Stephen M. Walt "One World Many Theories"
Outlines the three main theories of IR (realism, liberalism, and constructivism)
Realism
"State of anarchy" - self-help world. Relative power is the key determinant.
See also: Thucydides, Thucydides Trap, anarchy
Thucydides - "The Melian Dialogue"
"The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" - seminal text for realist theory
Immanuel Kant - "Perpetual Peace"
Establishes Democratic Peace Theory - outlines a key program to peace. Republican government, international institutions, and culture all play in.
Seminal text for Liberalism
Margaret Mead - "War is Only an Invention, Not a Biological Necessity"
Explains that humans only result to war when they have a concept of such. Key constructivist piece
David Kang - "Getting Asia Wrong: the Need for New Analytical Frameworks"
Outlines how IR theory is derived from Western history and concepts, and may not be equipped to explain China/East Asia. Argues the west has formal sovereignty and informal hierarchy, while East Asia is reverse, benefits from hegemon historically.
Laura Sjoberg - "Seeing Sex, Gender, and Sexuality in International Politics"
Another example of a constructivist perspective. Proposes that states have gendered relations, discusses the analysis of gender/sexuality in IR
Robert Vitalis - "The Graceful and Generous Liberal Gesture: Making Racism Invisible
in American International Relations"
Constructivist. Discusses the role of racism on the international stage, particularly the export of racist ideals, argues that there is a degree of international paternalism stemming from racism
Alexander Wendt - "Anarchy is What States Make of It"
Constructivist. Argues that anarchy/state of nature is not inherently self-help, but derives from past interactions
James Druckman, et al. "Experimentation in Political Science"
Explains the key role experimentation/surveys have played in advancing Political Science as a discipline, explains different types of surveys.
Andrew Bennet and Jeffery T. Checkel "Process Tracing: From Philosophical Roots to Best Practices"
Outlines process tracing, causality, and other qualitative methods of studying IR/history
Scott Barrett - "Why Have Climate Negotiations Proved So Disappointing?"
Climate change represents a cooperation problem, whereby states have private incentives to defect and free ride in what amounts to a Prisoner's Dilemma. Countries find it difficult to punish defection in many player games, which are necessary for climate change
Garrett Hardin - "The Tragedy of the Commons"
Originally written in a neo-Malthusian context. A rivalrous, but non-excludable good is depleted because each consumer has personal incentives to exploit this resource/good, which pushes it beyond carrying capacity.
H.E. Goemans and Alexandre Debs - "Regime Type, the Fate of Leaders, and War"
Holds that leaders are more likely to concede when personal costs are low (less likely to be removed from office, fare better when removed from office, etc.). Autocratic leaders may appear risk-seeking because the costs of failure/removal are so high. One potential explanation for the Democratic Peace.
Michael Tomz and Jessica Weeks - "Public Opinion and the Democratic Peace"
Finds that democracies tend not to want to fight other democracies not as a result of cost perception, but because of the perception of shared norms/values. Explanation for Democratic Peace
Jessica Weeks - "Strongmen and Straw Men: Authoritarian Regimes and the Initiation of International Conflict"
Draws distinction between various types of authoritarian regimes and their propensity for war. Finds that the more personalist and military focused a regime is, the higher its likelihood of war, and vice versa. Challenge/alternative explanation for democratic peace.
James Fearon - "Rationalist Expectations for War"
Seeks to explain war from a rationalist perspective. War is a result of private information/incentives to misrepresent, issue indivisibility, and commitment problems (preventative war in multiperiod context and offensive dominant commitment problem)
John Keegan - "The Face of Battle"
Describes the Battle of the Somme. Tactics were in effective, world was defense dominant.
Charles Kindleberger - "The World in Depression"
Says the Great Depression emerged as a result of an inability by GB to act as a stabilizer and an unwillingness by the US. US engaged in beggar-thy-neighbor policies, was not the lender of last resort, didn't secure goods markets, was not a long-term lender, etc. All points the Bretton Woods system tried to address
Herman Oschner - "History of German Chemical Warfare in World War II"
Discusses reasons why Chemical warfare was not apparent in World War II (even after being used in the Interwar Period) -- the Germans did not violate the Norm, and all sides believed in was in their personal interest not to violate. Parallel between strategic bombing, nuclear weapons
Dan Reiter and John M. Schuessler “Correspondence: FDR, U.S. Entry into World
War II, and Selection Effects Theory
Challenge to the Democratic Peace Theory, autonomy of democracy - proposes that FDR intentionally manipulated circumstances so that war was more likely.
Robert Jervis "Cooperation Under the Security Dilemma"
Key game theory concept - defect in Stag Hunt if you think your opponent will defect OR if you think your opponent thinks YOU will defect.
Breaks down risk of security dilemma based on technology. Offense dominant, non differentiable worlds are the most dangerous. Defense dominant, differentiable worlds least dangerous. Offense dominant differentiable = aggression, defense dominant non-differentiable = security dilemma
Belief in second-strike supremacy may limit arms race