Week 3 Reading and Discussion Questions
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Wilfrid Laurier University *
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231
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Political Science
Date
Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Week 3 Reading and Discussion Questions
1.
What are the main ways that hunter-gatherer societies actually conducted
warfare?
asymmetrical warfare: surprise attacks and slingshots
- guerrilla warfare
- they did not want to lose their men and have casualties so there was constant tension
2.
According to Gat and Stephen Pinker, when humans made the transition from
hunter-gatherer lifestyles to a
more settled,
agricultural existence in early state-
like political organizations, did violence and war become more or less common?
Why?
human fighting was highly lethal in prehistory, its mortality rates actually decreased under the
state, and war, in general, has declined sharply during modern and recent times
we actually have less violence in society even though technology has made violence be more
lethal. we are less prepared for war than we do not have to use these skills as much
- is less in more modern societies
- state introduces which the hunter-gatherers did not have security or monopoly of force
- we have government and security
- elimination of non-state violence
Ppl were more interconnected if you hurt someone u were likely to be hurt in the future either by
oter ofr the law
3.
What is anarchy, and why is it such a central concept in realist thinking?
- anarchy is a system that is over and feels above the state. Realists take anarchy as their
explanation as to why we should act in our own self-interest.
- it only comes down to the state and self
help
4.
How do realists and liberals differ in their understanding of anarchy?
Liberals see a global society that functions alongside states and sets an important part of the
context for state action. Trade crosses borders, people have
contacts with one another (such as students studying in foreign countries), and
international institutions such as the League of Nations and its successor the
United Nations mitigate some of the harsher aspects of anarchy. Liberals complain that realists
underestimate the importance of things like people's contacts across borders and how
sovereign states make up an international society
Liberalism just think that you can control and manage anarchy and can create
agreements that will benefit all, unlike realists that believe
5.
What is realism? How does it differ from the liberal view of world politics?
Realism has been the dominant tradition in thinking about international politics for centuries. For
the realist, the central problem of international politics is war and the use of force, and the
central actors are states.
6.
In your view, is realism still relevant in helping us understand contemporary
causes of wars? Why or why not?
7.
What does constructivism add to realism and liberalism?
Constructivists focus on identities, norms, culture, national interests, and
international governance.
What is gender?
What is militarism?
What is gendered militarism?
9.Can
you
think of
a
few
ways
that
examining
war through gender
lenses
can
help
us better understand war and its causes
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