Key Concepts

Power: Power can be seen as the ability to effect change and, rather than being viewed as a unitary or independent force, is an aspect of relations among people functioning within a social organization.

Sovereignty: Sovereignty characterizes a state’s independence, its control over territory and its ability to govern itself. How states use their sovereign power is at the heart of many important issues in world politics.

Legitimacy: Legitimacy refers to an actor or an action being commonly considered acceptable and provides the fundamental basis or rationale for all forms of governance and other ways of exercising power over others.

Interdependence: In world issues, the concept of interdependence most often refers to the mutual reliance between and among groups, organizations, geographic areas, and/or states for access to resources that sustain living arrangements.

Human rights: Human rights are basic claims and entitlements that, many argue, one should be able to exercise simply by virtue of being a human being. Many contemporary thinkers argue that they are essential for living a life of dignity, are inalienable, and should be accepted as universal.

Justice: There are a number of different interpretations of the concept of justice. It is often closely associated with the idea of fairness and with individuals getting what they deserve, although what is meant by deserve is also contested.

Liberty: The concept of liberty refers to having freedom and autonomy. It is often divided into positive and negative liberty, with negative liberty defined as individuals having the freedom from external coercion, and positive liberty defined as individuals having the autonomy to carry out their own rational will.

Equality: Egalitarian theories are based on a concept of equality that all people, or groups of people, are seen as having the same intrinsic value. Equality is therefore closely linked to justice and fairness, as egalitarians argue that justice can only exist if there is equality.

Development: Development is a sustained increase in the standard of living and well-being of a level of social organization. Many consider it to involve increased income, better access to basic goods and services, improvements in education, health care, and public health; well-functioning institutions; decreased inequality; reduced poverty and unemployment; and more sustainable production and consumption patterns.

Globalization: Globalization is a process by which the world’s local, national, and regional economies, societies, and cultures are becoming increasingly integrated and connected. The term refers to the reduction of barriers and borders, as people, goods, service,s and ideas flow more freely between different parts of the world.

Inequality: Inequality refers to a state of affairs where equality between people or groups of people is not realized and the consequent potential compromises of justice and liberty. Inequality often manifests itself through unequal access to resources that are needed to sustain life and develop individuals and communities.

Sustainability: Definitions of sustainability begin with the idea that development should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainability today has three fields of debate— environmental, sociopolitical, and economic.

Peace: Peace is often defined as both the absence of conflict and violence, as well as a state of harmonious relations. Many also refer to peace as a personal state of non-conflict, particularly with oneself and with one’s relationship to others. Peace is the ultimate goal of many organizations that monitor and regulate social relationships.

Conflict: Conflict is the dynamic process of actual or perceived opposition between individuals or groups. This could be opposition over positions, interests, or values. Most theorists would distinguish between non-violent and violent conflict. In this distinction, non-violent conflict can be a useful mechanism for social change and transformation, while violent conflict is harmful and requires conflict resolution.

Violence: Violence is often defined as physical or psychological force inflicted upon another being. In the context of world issues, it could be seen as anything someone does that prevents others from reaching their full potential.

Non-violence: Non-violence is the practice of advocating one’s own or others’ rights without physically harming the opponent. It often involves actively opposing the system that is deemed to be unjust, through, for example, boycotts, demonstrations, and civil disobedience.

Socioeconomic Perspectives

Right-Wing Authoritarian: Someone in this category believes the economy works best if the government does not interfere with business or trade, but exerts a significant measure of social control.

Left-Wing Authoritarian: Someone in this category believes the economy works best if the government exerts considerable control over business and trade, while also exerting a significant measure of social control.

Left-Wing Libertarian: Someone in this category feels the government has an important role to play in the economy, but feels the government should allow people to make their own social decisions.

Right-Wing Libertarian: Someone in this category wants to minimize the role of government in all aspects of life.

Centrist: Someone in this category believes social and economic control should be applied if they are for the public good, or dismantled if they do not benefit society.

Levels of Analysis

Global: In the context of the GP course, this term refers to events/trends that have far-reaching and long-term impact across the world, cutting across national identities and interests. (e.g. climate change, migration, terrorism, epidemics, etc.)

International: In the context of the GP course, this term refers to events/trends that have a narrower impact than global events/trends, but nonetheless have implications for several countries. (e.g., operation of various international organisations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multinational corporations, etc.)

Regional: In the context of the GP course, this term refers to events/trends that have implications limited to a particular geographic region, such as the Middle East, Eastern Europe, etc. (e.g,. operation of the European Union, NATO, Arab League, etc.)

National: In the context of the GP course, this term refers to events/trends that have a limited impact within the geographical boundaries of a particular country (e.g., economic rises or economic change in a particular state, politics/legal reforms, changes in governance)

Local: In the context of the GP course, this term refers to the geographic area in which social organization is created and in which culture is transmitted from one generation to the next. Local is defined by its inhabitants and their practices, and so can represent a geographic space as small as a gated community or as large as a city or region.

Community: Heavily debated concept in social sciences and isn’t widely applicable to the GP course. However, traditional definitions involve geographically based groups of people with similar interests, mutual support, and cultural traits.