Chapter 4 Using Popular Culture as a Light: Middle Earth, Levels of Analysis, and War

• Chapter 4

Using Popular Culture as a Light:

Middle Earth, Levels of Analysis,and War

Levels of Analysis

Provide a means to organize systematic

thinking about world politics

System Level

Anarchy

“Security Dilemma”

Which system will be most

stable?

Unipolar

Bipolar

Multipolar

Major shifts in power capabilities are associated with war

Alliance Patterns Balancing & Bandwagoning

Balance in technology between

offense and defense

Interdependence through international norms, organizations,

and institutions can provide alternatives to use of force

Capitalism can produce imperialist war due to intensifying competition

Critical and Feminist Scholarship

State Level

Democracies are unlikely to fight against each other

A leader in trouble may use an external conflict to divert the public’s attention

away from domestic problems

Social Influences

Does the public want war or peace? How much are people willing to suffer?

Does the economic system encourage expansion, imperialism, or are its features benign?

Biologically-oriented drive to control territory

Human nature

Individual Level

Problems facing decision-makers

• Belief Systems

• Personalities

• Physical and Mental Health

• Perceptions

Bureaucracies can help or hinder war

Foreign Policy Role Playing

diplomacy vs. military

Levels of AnalysisWar of the Ring

Capability distributions evolve and impact

war’s likelihood

Many in Middle Earth are concerned about the growing presence of

Sauron

Balancing of power is most evident

in the Fellowship

Bandwagoning is seen in

Saruman’s side-switching

Minas Tirith and Helm’s Deep were

very well fortified and difficult to attack

Interdependence at very low level in Middle Earth –

alliances tend to be temporary

Middle Earth is populated overwhelmingly by autocracies

Rohan Mordor Gondor

Dangers of unchecked personal power and inadequacies of monarchical

systems

Women’s political influence is indirect and

through marriage or family

connections

Levels of Analysis and World War 1

Europe plunged into war due to its

multipolar nature

Fighting in World War 1 was dominated by defensive weaponry

Capitalist economic

system was principal

underlying reason for war

Nationalism was pervasive and reinforced rivalries

Disintegration of Ottoman, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian Empires

opened door to war

Germany had been gaining

power and influence,

but had internal tensions

Weak leadership was linked to the dynastic systems that produced them

Emperor of Austria-Hungary

Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany

Tsar Nicholasof Russia

Post-Cold War, the US had full

discretion in intervening around the

globe

• DPRK• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsDSbmQR9lc• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZsVP2WoE9E• http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/27/19703009-north-korea-marks-60-years-since-korean-war-with-massive

-victory-day-parade?lite

• Critical theory• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz0tINoLEr0• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbQE5DZuJqU

• Comfort women• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-UwU1-RVWs