Text 4: understanding global politics

The recognition that there is an international dimension to politics is as old as the discipline itself.

The twentieth century witnessed the emergence of world politics in the sense that patterns of conflict and cooperation amongst states and international organisations extended across the globe.

As the twentieth century was drawing to a close there was a growing recognition that the very parameters of political life had been changing. This called into question the conventional distinction between a domestic realm and an international realm of politics.

These complex and multifaceted changes have increasingly been referred to as 'globalisation'.

The emergence of global interdependence has been a consequence of a variety of processes and developments. In the first place, it was one of the results of the superpower rivalry that characterised the Cold War period. Both the world wars of the twentieth century were hegemonic conflicts fought between powers seeking worldwide military dominance. However, the capabilities and resources of the post-1945 superpowers (the USA and the USSR) were so overwhelming that they were able to extend their influence into virtually every region of the world. Secondly, the spread of international trade and the transnational character of modem business organisations has brought a global economy into existence. As the significance of national economies has declined, the world economy h;is increasingly been characterised by rivalry amongst regional trading hlocs. Thirdly, globalisation has been fueled by technological innovation. This has affected almost every realm of existence, ranging from the development of nuclear weapons and the emergence of global pollution problems such as acid rain and ozone depletion to i he introduction of international telephone links, satellite television, ind the 'information superhighway'. Fourthly, globalisation has an important politico-ideological dimension. One aspect of this has been i lie spread of western-liberal political values, portrayed as the worldwide triumph of liberal democracy. But globalisation can also be linked to the growth of Islam as a transnational political creed, and to the growing interest in Green ideas and philosophies.

Ex. 16. What do you think?

• What is globalisation? What are its implications for the nation-state?

• Is the new world order characterised by peace and harmony or by chaos and disorder?

• How is wealth and power distributed in the global economy?

• Why has significance of international organisation increased?

• Could the idea of a world society ever become a reality?

V.X. 17. Comment on:

War, in our scientific age, means, sooner or later, universal iliMth'. (Bertrand Russell, Unpopular Essays, 1950)

Ex. 18. Complete the sentences and translate the Summary into Russian

SUMMARY

• Globalisation is a complex web of interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by decisions and actions taken at a distance from ourselves. It implies that

nation-states can . However, it may

mean not that the state is irrelevant, but that its role ____

and now largely relates to the promotion of

Is a multipolar world order necessarily unstable?

Does a globalised economy mean opportunity for all or greater

insecurity and deeper inequality?

Is the process of European integration unstoppable?

What role could, or should, the United Nations adopt in the

new international system?

Is world government an attractive prospect?

• International politics has been analysed in a number of ways. Idealism adopts a perspective that is based on moral values and legal norms. Realism emphasises the importance of power

politics. Neo-realism highlights . Pluralism

advances a mixed-actor model, and it stresses a growing diffusion of power. Marxism draws attention to economic inequalities within the global capitalist system.

• The 'new' world order has been interpreted in various ways. Some observers argue that the passing of the bipolar world order

allows for a transition from to

• The balance of the global economy has shifted. The growth of

multinational corporations means that .

Moreover, the emergence of rival trading blocs suggests a 'war of the worlds' scenario.

• The significance of international organisations has grown as

states have recognised that ___■

On the other hand, their success has been hampered because they remain, in most cases, devices that are used by states to pursue self-interest.

• The argument for world government is basically that, if there is no global state, the international system will operate as a 'state of nature'. However, the capacity of the United Nations to play this role is restricted because __.

Ex. 19. Questions for discussion

• Is globalisation a reality or a myth?

• Which perspective on international politics offers the greatest insight into contemporary developments?

broader cooperation based on interdependence. Others warn that bipolarism was at least stable, whereas multipolarism may

UNIT 6

Text 1: Political socialisation PRE-READING activity:

to be conscious of sth to carry sth out mass media (pi.)

to convey a message to constrain sb by sth

знать, осознавать выполнять, осуществлять средства массовой информа­ции

сообщать сведения, послание ограничивать к-л ч-л

♦ Learn the topical vocabulary and word-combinations VOCABULARY:

1. to acquire v — приобретать, получать, овладевать (навыком), acquirement n — приобретение, овладение.

2. to arise v (arose, arisen) — возникать, появляться, происхо­дить, проистекать (from).

3. to frustrate v — расстраивать, разрушать (планы, надежды); frustration n - расстройство (планов), крушение (надежд); frustrating а — разочаровывающий, обескураживающий; frustratingly а — обескураживающе.

4. to assume v - допускать, предполагать, брать на себя (от­ветственность), принимать (вид, форму); assumption п -предположение, допущение; исходная посылка (предпо­сылка); assuming — предполагаемый (предполагая), допус­каемый (допуская).

5. to vary v - меняться, отличаться, изменять(ся), variety п -разнообразие, множество, variable п - переменная величи­на, а — изменчивый, переменный; varied а — различный, отличный, various а - разнообразный, разносторонний,

6. to accomplish v — выполнять, исполнять, завершать; accomplishment п — выполнение, завершение, достижение; accomplished а — завершенный, законченный, совершив­шийся (о факте); совершенный (опытный, квалифициро­ванный).

7. to transform v — изменить, преобразовать; phr — to transform beyond recognition — сделать неузнаваемым; transformation n - преобразование, превращение; transformer n - преоб­разователь; transformed a - измененный.

WORDS AND WORD COMBINATIONS

to be subject to criticism подвергаться критике

to shape a policy формировать политику

Work in pairs: Do you think the following statements are true. or false?

• Political socialisation is a process through which political attitudes and beliefs are acquired.

• Radicals and Marxists equate political socialisation with ideological domination.

• Conventional political scientists regard socialisation as unplanned and informal.

• Political socialisation is transmitted in the cause of economic subordination.

• There are correlations between social factors and specific forms of political behaviour which explain how and why socialisation exerts an influence.

• Human beings are robots programmed by their social environment.

• Family, school, religion, media and government are various social agents which produce a homogeneous political culture.

• The family accomplishes 'primary' socialisation.

• The significance of education results from the susceptibility of the young to influences and pressures.

• Under any regime media are a propaganda machine.

• Government is always an influential agent of political socialisation.

• Discuss/check your considerations with the rest of the class.

SCAN reading: look though the text to find answers to the true/false statements.