameroun to have Bakassi peninsula after the international court's ruling if say Abacha was the head of state in place of Obasanjo? All theories of IR adopt one or more of the above levels of analysis to explain state behavior in the international system. The theories of IR that i will be discussing in these work are; Realism-classical, neo-realism, and neo-classical realism, Liberalism, and constructivism. REALISM: Realism is the happens to be the earliest and to some extent most dominant theory of International relations. Thucydides the authous of "History of the Peloponessian war" is considered to be one of the earliest realist scholars, others include but are not limited to Machiavelli, Hobbes, Morgenthau, E.H. Carr. The basic tenets of realism are as follows: (1) that the international is in a state of anarchy in the sense that there is no any form of government in place that possesses the power to control states' behavior in their relations with one another. The anarchichal nature is thus seen by realist to be hostile for states to operate in, as such every state has to find a means of survival. Thus survival is the principal goal of every state in the international system, foreign invasion and occupation are therefore the most pressing threats facing any state. |
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SHEEGO2015:Fortunately for me I wasn't selected, I know you will be wondering why I said "fortunately" not "unfortunately", well it's because something better is coming my way which I would have missed if I had been selected. for the registration link, don't worry when it's time they will release all information you guys need to register. |
| Events › Re: We Have Dated For 10 Years: A Nairalander Celebrates His Fiancée On Her Birthday by sorzy1(m): 1:50pm On Nov 23, 2017*. Modified: 12:58pm On Dec 01, 2017 |
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| Crime › Re: Secondary School Cult Boys Nabbed While Trying To Fight Other Students. Photos by sorzy1(m): 11:31am On Nov 22, 2017 |
Joephat:Good morning sir, I will like to share my view on this issue of state monopolization of ammunition. if we are to go by the professor's argument that "a failed state is one in which the government lacks monopoly of ammunition" we can thus say that the USA and many European countries are 'failed' states. I know you wondering how? for years the USA and most European countries have been battling with cases of shootings which has resulted in the deaths of thousands, remember the Texas shooting? Las Vegas shooting? Manchester bombing? these are indicators that these states don't have the monopoly of the instruments of violence (ammunition), but is that enough reason to refer to them as 'failed' states? No! There are many yardsticks to use in measuring whether a state has failed or not but pining it down to just the inability of the government to monopolize the instruments of violence as the professor puts it will not do justice to our analysis. I am of the opinion that the impact that the government has on the real life situation (not just on paper) of its citizens should be the number one yardstick in measuring whether the state has failed or not. It is also important to note that ammunition can and will never be monopolised by the state, if it were possible the government of the USA. would have done so long ago.Thanks Back to the topic, I condemn such act of terror and I implore the federal government to take immediate action to prevent further occurrence of such act, may God give me bereaved families the fortitude to bear the loss. thanks |
| Crime › Re: Secondary School Cult Boys Nabbed While Trying To Fight Other Students. Photos by sorzy1(m): 11:20am On Nov 22, 2017 |
Joephat: |
| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: Who Also Got This Invite? by sorzy1(m): 8:37pm On Nov 21, 2017 |
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| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: 2016 Firstbank Graduate Trainee Programme by sorzy1(m): 6:47pm On Nov 20, 2017 |
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| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: SCHLEEZ NIG Ltd....real Or Scam by sorzy1(m): 8:09am On Nov 06, 2017 |
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sparkle12345:hey dear, cheer up! it's not the end of life, another opportunity will come but next time make sure you do an research about the role you applied for and also ensure that you make your answers a little longer by bringing in stories, facts bla bla that makes you the right candidate for the job. there are lots of topics on nairaland about how to ace an interview i'll advice you to read them for more information. Don't give up ok? thanks. 2 Likes |
| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: Top Talent Recruitment By Workforce by sorzy1(m): 3:17pm On Nov 01, 2017 |
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| Jobs/Vacancies › Re: Top Talent Recruitment By Workforce by sorzy1(m): 10:23am On Nov 01, 2017 |
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Talking about her protruding tummy.