Pakistan studies important concepts .

1. Anarchy – A condition in which states are free to pursue their own interests regardless of any
wider obligations towards other members of the international community. Ultimately, there is no
governing institution with the authority to resolve disputes between states and non-state actors.
The realist school of thought tends to emphasise the importance of anarchy on the behaviour of
states, whilst liberals claim the effects are somewhat exaggerated.
2. Autocracy – A system of government in which a single leader or party is in possession of
supreme and absolute power. Once viewed in a favourable manner, the term autocracy is often
considered in a negative sense due to its association with dictatorial regimes
3. Balance of power Power held by a small party or group of independent representatives when a
major political party needs their support to form a government or A concept which stipulates that
states secure their survival via forging alliances with other states. In doing so, an equilibrium can
be maintained between rival groups. The balance of power seeks to ensure a degree of stability
compared to a system in which a hegemonic power could dominate its weaker neighbours.
4. Beijing Consensus – The political and economic policies adopted by China following the free-
market reforms instigated by Deng Xiaoping. The phrase was coined by Joshua Cooper Ramo to
highlight an alternative approach towards the Washington Consensus. The Chinese approach is
sometimes referred to as a ‘birdcage economy’.
5. Bipolarity – The distribution of power within international relations characterised by two
superpowers each with their own sphere of influence. The term can be applied in a global or
regional sense. Bipolarity often entails proxy wars rather than direct confrontation.
6. Bourgeoisie – A Marxist term used to describe the owners of capital. According to the Marxist
perspective, those who own the means of production exploit those who sell their labour for a
wage (the proletariat). Dependency theorists adopt a neo-Marxist understanding of the global
economic system.
7. Bretton Woods System – An economic system of governance created shortly before the end of
the Second World War. The Bretton Woods system was based upon a fixed exchange rate
system.
8. Buffer state – A relatively weak and neutral state situated between two larger hostile countries.
The buffer state therefore prevents the outbreak of regional conflict (such as Afghanistan acted
as a buffer between Tzarist Russia and Birtish India).
9. Bureaucracy: An organization of a hierarchical sort, which takes the form of a pyramid of
authority. The term 'bureaucracy' was popularized by Max Weber. According to Weber,
bureaucracy is the most efficient type of large-scale human organization. As organizations grow
in size, Weber argued, they inevitably tend to become more and more bureaucratized
10. Clash of Civilisations – A term associated with the American political scientist Samuel
Huntington. He predicted that conflict in the twenty-first century would be characterised via
tensions between rival cultures. Having said this, most contemporary warfare occurs between
members of the same civilisation.
11. Classical realism – A theoretical perspective which offers an explanation of International
Relations based upon assumptions concerning human nature. Classical realists adopt a
pessimistic view of human behaviour and the primordial forces that shape us. Classical realism
gained in popularity during the post-Second World War era, but has been eclipsed by the
emergence of Structural (Neo)Realism
12. Cold War – A situation in which two rival states engage in proxy wars rather than direct
conflict. The term is commonly applied towards the ideological dispute between the United
States and the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1991. However, the term can also be applied towards
current tensions between Washington and Beijing.
13. Colonialism – The settlement of a foreign country via an imperial power. Colonialism is
characterised by exploitation of resources, and the separation of the indigenous population from
settlers. The term is often used interchangeably with imperialism.
14. Communism An economic and political system put into place after the Bolshevik revolution in
Russia in 1917 in which people share the ownership of all goods and property. During the Cold
War, the Soviet Union implemented a state-centric economic system based upon common
ownership.
15. Containment – A foreign policy objective implemented by the United States during the Cold
War. The aim was to prevent the spread of communism. Associated often with Truman,
containment was based on the assumption that the Soviet regime was expansionist
16. coup d'état. 'stroke of state', or simply a coup, is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a
military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership.
17. Cult: A religious organisation that is substantially outside a society's cultural traditions
18. Democratic Peace Theory – A liberal perspective that claims that the spread of democratic
values leads towards a more peaceful, stable and harmonious international system. This is based
on the assumption that democratic leaders are held to account by the electorate. Democratic
countries are therefore incentivised to establish and maintain diplomatic institutions in order to
resolve disputes between them.
19. Devolution Where the central government of a state passes a law to transfer certain powers to
local, regional or national authorities while still keeping the central government’s overall
authority
20. Diplomat A person appointed to represent Ireland in other countries and to manage our relations
with those countries
21. Doves – A term used to describe an individual who favours peaceful means by which to resolve a
dispute. A dove is traditionally portrayed as a symbol of peace. The term is usually contrasted
with a hawk who favours a militaristic approach. While Hawks – A term used to describe a
politician or academic favourable towards warfare and militarism. The term is sometimes
preceded by ‘chicken’ or ‘liberal.’ The former refers to an individual who advocates a hawkish
stance whilst avoiding military service. The latter denotes a liberal who adopts an aggressive
approach towards the spread of democracy and capitalism.
22. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the global money laundering and terrorist
financing watchdog. It sets international standards that aim to prevent these illegal activities and
the harm they cause to society
23. Federalism – A political system in which legal and political structures distribute power between
two or more distinct levels of government. Pakistan , United States and Russia are based upon a
federalist system of governance.
24. Feminist theories: A sociological perspective which emphasizes the centrality of gender in
analysing the social world, and particularly the uniqueness of the experience of women. There
are many strands of feminist theory, but they all share in common the desire to explain gender
inequalities in society and to work to overcome them.(e.g Liberal,Radical Marxist, etc)
25. Free market Laissez-faire Economics – An economic system based upon market forces and
minimal state intervention. In theory, the Washington Consensus is built upon a laissez-faire
approach towards economic management.
26. Fundamentalism – An ideological doctrine which demands total obedience from its members.
The term is usually applied in the context of extremist groups, terrorist activity and totalitarian
regimes.
27. GCC Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, also known as the Gulf
Cooperation Council ,is a regional, intergovernmental, political, and economic
union comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab
Emirates. The council's main headquarters is located in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia The
Charter of the GCC was signed on 25 May 1981, formally establishing the institution
28. Gender: Social expectations about behaviour regarded as appropriate for the members of each
sex. Gender does not refer to the physical attributes in terms of which men and women differ, but
to socially formed (constructed) traits of masculinity and femininity.
29. Globalisation – A political system characterised by mutual dependence within the political,
cultural and economic realm. The significance of globalisation is a source of disagreement
between the dominant theoretical perspectives within International Relations. The impact of
globalisation has been greatest upon the concept of sovereignty due to the growing salience of
non-state actors, and the extent to which states are interdependent.
30. Gross domestic product (GDP): All the goods and services on record as being produced by a
country's economy in a particular year, regardless of who owns these factors.
31. Hard Power – The use of force (or coercion) to meet a political objective of some kind. Unlike
soft power, hard power entails the act or threat of aggression. According to Joseph Nye, the term
reflects the ability of a state to utilise economic and military might. The significance of hard
power may have declined in the contemporary era. Soft Power is The use of persuasion (rather
than force) in order to exert influence over other actors, convincing other states to want the same
ends as one’s own state. Unlike hard power, soft power operates via intangible factors such as
the moral standing of that particular country.
32. Imperialism – Extending power and dominion over territories via acquisition. The three main
forms of imperialism are: colonies, protectorates and spheres of influence.
33. Left-wing The section of a political system or party that favours social justice over the free
market ‘Leftie’ A slang term for a person who believes in the values of liberalism and socialism
(usually meant as a criticism
34. Liberalism A theoretical perspective which claims that international relations is characterised by
complex interdependence, global governance and rational behaviour. In contrast to Realism, the
liberal perspective adopts a normative tone. For instance, liberal figures advocate the democratic
peace and the commercial (capitalist) peace theories. Liberals are also supportive of international
institutions and globalisation. The liberal approach is therefore centred upon peace, prosperity
and progress
35. Legitimacy – The right and acceptance of proper authority to rule. Legitimacy is a fundamental
element of Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power, and enables us to better understand the
importance of international institutions. For instance, judicial bodies and regional organisations
are often undermined by a lack of sufficient legitimacy.
36. Mutual assured destruction (MAD) is a doctrine of military strategy and national security
policy which posits that a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by an attacker on a nuclear-armed
defender with second-strike capabilities would result in the complete annihilation of both the
attacker and the defender.
37. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – A series of interlinked development goals agreed
upon by the UN in the year 2000. The MDGs were the first internationally agreed goals in
relation to economic and social development.
38. Motion of ‘no confidence’ A vote on the performance of a leader or a government, usually
proposed by the opposition, that, if passed, may require the person to resign or the government to
stand down and request a general election (article 95 of constriction of Pakistan )
39. Multilateralism – Where states pursue foreign policy objectives via a constructive engagement
with other actors. Even a military superpower may adopt some semblance of multilateralism
(such as the ‘coalition of the willing’ during the Iraq War). Regional powers are also inclined to
adopt a multilateral approach (e.g., intervention in Yemen launched in 2015 led by Saudi
Arabia).
40. Multipolarity – The distribution of power in which more than two states have roughly equal
amounts of military, cultural and economic influence
41. Nation-State – A theoretical concept in which nations hold defined territorial statehood. The
concept dates back to the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. The nation-state is a fundamental
 concept within international relations which continues to shape independence movements
throughout the world.
42. Populist A person whose public views reflect the interests and concerns of the average person
43. Queer theory: Queer theory argues that sociology and other disciplines are prejudiced towards
heterosexuals, and that non-heterosexual voices must be brought to the fore in order to challenge
the heterosexual assumptions that underlie much contemporary thinking.
44. Right-wing A section of a political party, organisation or a system that tends to be conservative
45. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – A set of global objectives designed to establish a
more sustainable future for all. The sustainable development goals specify targets that states
must adhere to. In order to ensure transparency, performance indicators are published.
46. Theocracy – A regime based upon a strong adherence to religious beliefs (such as Iran). In a
theocracy, laws are divinely ordained. The creation of a theocratic regime is at times the long-
term objective of some terrorist organisation, especially in relation to groups such as Islamic
State and al- Qaeda.
47. Track II diplomacy or "backchannel diplomacy" is the practice of "non-governmental, informal
and unofficial contacts and activities between private citizens or groups of individuals,
sometimes called 'non-state actors' " It contrasts with track I diplomacy, which is official,
governmental diplomacy that occurs inside official government channels. However, track two
diplomacy is not a substitute replacement for track I diplomacy. Rather, it is there to assist
official actors to manage and resolve conflicts by exploring possible solutions derived from the
public view and without the requirements of formal negotiation or bargaining for advantage.In
addition, the term track 1.5 diplomacy is used by some analysts to define a situation where
official and non-official actors cooperate in conflict resolution.
48. Unipolarity – An international system in which there is only one pre-eminent state. In a unipolar
system, one dominant state has the capacity to act as a hegemon. Some theorists argue that
unipolarity ensures stability. The dependent factor is the intentions of the dominant power; as a
benign hegemon will act in a very different manner to a predatory hegemon.
49. Veto Blocking or rejecting a proposed law or change to the constitution, To vote against or
refuse to ratify. In the UN Security Council, members of the permanent five (CUFUR) hold a
technical veto, as resolutions may only pass if the P5 vote unanimously. However, there is a so-
called ‘sixth veto’ whereby the seven non-permanent members vote against a resolution.
50. Washington Consensus – A series of policy prescriptions promoted by institutions based in the
American capital. It entails a package of measures such as privatisation, deregulation and
marketisation. The Washington Consensus is often contrasted with the Beijing Consensus as a
potential pathway towards economic development