Does the war on terror require that we chose between protecting either national security or individual civil liberties?

Study Skills, International Relations and Politics L1 Does the 'war on terror' require that we chose between protecting either national security or individual civil liberties? Civil liberties are rights that form the foundation of healthy democracies around the world. They can be either natural rights or citizen's rights. Natural rights are those which it is believed each person is born with and are written in important historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence '' We hold these truths ... that all men are created equal ... with certain inalienable rights ... life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' Citizen rights are usually set out by an institution or rule, such as the Data Protection Act (1998). By definition, national security refers to the requirement to maintain the survival of the nation-state through the use of economic, military and political power and the exercise of diplomacy(). The issue of national security is usually raised after threats or acts of terrorism, which have been prevalent globally during the 'war on terror'. This essay will argue in favour of civil liberties over national security. The protection of civil liberties involves limiting the role of the state, however governments will always act in a 'utilitarian' way, usually policy change affecting society as a whole, as opposed to the needs of the individual. This became

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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Humanitarian intervention is a concept adopted by nations to allow for the military intervention in sovereign countries that have grossly violated human rights. This concept would seem to contradict the notion of state sovereignty and some scholars have g

Humanitarian Intervention versus Sovereignty Abstract Humanitarian intervention is a concept adopted by nations to allow for the military intervention in sovereign countries that have grossly violated human rights. This concept would seem to contradict the notion of state sovereignty and some scholars have gone as far as to argue that it is coercion by powerful nations thinly veiled as humanitarian action. However, the fundamental rights of an individual, or the sovereignty of an individual, can be argued to supersede the sovereignty of the state as this, after all, is what the state is tasked to protect. Introduction Humanitarian intervention is the act of a state (or states) to threaten or use military force within another country's boarders so as to prevent or end widespread violations of fundamental human rights of people other than its own citizens and without permission from the state within whose boarders force is applied (Buchanan et al, 2003). Though sovereignty has been generally defined as supreme authority over a territory defined by boundaries, different scholars tend to disagree over its exact definition. Sovereignty can be absolute, or non-absolute. Absoluteness of sovereignty lies in the scope of matters over which the authority holder is sovereign (Philpott 2010). The sovereignty can also be both internal and external, adds Philpott, and this means

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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The End of the Cold War and the Emergence of the Post-Cold War World

The End of the Cold War and the Emergence of the Post-Cold War World Group Report In the summer of 1991, just for a week's time, the existence of a Union, made up of fifteen Socialist Republics, remained only a fact in the history books. This dissolution, however, was not a singular event. The following report will attempt to examine the explicit and implicit causes of Soviet's Union break-up, as well as the confusion and disorder it caused, mainly by clarifying the issues surrounding it. The critical discussion provided will also present a useful insight in the formation of the emerged new World after the Cold War, referred to by historians, as the 'Post-Cold War' world, chiefly taking into consideration Gorbachev's 'novoie myslenie' and the concepts of glasnost and perestroika, plus their fundamental impact on Eastern Europe and even on present-day Russian political system (Bisley, 2004, p.75). By virtue of the long lasted era of stagnation and communist ideological values under Brezhnev's government, at the end of the 1980s, the Soviet state was evidently bleak. Moreover, the ever increasing interference of the party, in practically every aspect of people's life, was becoming to a greater extent detrimental for the effectiveness of the state in the course of the years. As a result, by the time Gorbachev acquired the post of General Secretary in 1985, he had a great

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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Analyse the key features of the study of International Relations. How does the subject differ from other academic disciplines?

6 APRIL 2012 TO: HANNAH GRAY FROM: LIESL EICHHOLZ – 5530503 RE: POLS104 ESSAY QUESTION ONE NOTE: When capitalised, International Relations refers to the study itself. Otherwise, it refers to international relations in a real life situation. Analyse the key features of the study of International Relations. How does the subject differ from other academic disciplines? The study of International Relations (IR) can be broken down into a number of significantly different features, the key ones often noted as being realism, idealism, liberalism, constructivism and gender[1]. International Relations, as a subject, differs from other academic disciplines in many ways, such as its relative youth, meta-theoretical approach and specific nature. Realism is a key feature of the study of IR and possesses a set of very particular views. The theory of realism promotes a constant state of antagonism and anarchy, where “politics is governed by objective laws that have their roots in human nature.”[2] It is an “old and well-established theory”[3] in the field of IR, and has “emerged gradually”[4] due to the diverse work of analysts of the theory. It is generally agreed by scholars that realism’s “primary assumptions have been expressed in earlier writings”[5] than post-WWII, when it became formally recognised. A key

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  • Subject: Social studies
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International Relations Theory. The following analysis will outline the influence of the theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism on the international system. Moreover, it will outline why power politics and the balance of power remain the most important influences in international relations

In the current Hobbesian world, true security depends on the possession and use of military might. Some argue, however, that liberalism or even constructivism has replaced realism as the proper lens through which to view the international system. Proponents of liberalism often cite Europe’s ever increasing use of laws, transnational negotiations, and cooperation or the increasing interdependence between the East and the West as evidence of the waning influence of realpolitik, or power politics. Constructivists point to the expansion of social sciences and human rights to prove that ideas hold the real power in the international system. What both of these camps miss is the underlying element, or foundation, which allows norms, ideas, economic trade, and every other positive element of the international system to exist: stability underwritten by military might and the balance of power. The following analysis will outline the influence of the theories of realism, liberalism and constructivism on the international system. Moreover, it will outline why power politics and the balance of power remain the most important influences in international relations, and why realism is the only theory adequate to explain the balance of power among states through military might. Before outlining why balance of power is the most important factor in the international system, it is important

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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The European Union's External Relations Policy

Introduction The European Union has emerged as a ‘super-power,’ especially in the past decade. As a result its external policies, from those relating to trade to a simple project for the construction of a school in a poor country have a direct impact on the livelihoods of people around the globe. The EU did not set out to become a world power.[1] Born in the aftermath of World War II, its first concern was brining together the nations of Europe. However since it evolved as the world’s biggest trader and generates one quarter of the global wealth, it had to start defining its relationships with the rest of the world, admitting its commitment in the Maastricht Treaty to tackle global challenges such as environmental concerns, migration issues and the serious deprivation of human rights in certain countries. Today, the EU is the primary donor to poor countries.[2] This study will start by identifying the major initiatives that the EU has undertaken to tackle global environmental and migration concerns. A deeper analysis will follow which deals with the EU’s action planning on democratization and human rights, primarily in its neighbourhood Agreements and Central Asia, in order to get a better insight on the EU’s stand on democratic issues. Very often academics have instigated a fire of criticism towards the EU for failing to adhere with its commitments to Human Rights

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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Analysis of the Motives of the EU and US for the Promotion of Democracy.

Surname EU and US Democracy and Objectives Many scholars have carried on several studies as to whether the promotion of democracies by the Western countries, namely, USA and European Union (EU) throughout the world is genuine or has some hidden agenda. Well, I have to authoritatively begin by saying that promotion of democratic principles by the west is like an economic activity whose major aim is to create returns for the two counties. It is this kind of intention that has unequivocally made the US and the EU have almost the same objectives in their so called promotion of democracy. To analyze both the US and EU objectives in promotion of world democracy, it should be recognized that before the end of the cold war, western countries actually supported more oppressive regimes and dictators who had no respect for human rights at all. Therefore, the apparent change to promote democracy after the cold war automatically leaves people with more questions than answers. From various literatures, it is clear that the two western nations virtually have similar objectives as regards to promotion of world democracy and is found to be anchored on four principles or pillars. These pillars are western idealism, national security objectives, economic interests and international peace (Carothers Thomas, 45). Regarding idealism, the western nations believe that democracy is the

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  • Subject: Social studies
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What, if any, have been the principal achievements of Poststructuralist approaches in International Relations?

What, if any, have been the principal achievements of Poststructuralist approaches in International Relations? When analysing the principal achievements of post-structuralist approaches in International Relations it is first important to differentiate post-structuralism from other theoretical approaches. A post-structuralist approach should be defined as one that essentially depends upon abstraction, representation, and interpretation. As Bleiker (in Dunne, 2006, p.214) states, that is because the world does not present itself to us in the form of ready-made categories or theories. Whilst theories such as Realism or Liberalism attempt to explain the world and the way certain actors within the world behave, post-structuralism is instead more of a broad agreement about how to approach the world. Therefore, the achievements of a post-structuralist approach in International Relations should not be assessed as an alternative to existing theories, but rather as a tool for analysing existing approaches in International Relations. This essay aims to show that post-structuralist approaches are of worth to the field of International Relations, not only in critiquing existing theories, but also in adding an extra dimension of analysis for the International Relations student to consider. The principal achievement of a poststructuralist approach in contributing to the academic field of

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  • Level: University Degree
  • Subject: Social studies
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Analysing the Six Day War - Neorealist view

Ngo Di Lan - I6045500 Introduction More than sixty years after the creation of the Jewish state, Arab-Israeli relations still remain tremendously tense, contributing to the ongoing regional instability. In order to understand the current situation, one must understand the causes of all past Arab-Israeli wars, whose legacies continue to be major obstructions to peace between Israel and the Arab states. Among them, the 1967 War, also known as the Six Day War between Israel and Egypt, Syria and Jordan was one of the most notorious ones. Such bloody wars only lead to enormous casualties and continuing hatred from both sides and therefore it is in the interest of the international community to ensure that such wars will be avoided as much as possible. To this end, Kenneth Waltz - a prominent neo-realist scholar, had developed a comprehensive theory that sought to provide an analytical framework to explain the causes of wars. Waltz asserts that to explain wars, one must look into the causes on all three "images" or three levels of analysis. This is because although the first and second levels allow one to comprehend the direct causes of the war, the third level explores the environment in which states operate. However, instead of moving from the first level of analysis to the third, the order of analysis is reversed based on the rationale that it is necessary to consider the

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  • Subject: Social studies
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Compose a report on the sovereignty of Tanzania

Introduction The issue of sovereignty in Africa is one that is particularly pertinent due to the fact that one of the key aims of decolonization was to grant African’s a right to self-determination. The aim of this report shall be to analyze the concept of sovereignty within Tanzania and investigate the obstacles that both the state of Tanzania and its people have to overcome in order to exert considerable sovereignty. This report will start by giving an overview of sovereignty and its history and context in Tanzania, before proceeding to list the three main challenges to Tanzanian sovereignty and the possible solutions that the African Union can provide. Defining sovereignty Before embarking on what challenges the Tanzanian state faces to its sovereignty, it is important to first define and contextualize sovereignty in terms of Africa. As with many concepts in International Relations the notion of sovereignty is highly contestable, and whilst an extensive debate can be had on different forms of sovereignty, the aim of this report is to keep the definition as concise and applicable as possible. In the case of Africa, whilst states negative sovereignty, that is the extent to which they have been externally enfranchised have not been challenged, the same cannot be said for their states positive sovereignty: their ability to provide public good for their people (Jackson,

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