Neoclassical Realist Theories, Intervening Variables, and Paradigmatic Boundaries

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elias Götz
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
Real World ◽  
Strategic Culture ◽  
Neoclassical Realism ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Moderating Factors ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Intervening Variables

Abstract Extant neoclassical realist scholarship has identified a range of real-world factors (e.g., state capacity, interest group pressure, strategic culture, and leadership personality) that serve as intervening variables between systemic imperatives and states’ foreign policy behavior. Despite these elaborations, the intervening variable concept remains underdeveloped. In this article, I show that neoclassical realists have lumped together three different types of causal factors under the label intervening variable: (1) moderating factors, (2) complementary factors, and (3) primary causes. Making these distinctions explicit will enable scholars to increase the analytical precision of neoclassical realist approaches, choose appropriate research designs to test them, and define more clearly the paradigmatic boundaries of neoclassical realism vis-à-vis other perspectives.

scholarly journals DOES THE AGENT MATTER? THE GEOPOLITICAL AGENT IN NEOCLASSICAL GEOPOLITICS

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-108
Author(s):  
Nuno Morgado
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Policy Outcomes ◽  
Strategic Culture ◽  
Domestic Institutions ◽  
Realist Approach ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Methodological Guidelines ◽  
Geographical Space ◽  
Intervening Variables ◽  
New Framework

The neoclassical realist approach considers systemic stimuli (independent), and leader images, strategic culture, state-society relations, and domestic institutions (intervening) as the variables of an explanatory model of foreign policy and international outcomes (dependent variable). Starting from the central assumptions of Ethology and Classical Élites Theory with the purpose of delimitating the agent – the geopolitical agent or the foreign policy executive – this paper aims to reinforce the importance of the intervening variables geopolitical agent’s perceptions and capacities in shaping the geopolitical design and other foreign policy outcomes. The true core of the paper is to expand the scope of geopolitical studies by including the methodological task of studying the geopolitical agent’s perceptions and capacities. In doing so, the matter directly relates to the analysis of both (i) how the geopolitical agent can perceive the geographical space (Raumsinn), and (ii) what can be the geopolitical agent’s capacities in managing resources assigned to the foreign policy. The purpose of the paper is then threefold: (i) conceptual – because it deals with definition of terms and their differentiation, (ii) theoretical – since the paper intends to review the neoclassical realist approach and merge it with geopolitical studies trying to forge a joint approach, and (iii) methodological – as it provides methodological guidelines about the new framework. Therefore, the paper brings the innovation of including insights of the neoclassical realist intervening variables into the geopolitical studies’ framework for a more accurate and enhanced scope of geopolitical analysis in the future.

China–Turkey Relations from the Perspective of Neoclassical Realism

2021 ◽  
pp. 234779892110626
Author(s):  
Mustafa Cüneyt Özşahin ◽  
Federico Donelli ◽  
Riccardo Gasco
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
Middle Eastern ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Strategic Culture ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Neoclassical Realism ◽  
Middle Power ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Middle Powers

There is plenty of studies focusing on China’s global outreach through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In tandem with this, the extensive literature on China depicts it as the next hegemon to succeed in the USA. Along this line, flourishing ties with various Asian nations, including the Middle Eastern countries, as a result of China’s recent foreign policy activism has been addressed extensively. While most research has been stressing the rising assertiveness of China in world politics, only a limited number of studies have touched upon the responses from middle or small powers against China’s ascent. Drawing from neoclassical realism, this article contends two levels of analysis for delineating the interaction between Turkey, a middle power, and China, a rising great power. First, the exchange between Turkey and the USA is vital in determining the cordial relations between Turkey and China. Alteration in the American policy vis-à-vis Turkey in the wake of the Arab Spring is relevant to Turkey’s growing relations with China. Second, is the rising anti-Westernism of foreign policy elites as part of the alteration in the strategic culture of Turkish politics, which makes Turkey’s rapprochement with China possible. Nevertheless, it should be noted that these two levels are intertwined and feed each other. Consequently, employing a neoclassical realist approach, the article argues that the middle powers’ stance against a rising hegemon is conditional upon the bilateral relations with the current hegemon and peculiarities of domestic politics.

scholarly journals The Decline of Indonesia’s Leadership Role in ASEAN: Systemic and Domestic Constraints of Jokowi’s Foreign Policy Alterations

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 115
Author(s):  
. Darwis ◽  
Bama Andika Putra
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Foreign Affairs ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Neoclassical Realism ◽  
Domestic Constraints ◽  
Rise Of China ◽  
Grand Strategies ◽  
Intervening Variables

This article addresses how systemic stimuli and domestic constraints, specifically on the perception of foreign policy executives, influence Indonesia’s leadership decline in ASEAN under Joko Widodo’s first presidential term. Through the lens of neoclassical realism, it is concluded that Indonesia’s leadership decline in ASEAN is attributed to the changing geopolitical landscape of Asia, with the assertive rise of China and the need to find other models of grand strategies in facing the regional hegemon. Furthermore, there is a unified perception of the irrelevance of maintaining a leadership role in ASEAN, and how the foreign policy executives of the Indonesian President and the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs have concluded to this approach. Implementation of this research is the contribution to the foreign policy framework in facing certain systemic stimuli in the region of Asia, and to understand the role of a unified perspective among foreign policy executives to the actual output of foreign policy. This article contributes to the discourses of; (1) neoclassical realism, specifically on the role of systemic stimuli and elite perceptions as intervening variables in understanding alterations in foreign policy behavior, and (2) empirical analysis of Indonesia’s leadership role in ASEAN during the presidency of Joko Widodo.   Received: 16 August 2021 / Accepted: 25 October 2021 / Published: 3 January 2022

Neoclassical Realism

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norrin M. Ripsman
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
International System ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Strategic Culture ◽  
Foreign Policy Analysis ◽  
Neoclassical Realism ◽  
Leader Perceptions ◽  
Point Of Departure

Neoclassical realism is an approach to foreign policy analysis that seeks to understand international politics by taking into account the nature of the international system—the political environment within which states interact. Taking neorealism as their point of departure, neoclassical realists argue that states respond in large part to the constraints and opportunities of the international system when they conduct their foreign and security policies, but that their responses are shaped by unit-level factors such as state–society relations, the nature of their domestic political regimes, strategic culture, and leader perceptions. Neoclassical realists have identified a number of important limitations to the neorealist model—for example, states do not always perceive systemic stimuli correctly, or the international system does not always present clear signals about threats and opportunities. Adherents of neoclassical realism insist that their approach represents a significant improvement on existing approaches to international relations and foreign policy, including “Innenpolitik” approaches. Nevertheless, neoclassical realism faces a host of criticisms, such as the claim that it is comparatively inefficient and that it is impossible to separate international and domestic variables. To overcome these challenges, neoclassical realists need to consider a few key avenues for future research, such as generating well-specified neoclassical realist theories of foreign policy and devoting more attention to the domestic politics of international cooperation in order to shed the “competition bias” of neoclassical realism.

Foundations of Blockchain Technology for Industrial and Societal Applications

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shivika Narang ◽  
Praphul Chandra ◽  
Shweta Jain ◽  
Narahari Y
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Data Structure ◽  
Real World ◽  
New Wave ◽  
Distributed Consensus ◽  
Wave Technology ◽  
Blockchain Technology ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Original Application

The blockchain concept forms the backbone of a new wave technology that promises to be deployed extensively in a wide variety of industrial and societal applications. In this article, we present the scientific foundations and technical strengths of this technology. Our emphasis is on blockchains that go beyond the original application to digital currencies such as bitcoin. We focus on the blockchain data structure and its characteristics; distributed consensus and mining; and different types of blockchain architectures. We conclude with a section on applications in industrial and societal settings, elaborating upon a few applications such as land registry ledger, tamper-proof academic transcripts, crowdfunding, and a supply chain B2B platform. We discuss what we believe are the important challenges in deploying the blockchain technology successfully in real-world settings.

An algebraic approach to N-soft sets with application in decision-making using TOPSIS

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shabir ◽  
Rimsha Mushtaq ◽  
Munazza Naz
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
Real World ◽  
Algebraic Approach ◽  
Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Commutative Monoids ◽  
Soft Sets ◽  
Algebraic Properties ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Selection Of

In this paper, we focus on two main objectives. Firstly, we define some binary and unary operations on N-soft sets and study their algebraic properties. In unary operations, three different types of complements are studied. We prove De Morgan’s laws concerning top complements and for bottom complements for N-soft sets where N is fixed and provide a counterexample to show that De Morgan’s laws do not hold if we take different N. Then, we study different collections of N-soft sets which become idempotent commutative monoids and consequently show, that, these monoids give rise to hemirings of N-soft sets. Some of these hemirings are turned out as lattices. Finally, we show that the collection of all N-soft sets with full parameter set E and collection of all N-soft sets with parameter subset A are Stone Algebras. The second objective is to integrate the well-known technique of TOPSIS and N-soft set-based mathematical models from the real world. We discuss a hybrid model of multi-criteria decision-making combining the TOPSIS and N-soft sets and present an algorithm with implementation on the selection of the best model of laptop.

scholarly journals Transforming Cultural Ideas of Aging and Disability to Improve Policy and Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 645-645
Author(s):  
Anne Ordway
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Recent Work ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
Quality Of Health Care ◽  
Real World ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Full Participation

Abstract Aging and disability are normative processes that extend across the lifespan. However, ageism and ableism are incorporated into many of our practices, programs, and policies—devaluing the lives of older adults and people aging with disabilities and ultimately preventing their full participation in society. Ageism and ableism are closely connected. For example, both systems identify impairment as an individual and social liability. As recent studies have demonstrated, this has real world implications for the quantity and quality of health care requested, delivered, and received by both older adults and people with disabilities. In this session, we discuss the connections between these two forms of oppression and present recent work by researchers in both fields and the FrameWorks Institute that shows how to transform our cultural ideas of aging and disability and development more inclusive policies and services. Part of a symposium sponsored by the Lifelong Disabilities Interest Group.

Domestic Constraints on Foreign Policy Change in Belarus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-55
Author(s):  
Paul Hansbury
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Policy Change ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Group Competition ◽  
Domestic Constraints ◽  
Foreign Policy Change ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Policy Shifts

Abstract After 2014 the relationship between Russia and its ally Belarus was strained. Russia was dissatisfied with Belarus’s foreign policy and sought to influence the latter’s international affairs. This article considers the extent of change and continuity in Belarus’s foreign policy, and thus whether Russia’s criticisms reflect consequential shifts, covering the period 2016–2019. The analysis begins with the removal of EU sanctions, which afforded Belarus new opportunities, and ends before the protest movement that emerged ahead of the election in 2020. The study considers three policy areas: international trade; diplomacy more broadly; and foreign policy concerns for prestige. The article argues that Belarus made appreciable policy changes in response to structural pressures in the period 2016–2019, but the parameters of these foreign policy shifts were necessarily highly constrained by domestic interest group competition which prevents Belarus distancing itself from Russia. It concludes with a brief reflection on how the 2020 election protests and repressions affect the dynamics described.

Motion estimation in vehicular environments based on Bayesian dynamic networks

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lauro Reyes-Cocoletzi ◽  
Ivan Olmos-Pineda ◽  
J. Arturo Olvera-Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Dynamic Networks ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Change Of Direction ◽  
Prediction Rate ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Novel Method ◽  
Comparison Of The Results ◽  
Multiple Obstacles ◽  
Real Traffic

The cornerstone to achieve the development of autonomous ground driving with the lowest possible risk of collision in real traffic environments is the movement estimation obstacle. Predicting trajectories of multiple obstacles in dynamic traffic scenarios is a major challenge, especially when different types of obstacles such as vehicles and pedestrians are involved. According to the issues mentioned, in this work a novel method based on Bayesian dynamic networks is proposed to infer the paths of interest objects (IO). Environmental information is obtained through stereo video, the direction vectors of multiple obstacles are computed and the trajectories with the highest probability of occurrence and the possibility of collision are highlighted. The proposed approach was evaluated using test environments considering different road layouts and multiple obstacles in real-world traffic scenarios. A comparison of the results obtained against the ground truth of the paths taken by each detected IO is performed. According to experimental results, the proposed method obtains a prediction rate of 75% for the change of direction taking into consideration the risk of collision. The importance of the proposal is that it does not obviate the risk of collision in contrast with related work.

Real-World Global Egalitarianism

2018 ◽  
pp. 117-129
Author(s):  
Darrel Moellendorf
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Political Theory ◽  
Real World ◽  
Ecological Crisis ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
International Political Theory ◽  
Human Rights Norms ◽  
Egalitarian Justice

This chapter notes that normative International Political Theory (IPT) developed over the past several decades in response to political, social, and economic events. These included the globalization of trade and finance, the increasing credibility of human-rights norms in foreign policy, and a growing awareness of a global ecological crisis. The emergence of normative IPT was not simply an effort to understand these events, but an attempt to offer accounts of what the responses to them should be. Normative IPT, then, was originally doubly responsive to the real world. Additionally, this chapter argues that there is a plausible account of global egalitarianism, which takes the justification of principles of egalitarian justice to depend crucially on features of the social and economic world. The account of global egalitarianism applies to the current circumstances in part because of features of those circumstances.

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