Political idealism and political realism.

Realism, also known as political realism, in the context of international relations, encompasses a variety of theories and approaches, all of which share a belief that statesare primarily motivated by the desire for military and economic power or security, rather than ideals or ethics.

Political Idealism refers to political thinking that does not recognize problems that arise from security concerns. In this thinking, matters such as technological advancements are viewed to be of greater importance than things such as military might.

Political idealism as one of the contemporary currents in the theory of international relations came into being at the beginning of the twentieth century. The main theses which are typical for political idealism are:

1.There is rather a convergence of states' interests than their divergence on supranational level.

2.Foreign policy should remain in agreement with the catalogue of moral values.

3.International law and its observance is the most effective instrument of achieving durable peace.

4.International organizations, apart from international law and world public opinion, should be the main instrument of stabilization of the global politics.

Supporters of political idealism believe in at least one of the points mentioned above.

35.GenderUnlike race, ethnicity, nationality, and religion, gender has never served to justify a movement for autonomy within the state or for formation of an independent state.

Like these other identities, however, gender has been the basis for demands for recognition and representation: women’s suffrage, access to labor market/education/careers, quotas in parliaments.

Unlike race, ethnicity, nationality, and religion, gender has never served to justify a movement for autonomy within the state or for formation of an independent state.

Like these other identities, however, gender has been the basis for demands for recognition and representation: women’s suffrage, access to labor market/education/careers, quotas in parliaments.

Gender can be absorbed into race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, women as mothers of the community, bearers of its cultural legacy.

Women’s movements often threaten other group identities such as race, nationality, ethnicity, and religion

Race

People who see themselves as group based primarily on common physical characteristics and common history

Often hard to distinguish from ethnicity or culture

Unlike ethnicity, race tends to be an identity imposed by others—originally via European conquest and colonialism

Political goals: recognition and representation

Racial categories have been extremely fluid in the US

Black-White division has predominated

Took many years for all European immigrants to be considered “white”: Irish, Jews, Italians, Poles, Jews, etc.

African-American movement: integrationism vs black nationalism

Terms “Asian American” and “Hispanic” or “Latino” very new—before that, definition of nationality, not race

Obama election:

Historical milestone in US racial history

Racial inequality persists:

segregation and socio-economic inequality largely unchanged

Debates over affirmative action and political representation