Kenneth Walz -- IR

Question 1

Kenneth Waltz

Answer 1

i. 1928-2013
ii. Taught at UC Berkely, Colombia University
iii. Wrote “Man, State, and War” (1959)
– “Theory of International Politics” (1979)
iv. 3 images of international politics

He was a ‘defensive realist’ = key motivation for state is security, want power to be secure

Question 2

3 images of international politics

Answer 2

human nature (individual ),
the state
the anarchy (structure of international system)

Question 3

Human nature, states, and anarchy: Three images of international politics

Answer 3

i. People seek power
ii. Important people and how they shape power.
iii. States, structural state.. democracy? Communist, factious state (names of some groups of states I think)
iv. Walz is interest in 3rd image –the anarchy, focus in the 3rd image we can focus on theory of international politics

Question 4

why go to war ?

Answer 4

Bc they can (structure of anarchy)

Question 5

Can structural realism be validated or falsified, as a “scientific” theory?

Answer 5

-Walz inspired by discourse bc he said let’s make it scientific
* He says some things can be tested, he’s saying is theory can be useful (to generally predict)

Question 6

What is Walz

Answer 6

• Waltz says he’s a structural realist, Mearsheimer says Waltz has a defensive type of realism, waltz doesn’t say it himself