1. Legitimacy & Interdependence
1.1. Legitimacy
1.1.1. What makes a government or state legitimate?
1.1.1.1. History, free and fair elections, national identity, respect for rights and good governance.
1.1.2. Problems with legitimacy
1.1.2.1. Governments can lose legitimacy through corruption, abuse or by not providing services.
1.1.3. Non-state actors
1.1.3.1. NGOs or movements can get legitimacy if they represent people well and show results.
1.2. Interdependence and global governance
1.2.1. Government vs governance
1.2.1.1. Government = how a state is run
1.2.1.2. Governance = the wider systems and networks that make rules beyond just states.
1.2.2. International law
1.2.2.1. Treaties, customs, court rulings and accepted principles.
1.2.3. The UN
1.2.3.1. Main parts: General Assembly, Security Council, International Court of Justice, specialized agencies (WHO, UNDP).
1.2.3.2. Strengths: can get aid, set norms and sometimes keep peace.
1.2.3.3. Limits: veto power, lack of resources, and can't always enforce decisions.
1.2.4. Who else helps govern globally?
1.2.4.1. IGOs, NGOs, businesses and networks also can play a role rule-making and problem-solving.
1.3. Global interactions and Examples
1.3.1. Regional groups: EU, AU, ASEAN, Mercosur.
1.3.2. Special groups: OPEC, IEA, Digital Nations.
1.3.3. Important treaties: NPT (nuclear), Montreal Protocol (ozone), Paris Agreement (climate).
1.3.4. Alliances & cooperation: NATO (security), trade agreements, informal tech or cultural cooperation.
1.4. Theories in global politics
1.4.1. Why use theories?
1.4.1.1. Theories help explain and predict events. They are tools, but they do not not give us perfect answers.
1.4.2. Main approaches
1.4.2.1. Realism: states act based on their own interest and focus on power.
1.4.2.2. Liberalism: cooperation and institutions matter.
1.4.2.3. Constructivism: ideas, identities and norms shape politics.
1.4.2.4. Critical theories: feminism, postcolonialism: these show us biases and inequalities.
2. Thematic Studies in Rights and Justice
2.1. Interactions of political stakeholders and actors
2.1.1. Main actors involved in rights & justice issues
2.1.1.1. The state and national governments: make and enforce laws, protect rights, but they can also violate them.
2.1.1.2. IGOs: ICJ (International Court of Justice), UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), UNHRC (Human Rights Council), ICC (International Criminal Court).
2.1.1.3. Regional human rights tribunals: Inter-American Court of Human Rights, European Court of Human Rights, African Court of Human and People’s Rights.
2.1.1.4. Civil society and advocacy groups: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Child Rights International Network.
2.1.1.5. Marginalized or affected groups: migrants, refugees, children, indigenous peoples.
2.1.1.6. Private companies and unions: MNCs can violate or protect labour rights; unions defend workers.
2.2. Contested meanings: rights, justice, liberty, equality
2.2.1. What these words mean?
2.2.1.1. Rights: things people are entitled to (freedom from torture, right to education).
2.2.1.2. Justice: fair treatment and fair distribution of resources and power. Includes political justice (fair laws and processes) and social justice (fair access to welfare, jobs, education).
2.2.1.3. Liberty: individual freedom to act and think without restraint. Example: freedom of speech.
2.2.1.4. Equality: legal equality (same rights under law) and equity (fairness by treating people according to their needs).
2.2.1.5. Human rights: universal rights protected by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
2.2.1.6. Egalitarian, cosmopolitan, ecological justice: different ways of thinking about justice: equality for all, global responsibilities across borders, and fairness to the environment and future generations.
3. Framing Global Politics
3.1. Stakeholders and actors
3.1.1. States
3.1.1.1. Examples: democratic states, authoritarian states
3.1.1.2. Sources of power: military, economy, diplomacy
3.1.1.3. Countries with governments and borders. They usually have the most legal power.
3.1.2. Subnational & local governments
3.1.2.1. Examples: provinces, municipalities
3.1.2.2. States, cities and regions that make decisions for local people.
3.1.3. Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)
3.1.3.1. Role: place for cooperation, rule-making,
3.1.3.2. Groups of states that work together (UN, EU, NATO, AU).
3.1.4. NGOs
3.1.4.1. Groups that try to influence policy or help people
3.1.5. Private companies (MNCs)
3.1.5.1. Big businesses that operate in many countries (Apple, Shell). They have economic power.
3.1.5.2. Examples: tech firms, oil companies, manufacturing conglomerates
3.1.6. Social movements
3.1.6.1. Public campaigns that try to change opinions or policies.
3.1.6.2. Examples: #MeToo, climate strikes, Black Lives Matter
3.1.7. Resistance movements
3.1.7.1. Groups that fight against governments or occupiers (can be peaceful or violent).
3.1.8. Political parties
3.1.8.1. Groups that compete in elections and try to govern.
3.1.8.2. Examples: conservative, liberal, socialist parties
3.1.9. Interest & pressure groups
3.1.9.1. Unions, business groups, and professional associations that lobby for policies.
3.1.10. Political leaders
3.1.10.1. Presidents, prime ministers, and influential figures who make choices.
3.1.11. Formal & informal forums
3.1.11.1. Parliaments, international summits (formal); back-channels and private meetings (informal).
3.1.12. The media
3.1.12.1. News outlets and social media shape what people know and think.
3.1.13. Stakeholders vs actors
3.1.13.1. Stakeholders are people affected by issues even if they can’t act (children, refugees). Actors are those who can act and influence outcomes.
3.2. Systems and interactions
3.2.1. Structures and dynamics
3.2.1.1. Structures are the rules and institutions (like the UN or laws). Dynamics are the changes and interactions between actors.
3.2.1.1.1. Example: treaties are structures; how countries follow or ignore them is the dynamic.
3.2.2. Legal frameworks, norms and institutions
3.2.2.1. International law comes from treaties, customs, court decisions and recognized principles.
3.2.2.2. Institutions can be formal (UN, WTO) or informal (unwritten rules, cultural expectations).
4. Power and Sovereignty
4.1. Power
4.1.1. What is power?
4.1.1.1. Power is the ability to influence others and get results. Different scholars explain it in different ways (Foucault, Gramsci, Nye).
4.1.2. Types of power
4.1.2.1. Hard Power
4.1.2.1.1. Using force or money to make others do something (military, sanctions).
4.1.2.2. Soft Power
4.1.2.2.1. Convincing others through culture, ideas or diplomacy.
4.1.2.3. Smart Power
4.1.2.3.1. Using both hard and soft power depending on the goal.
4.1.2.4. Structural Power
4.1.2.4.1. Power built into systems and institutions (like permanent UN Security Council seats).
4.1.2.5. Relational Power
4.1.2.5.1. Power that comes from relationships (alliances).
4.1.2.6. Power to / power over / power with
4.1.2.6.1. Being able to act, dominate, or cooperate.
4.2. Sovereignty
4.2.1. What is sovereignty?
4.2.1.1. Sovereignty means a state has control over its territory and people and is recognized by other states.
4.2.1.2. The Westphalian idea says states should not interfere in each other’s affairs.
4.2.2. Sources of sovereignty
4.2.2.1. Use of force, laws, recognition by other states, and the consent of the people.
4.2.3. Challenges to sovereignty
4.2.3.1. Global problems (like climate change) need cooperation and can limit control.
4.2.3.2. IGOs (like the EU) and actions like humanitarian aid can challenge state sovereignty.
4.2.3.3. Powerful companies or non-state groups can also weaken state control.