Ordering the International: Actors, Processes, Structures

Basic Concepts and Analytical Levels of International Relations

Introduction

Perspectives of International Relations

Actor

Structure

Process

Introduction

Actor

Environment

Actor

a) Who acts ? b) Forms, occasions, reasons, causes, results of the behaviour of actors which crosses national borders or is directed towards the international system ?

Introduction

Process

a)

Interaction of Actors (Duration, Regularity, Action-Reaction-Pattern ? Forms, occasions, reasons, causes, results ?

b)

Introduction

Structure

a) Like processes between actors repeated over time and thus solidified b) Forms, reasons, consequences ?

Foreign Policy

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ressources Means Aims Interests Decision making processes

International environment

National Actor

Border crossing action

International Politics
Action
Actor A

Reaction

Action Reaction

Action Reaction

Actor B

Actor C

The Billard-Ball-Model of International Politics

Pulling forces Pushing forces

International Politics

IGO
Internationale Politik

Foreign Policy A
Akteur A
Akteur B

Foreign Policy B

Society A

Society B

The modern territorial State Substrate of the Billard-Ball-Model of International Politics

Premiss: Legitimation of the state by successful completion of its functions: guarantee of law and order domestically and protection against (military)attacks in its external relations Factors of Change:
Medieval starting point cancels Development of the forces of production and destruction Gun powder revolution of the late middle ages: development of artillery and distance weapons

Wall-protected impenetrability

Territorial State: hard shell of fortresses round periphery & parallell abolition of independence of interior fortified places by the central power
Fortress protected impenetrability
manifestations

Strategy military power

Politics:

Independence

Law Sovereignty

Premiss: warfare rests in the horizontal

Modern State: domestically pacified and externally hard shelled defensible Unit with monopoly of the use of physical force on its territory
Impenetrability based on military, political, legal developments cancels

Air warfare: ballistic carriers and nuclear weapons of mass destruction

Military and political impenetrability protected by force

overcomes

Air Warfare, in particular ballistic weapons of mass destruction Modern industrial dynamics

Penetrability

underlines

Globalization

functional Interdependence

Transnational networking

Further differentiation of international division of labour

Environmental problems & their secondary effects crossing borders Intensification of social and cultural forces by social change Replacement of Fordistic by Postfordistic Accumulation

Cobweb model of international Relations

Transnational Society (of Actors)

Government

Government

Government

Transnational Society
A B C

Society

Society

Society

National Actor

Transnational Politics

Government

Government

Government

Society

Society

Society

LOOKING AT THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM FROM A RECENT INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS PERSPECTIVE

For some time already, the analysis of International Relations is characterised by a change in perspective - away from the state as a unitary actor acting as a gatekeeper between the domestic and international policy areas - up, down, and sideways to supra-state, sub-state, and non-state actors.

From the society of states, our focus of attention has consequently shifted to transnational and transgovernmental societies which take the form of boundary-crossing networks amongst individuals and nongovernmental organisations (NGOs).

States as international gatekeepers

IGO
= government
= society State C

Society C State A State B

Society A

Society B

INGO
= foreign or international societal interactions

= foreign or international political interactions

MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE: MAIN ACTORS AND LEVELS OF ANALYSIS

Supranational and intergovernmental actors GOVERNMENT A GOVERNMENT B GOVERNMENT C Transnational groups International & national regimes TARGET STATE

International level

State level

Administration Legislative branch Judiciary system Central state

Domestic groups&issue-specific groups (commercial, religious, and environmental)

Regional level

Administration Legislative branch Judiciary system Regional/substate unit

Individual level

Individual cognition; Belief system; Personal and national identity

Multilevel Governance
MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE Flexibly organised common problem solving among different communities from the local via the regional and state to the international level (and vice versa)

IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Concept covers the mechanisms, agreements, and patterns necessary to insure, in an anarchical international system * transnational cooperation * balances (of power/influence) * stability without formalised and institutionalised organisations and treaty systems governance without government

IN DOMESTIC POLITICS Concept gains importance in contexts in which political institutions and their decision-makers lose part of their autonomy to act; political direction and problem solving has to rely on cooperation of political AND societal actors in networks and negotiation systems (Round Tables etc.)