System, State, or Individual: Gaming Levels of Analysis in International Relations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Asal ◽  
Inga Miller ◽  
Charmaine N Willis
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
System State ◽  
International Level ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Abstract Students often struggle to grasp how examining international phenomena at the systemic, state, or international level of analysis can yield different understandings or perspectives. To help students understand the dynamics at the different levels of analysis, we suggest the use of several short games that make students be “lab rats in their own experiments.” In this article, we discuss the mechanics of three short games we play with our students. We offer our qualitative impressions of the impact of these games on the understanding of the students.

scholarly journals Vygotskian (but only partly Vygotsky’s) understanding of special education

Educação ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaro Toomela
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Special Form ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Specific Level ◽  
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation ◽  
Form Of Life ◽  
Stage Development ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Level Of Analysis

In this article general principles of special education are discussed from the Vygotskian perspective. First it is suggested that for understanding of special education in particular and the psyche and its development in general, structuralsystemic epistemology should be applied. To understand special education, psyche and its development should be understood at different levels of analysis. In this paper first life is defined in order to define psyche as a special form of life. Psyche, at the next more specific level of analysis is distinguished into complementary parts, that of individual and its environment. Environment is defined next and theoretically distinguished into four kinds. On this theoretical background, pedagogy and special education are defined. Special education should be based on thorough understanding of the learner at different levels of analysis: according to general stages of development, according to within-stage development, and at the level of the structure of cognition. Two principal targets of the special education and three basic strategies of neuropsychological rehabilitation and special education are distinguished. *** A compreensão Vygotskyana (mas só em parte de Vygotsky) da educação especial ***Neste artigo, os princípios gerais da educação especial são discutidos a partir da perspectiva Vygotskyana. Em primeiro lugar, sugere-se que, para a compreensão da educação especial em particular e da psique e seu desenvolvimento em geral, a epistemologia estrutural-sistêmica deve ser aplicada. Para entender a educação especial, a psique e seu desenvolvimento devem ser entendidos em diferentes níveis de análise. Neste artigo, a primeira vida é definida com o intuito de definir a psique como uma forma especial de vida. A psique, no nível seguinte e mais específico da análise, é diferenciada em partes complementares, do indivíduo e de seu ambiente. O ambiente é definido em seguida, e distinguido teoricamente em quatro tipos. Nesta base teórica, a pedagogia e a educação especial são definidas. A educação especial deve basear-se na compreensão completa do aprendiz em diferentes níveis de análise: de acordo com estágios gerais de desenvolvimento, de acordo com o desenvolvimento durante o estágio, e no nível da estrutura do conhecimento. Destacam-se dois alvos principais da educação especial e três estratégias básicas de reabilitação neuropsicológica e educação especial.Palavras-chave: Educação especial; Vygotsky; Luria; Estratégias; Epistemologia estrutural-sistêmica.

Network Science and International Relations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeev Maoz
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Network Effects ◽  
Network Science ◽  
International Politics ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Emergent Properties ◽  
Units Of Analysis ◽  
Shed Light ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Network analysis has been one of the fastest-growing approaches to the study of politics in general and the study of international politics in particular. Network analysis relies on several key assumptions: (a) relations are interdependent, (b) complex relations give rise to emergent and unintended structures, (c) agents’ choices affect structure and structure affects agents’ choices, and (d) once we understand the emergent properties of a system and the interrelations between agents and structure, we can generalize across levels of analysis. These assumptions parallel many of the key features of international relations. Key contributions of network analysis helps shed light on important puzzles in the study and research of international relations. Specifically, (a) network analytic studies helped refine many key concepts and measures of various aspects of international politics; (b) network analysis helped unpack structures of interdependence, uncovering endogenous network effects that have caused biased inferences of dyadic behavior; (c) network analytic studies have shed light on important aspects of emergent structures and previously unrealized units of analysis (e.g., endogenous groups); and (d) network analytic studies helped resolve multiple puzzles, wherein results found at one level of analysis contradicted those found at other levels of analysis.

Peace: A Conceptual Survey

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul F. Diehl
Keyword(s):  
System Level ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Political Relationships ◽  
The World ◽  
Positive Peace ◽  
Theory Research ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Elusive Concept ◽  
Level Of Analysis ◽  
Associated Data

Peace is an elusive concept with many different meanings. Traditionally, it has been equated with the absence of war or violence, but such “negative peace” has limited value as it lumps wildly disparate situations together, such as rivalries (India–Pakistan) and close political relationships (e.g., European Union). Nevertheless, this conception remains the predominant approach in theory, research, teaching, and policy discourse. “Positive peace” definitions are much broader and encompass aspects that go beyond war and violence, but there is far less consensus on those elements. Conceptions include, among others, human rights, justice, judicial independence, and communication components. Best developed are notions of “quality peace,” which incorporate the absence of violence but also require things such as gender equality in order for societies to qualify as peaceful. Many of these, however, lack associated data and operational indicators. Research on positive peace is also comparatively underdeveloped. Peace can also be represented as binary (present or not) or as a continuum (the degree to which peace is present). Peace can be applied at different levels of analysis. At the system level, it refers to the aggregate or global conditions in the world at a given time. At the dyadic or k‑adic level, it refers to the state of peace in relationships between two or more states. Finally, internal peace deals with conditions inside individual states, and the relationships between governments, groups, and individuals. Aspects of peace vary according to the level of analysis, and peace at one level might not be mirrored at other levels.

L. Levels of Analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 155-158
Author(s):  
Mauro Caprioli ◽  
Claire Dupuy
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Social ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Citizens Attitudes ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Level Of Analysis

This chapter studies levels of analysis. Research in the social sciences may be interested in subjects located at different levels of analysis. The level of analysis indicates the position at which social and political phenomena are analysed within a gradual order of abstraction or aggregation that is constructed analytically. Its definition and boundaries vary across social science disciplines. In general, the micro level refers to the individual level and focuses on citizens’ attitudes or politicians’ and diplomats’ behaviour. Analyses at the meso level focus on groups and organizations, like political parties, social movements, and public administrations. The macro level corresponds to structures that are national, social, economic, cultural, or institutional — for example, countries and national or supranational political regimes. The explanandum (what research aims to account for), the explanans (the explanations), the unit of analysis, and data collection can be located at different levels. The chapter then considers two main errors commonly associated with aggregation and levels of analysis: ecological and atomistic fallacies.

Woman, the State, and War

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean Bethke Elshtain
Keyword(s):  
Structural Analysis ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
The State ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Central Feature ◽  
Structural Level ◽  
Explanatory Framework ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Does `gender' as a category of analysis or as a central feature of a logic of explanation alter in significant ways Kenneth Waltz's famous `levels of analysis' as developed in his classic, Man, the State, and War? One overriding claim of feminist international relations has been that `gender' alters all levels of analysis; thus, changing `man' to `woman' in the formulation `man, the state, and war' significantly transforms our understanding of international relations. I evaluate this claim critically by assessing the adequacy of feminist formulations on each of Waltz's levels of analysis and, further, by unpacking Waltz's own understanding of these levels. I conclude that Waltz remains enormously helpful in deconstructing reductionist accounts, especially on the `first level' of analysis, but that his own account is problematic insofar as it insists on a `structural analysis' sundered from his levels 1 and 2, namely, wars flow from human nature or, alternatively, from the domestic ordering of states. I point out that Waltz himself leaves some `wiggle room' in his book that permits one to `plug in' features of the first two levels of analysis that are critical to understanding the structural level. In other words, all three levels must be in play if one is to craft a compelling explanatory framework.

Measures of grandparental investment as a limiting factor in theoretical and empirical advancement

2010 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Michalski
Keyword(s):  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Grandparental Investment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Made In

AbstractTo refine our understanding of grandparental investment and its consequences, we need to understand what grandparents do for their grandchildren. Knowing the landscape of grandparental investment will facilitate a better understanding of the impact of grandparental investment on grandchildren and will allow inroads to be made in bridging the different levels of analysis.

From liberation to control: understanding the selfie experience

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1893-1902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kedzior ◽  
Douglas E. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Power Relations ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Scholarly Work ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conceptual Paper ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Work Supports ◽  
Different Levels

Purpose This paper aims to serve as an integrative literature review that organizes the burgeoning literature and findings related to possible impacts of the selfie phenomenon on consumers. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. Findings The current empirical scholarly work supports two conflicting perspectives on the impact of selfies: the selfie experience as a source of empowerment and the selfie as embodiment of societal control and expression of existing power-relations. While the two perspectives are seemingly discordant, in fact, they pertain to different levels of analysis – individual and social, respectively. Originality/value While the empowerment aspect of the selfie experience has been well-documented in existing literature, the mechanisms of control and disempowerment have remained underconceptualized. This research paper offers a framework which addresses this omission and theorizes ways in which the selfie phenomenon perpetuates societal control and maintains power-relations.

Bridging Micro and Macro Approaches on Civil Wars and Political Violence

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1343-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laia Balcells ◽  
Patricia Justino
Keyword(s):  
Political Violence ◽  
Civil Wars ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Conflict Processes ◽  
New Research ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Level Of Analysis

This article reflects on the importance of linking micro and macro levels of analysis in order to advance our current understanding of civil wars and political violence processes and discusses the contributions of the articles in this special issue. We first identify the main problems in research on political violence that is focused on a single level of analysis and describe the challenges faced by research that attempts to establish connections between different levels. We then introduce the different articles in the special issue, with an emphasis on the micro–macro-level linkages they develop and highlighting their commonalities. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of a new research agenda for the study of civil wars and political violence that bridges social, economic, and political dynamics occurring at the local level and conflict processes taking place in the macro arena.

scholarly journals Levels of Analysis in International Relations and Regional Security Complex Theory

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fakhreddin Soltani ◽  
Saeid Naji ◽  
Reza Ekhtiari Amiri
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Regional Analysis ◽  
Natural Sciences ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
Complex Theory ◽  
Traditional Approaches ◽  
Level Of Analysis

Levels of Analysis is related to the explaining of causes of phenomenon (Buzan, 1995). The coming to the fore of levels of analysis in international relations was the result of the behavioral movement during the 1950s that was attempting to apply methodology of natural sciences in social sciences. Before that, traditional approaches were dominant, and they were more oriented towards history and law. The works of Kenneth N. Waltz, Morton A. Kaplan, and J. David Singer have had major roles in bringing levels of analysis into international relations (Buzan, 1995). Since then, the works of Barry Buzan and Ole Wæver have added the level of regional analysis to International Relations studies. This article reviews the three main levels of analysis and also explains the regional level of analysis in international relations.

scholarly journals Why evolutionary psychology should abandon modularity

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Pietraszewski ◽  
Annie E. Wertz
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary Psychology ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
The Future ◽  
Massive Modularity ◽  
Ill Posed ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Different Levels ◽  
Level Of Analysis

A debate surrounding modularity—the notion that the mind may be exclusively composed of distinct systems or modules—has held philosophers and psychologists captive for nearly forty years. Concern about this thesis—which has come to be known as the massive modularity debate—serves as the primary grounds for skepticism of evolutionary psychology’s claims about the mind. Here we will suggest that the entirety of this debate, and the very notion of massive modularity itself, is ill-posed and confused. In particular, it is based on a confusion about the level of analysis (or reduction) at which one is approaching the mind. Here, we will provide a framework for clarifying at what level of analysis one is approaching the mind, and explain how a systemic failure to distinguish between different levels of analysis has led to profound misunderstandings of not only evolutionary psychology, but also of the entire cognitivist enterprise of approaching the mind at the level of mechanism. We will furthermore suggest that confusions between different levels of analysis are endemic throughout the psychological sciences—extending well beyond issues of modularity and evolutionary psychology. Therefore, researchers in all areas should take preventative measures to avoid this confusion in the future.

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