Twenty-First Century Developments in the Field of Science, Technology, and International Relations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan H. Fritsch
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
International System ◽  
First Century ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Black Boxes ◽  
Politics And Culture ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
Traditional Approaches

Traditionally, international relations (IR) conceptualized technology primarily as a static, neutral, and passive tool, which emanates from impenetrable black boxes outside the international system. According to this predominant instrumental understanding of technology, IR “added” technology as a residual variable to existing explanatory frameworks. Consequently, qualitative systemic change—as well as continuity—could only be addressed within existing models and their respective core variables. Subsequently, traditional approaches increasingly experienced difficulties to adequately capture and explain empirically observable systemic changes in the form of growing interdependence, globalization, or trans-nationalization, as well as a plethora of technology-induced new policy challenges. Contrary to traditional conceptualizations, a growing number of scholars have instead embarked on a project to open the “black box” by redefining technology as a highly political and integral core component of global affairs that shapes and itself is shaped by global economics, politics, and culture. A rapidly growing body of theoretically diverse interdisciplinary literature systematically incorporates insights from science and technology studies (STS) to provide a more nuanced understanding of how technology, the global system, and its myriad actors mutually constitute and impact one another.

scholarly journals Boundaries, Governance and the International Order

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Sai Felicia Krishina-Hensel
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
International System ◽  
First Century ◽  
Distinctive Character ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Modern Age ◽  
Military Applications ◽  
Traditional Institutions ◽  
Twenty First Century

The article examines the distinctive character of the interconnected world of the twenty-first century. The analysis explores the influence of technology on the international system in the modern age, leading up to the unique challenges of the contemporary world. Historically, advances in transportation, scientific breakthroughs, and their military applications have profoundly influenced the ability of states to project power and have had an impact on political structures and configurations. There appears to be little consensus on how these changes influence the debates on power, deterrence, diplomacy, and other instruments of international relations. Traditionally, scholars of the international system have focused on the possession of knowledge and weapons that provided a military advantage in the interpretation of power configurations. Our argument is that the twenty-first century world has a different technological emphasis, that of communications and its supportive satellite and internet infrastructure that forms the basis of the information revolution. The new technologies have succeeded in creating an alternative universe presenting a governance challenge to traditional institutions, laws, and concepts of territoriality.

scholarly journals TRANSFORMATION OF THE SYSTEM OF THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN POST COVID-19 PERIOD

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karine Khojayan
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
World Order ◽  
Global Politics ◽  
Political Realism ◽  
Dominant Position ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
Global World ◽  
The Impact

The article analyses possible scenarios of global world order followed by the outbreak of COVID-19. It assesses to what extend the pandemic will impact the process of transformation of the system of international relations and discusses possible scenario of the global politics for post-COVID period. The article suggests that the expected outcome of the pandemic will be bi-polar world order, which will much differ from the system of the International Relations of Cold War period. The impact of COVID-19 on ongoing processes will be tangible. In the meanwhile, bearing in mind emerging neorealistic tendencies, enhancing role of states as pivotal actors of international system and current level of global inter-dependence, the international relations cannot return to the epoch where political realism had dominant position in global affairs. The article concludes that the pandemic will not drastically change the international order, but it will decently accelerate international processes, started years ago.

scholarly journals Building Bridges between Science, Technology, Innovation and Global Affairs: A New Graduate Program

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. p23
Author(s):  
Francisco Del Canto Viterale
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Program ◽  
Technological Development ◽  
International System ◽  
World Order ◽  
Academic Programs ◽  
International Studies ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
New Graduate ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Global Affairs

The international system has changed rapidly in the last few decades, and Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) has become a new key factor in the world order of the 21st Century. The interaction between STI and global affairs has increased because of the relevance and impact of scientific and technological development over the main parameters of the international system. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of new approaches that examine this global rising phenomenon from the Global and International Studies perspective. This article raises the academic and pedagogical needs to build bridges between STI and Global and International Studies (GIS) and, especially, the lack of academic programs that focus on this intersection. Therefore, the main objectives of this research are to examine the pedagogical need in the intersection between STI and international relations and introduce a new and original pedagogical proposal. The result is a literature review that confirms the need for educational programs in STI and GIS, and the introduction of a new graduate program as an innovative educational contribution.

scholarly journals The Rise, Regulation and Risks of Genetically Modified Insect Technology in Global Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra Schwindenhammer
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Science And Technology Studies ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Political Authority ◽  
Causal Mechanism ◽  
Food Regime ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Global Agriculture ◽  
Transnational Entrepreneurship ◽  
Different Sources

The article explores the rise, regulation and risks of genetically modified (GM) insect technology in global agriculture. It contributes to the debate on the nexus of science, technology and food security in Science and Technology Studies from an International Relations perspective. The study locates GM insect technology within the context of conceptual debates about global agriculture, transnational entrepreneurship and the pooling of different sources of political authority. It introduces the pooling of political authority as a potential causal mechanism that transmits biotechnical innovations and entrepreneurship to the spread of GM insect technology in the global agri-food regime. The study focusses, especially on Oxitec Limited, the most important business entrepreneur in the field. The empirical findings reveal that Oxitec has pooled moral and technical political authority and has influenced the global rise and regulation of GM insect technology. The contribution discusses the implications of Oxitec’s entrepreneurial involvement and identifies the three key challenges concerning the global regulation of GM insect technology: the transboundary scope, the provision of transparency, and the assessment of risks. Finally, the study outlines future areas of research.

Environmental Change and Foreign Policy: A Survey of Theory

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Barkdull ◽  
Paul G. Harris
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
International System ◽  
Environmental Issue ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Politics And Culture ◽  
Foreign Policies ◽  
International Environmental Politics ◽  
Distribution Of Power

Acomprehensive understanding of international environmental politics re quires attention to foreign policy. In this essay we describe a wide range of theories and approaches to foreign policy and international relations, with emphasis on how they can help us to better understand foreign policy in the environmental issue area. We organize the theories into three categories: systemic theories, which emphasize the influence of the international system, including the distribution of power within it; societal theories, which focus our attention on domestic politics and culture; and state-centric theories, which find answers to questions about foreign policy within the structure of the state and the individuals who promulgate and implement foreign policies in the name of a given country. Within this presentation of various theories, we highlight the influence of power, interests and ideas.

scholarly journals Developing a Systems Architecture Model to Study the Science, Technology and Innovation in International Studies

Systems ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Francisco Del Canto Viterale
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
Systems Architecture ◽  
Architecture Model ◽  
Technology And Innovation ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
The World ◽  
Science Technology And Innovation

The international system has changed rapidly in the last thirty years and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) has become a new critical factor of the world order of the 21st century. The interaction between STI and international affairs has increased, as well as its social and academic interest; however, there is still a lack of new theoretical and methodological approaches that examine this global rising phenomenon. This article is predominantly epistemological and is about how interactions between STI and international relations can be methodologically examined using systems models. This article raises the need for systems science approaches to explaining complex problems in international relations. In this sense, systems science and specifically systemism, offers great potential to study complex issues within a complex social system like the international order. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to develop an original systems framework that provides a comprehensive tool for studying complex topics like STI in the world system. The result is the creation of a Systems Architecture Model that examines the interaction between STI and international affairs from a systemist perspective.

Major powers and geopolitical transformations in the Middle East: competing visions for managing international and regional balances

2019 ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Marwan Awni Kamil
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
International Relations ◽  
International System ◽  
Great Powers ◽  
New Realism ◽  
Major Powers

This study attempts to give a description and analysis derived from the new realism school in the international relations of the visions of the great powers of the geopolitical changes witnessed in the Middle East after 2011 and the corresponding effects at the level of the international system. It also examines the alliances of the major powers in the region and its policies, with a fixed and variable statement to produce a reading that is based on a certain degree of comprehensiveness and objectivity.

The Impact of BRICS in Reconstructing the International Order

2020 ◽  
pp. 87
Author(s):  
Tareq Mohammed Dhannoon AL Taie
Keyword(s):  
International System ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Active Role ◽  
International Order ◽  
First Century ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
Brics Countries ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Impact

The BRICS countries have a historical aspiration for global leadership, especially Russia and China, and other countries trying to have a position in the pyramid of international powers in the twenty-first century, especially Brazil, India and South Africa, they worked to unify their efforts, in order to achieve integration in the strategic action, activate its role in International affairs, ending American domination , and restructuring an international system that have an active role in its interactions.       The research hypothesis is based on the idea that the BRICS group, despite the nature of its economic composition and its long-term goals, but its political influence as a bloc, is greater than the proportion of its economic influence in restructuring the new international order. The BRICS group has the capabilities to reshape the international order, but disputes among some of its members represent a challenge to its future work. Its goals will not be achieved without teamwork. Third world countries, especially those that reject unipolarism, have regarded one of the pillars supporting multi-polarity, aiming of giving them freedom of movement in international relations. The ultimate goal of the BRICS is a political nature, as economic mechanisms are used to achieve political goals.

The position of the State in the international system from the perspective of major schools of thought in international relations

2019 ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Salah Hassan Mohammed ◽  
Mahaa Ahmed Al-Mawla
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
International Politics ◽  
International System ◽  
International Order ◽  
The State ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Status ◽  
Future Vision

The Study is based on the state as one of the main pillars in international politics. In additions, it tackles its position in the international order from the major schools perspectives in international relations, Especially, these schools differ in the status and priorities of the state according to its priorities, also, each scholar has a different point of view. The research is dedicated to providing a future vision of the state's position in the international order in which based on the vision of the major schools in international relations.

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