Explaining conflict and cooperation: tools and techniques of the trade - Levels of analytics

6 important questions on Explaining conflict and cooperation: tools and techniques of the trade - Levels of analytics

What is the level of analysis?

The system produces consequences that may be different from the intention of the actors within it.
The distribution of power among states in an international system helps to make predictions about certain aspects of states behaviour.

Geopolitics : location and proximity tells a lot about behaviour of states (neighbours are more easily in conflicts)

Waltz distinguishes 3 levels of causation for war that could be a function of one or more of these images:
1. The individual
2. The state
3. The international system

What does the individual level mean?

This is useful when it genuinely matters who is making decisions = Hitler e.g.

What are the four main approaches to how political psychology examines global conflict and cooperation

Cognitive psychology = people seek to make sense of the information in the world
Motivational psychology = people's fears, desires and needs explain behaviour
Behavioral economics/prospect theory = people make different choices depending on if they will gain or lose
Psychobiography = leaders choices explained in what they experience
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What is the state level as a level of analytics?

They see what happens in world politics is function of domestic politics

What is the bureaucratic approach?

They look to the interplay of governmental agencies and officials

What is the system level of analytics?

An interplay between two or more levels of analytics; between individual and the state

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