Tricky International Relationship Interview Preparation Guide

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★ The right to liberty and freedom
★ The right to freedom of speech
★ The right to life
★ The right to the pursuit of happiness
★ The right to be free from torture
★ The right to be free from slavery
★ The right to freedom of thought
★ The right to live your life free of discrimination
★ The right to freely exercise your religion and practice your religious beliefs without the fear of being persecuted for your beliefs
★ The right to be free from prejudice based on race, nationality, color, age or sex
★ The right to a fair trial and due process of the law
★ The right to be free from cruel and unusual punishments

Strengths of the European Union:
★ Reducing social conflicts.
★ Inclusion of the charter of Fundamental Rights.
★ Looking after the promotion of a high level of employment, the guarantee of adequate social protection, fight against social exclusion, and a high level of education, training and protection of human health.
★ Fighting for sexual discrimination, even discrimination's based on racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, etc.
★ Protecting the general economic interest.
★ Promoting general equality.
★ Contribution to the Union's objectives by Member States and the European System of Central Banks on sections of Economic Policy, Monetary Policy and Employment Policy.
★ Laws related to civil society are the legal base for the institutions.

Major weaknesses of the European Union are:
★ Not accepting the state of poverty.
★ Ignorance of the chapter on social inclusion.
★ The additions to the 'General Provisions governing the interpretation and application of the charter of Fundamental Rights' make it difficult for people to access rights.
★ Qualified Majority Voting is not included in social inclusion and anti-discrimination policies.
★ Neo-liberal ideological and economic tides are resisted through the services of general economical interest. Also, the provisions related to free movement of goods and services are counter balanced.
★ Establishment of minimum requirements by framework laws to fight against social exclusion.
★ Several sections on Economic Policy, Monetary Policy and Employment Policy remain untouched from the previous treaties. So it is unclear how growth will take place in any circumstance.
★ The right to individual assessment for the need of asylum is introduced through the Protocol on Asylum.

International politics plays an important role in civil wars as:
★ They provide new insights to civil war, presenting that civil wars have cross- border features and that need to be acquired if we are to understand them.
★ It applies new theories to the study of civil war.
★ It shows how causal mechanisms work in action, emphasizing the special methods needed to measure them.

The actors involved in international relations are the states and the non-state actors.
States are the main actors in international affairs, whereas non-state actors focus more and more on the analysis. The most influential non-state actors are international business firms, often called transnational corporations (TNCs).

This is a state level theory that claims that all states seek power. States try to increase their power through decreasing the power of their enemies. They see other states as more powerful.

This is a system level theory that is an outcome of classical realism. It contradicts what classical realism says. However, it sees the cause of all the power struggles and rivalries not as a function of the nature of states but as a function of the nature of the international system. If some other state is more powerful than your state, you have no way to protect yourself but to defend yourself or attack your rival first.

It is a state level theory which promotes cooperation more in the world, not more of rivalry. States do not just compete or worry about power. They know that cooperation is a better strategy than conflict.

These examine the role of psychological processes such as perceptions, misconceptions, belief systems. It can be at the state, organization, or individual level of analysis, depending on the area of research.

This is a theory that examines state behavior in comparison to state characteristics. Accordingly, all states are unique and have a set of political, cultural, economic, social, or religious characteristics that influence its foreign policy.

IR theory explains the following theories:
★ Classical realism
★ Neorealism
★ Liberalism
★ Cognitive Theories
★ Constructivism

★ Non-state actors violate human rights.
★ It has brought further challenges to the democratic deficiency in global governance.
★ When multinational companies such as the World Bank and the IMF set national economic and social policies, the local decision-making and democratic participation are weakened.
★ Due to structural adjustment policies the unrestricted market forces endanger economic, social, and cultural rights such as the right to health, as they reduce the public expenditures.
★ Increase in unemployment, poverty, and the marginalization of vulnerable groups due to the increase of power and wealth in the hands of foreign multinational companies

★ Anti-immigration policies are adopted in many countries, and racist activists encourage such policies.
★ Discrimination in terms of race, gender or ethnicity has led to slavery and colonialism.
★ Women are being utilized as a source of cheap and unorganized labor as global economy gives cheap and negotiable labor through immigration and offshore production, sexism, racism and class.
★ Exclusion and identity-politics based on racial and ethnic differences have become more popular and are increasing.
★ As a result of these issues the global development of international human rights protection introduced reforms on women's individual and collective struggles against multiple forms of discrimination.

★ As against the new technologies, it can sometimes create problems for the workers and the country to cope up with.
★ Information flow connects workers and citizens across boundaries, but they can also threaten social and economic networks at the local level.
★ Many institutions face problems at the time of responding to an ever-increasing set of global challenges.

★ New opportunities are created.
★ Globalization is helpful in the process of knowledge integration and the development of non-market connections.
★ It helps in the flow of information, culture, ideology and technology as new technology is always helpful in solving old problems.
★ Globalization plays an important role in global governance as it helps in the development of infrastructure of international agreements and institutions globally.
★ It enhances global inequities.

There is a probability that European Union will be a potential superpower in the future. The points mentioned below would prove it further.
★ Europe's civil and military power will take it towards a highly productive economy.
★ EU's enlargement and association agreement policies with the neighboring states are measures towards the development of the European economy such as aid, education, trade, the European social model, and other aspects.
★ Europe is at a stage where it has a stable population due to the control of fertility rates and death rates.
★ The only problem is that the economic policy is decided in terms of national capitals. So it is difficult for them to invest in highly regulated labor markets, welfare systems, education and, research and development.

★ Democracy encourages free press which is not accepted by most of the leaders.
★ Excessive of everything is bad. So, when people get extra freedom they use it in a wrong way.
★ Most of the countries having democracy face a lot of communal violence issues, political issues and, as they are very sensitive matters, they need extra care. Every system has some loophole or the other. So, it is very difficult to get judgmental about what is good and what is bad.

★ Democracy gives chance to choose your leader.
★ Democracy allows you to say what is there in your minds.
★ It does not fight on one's accountability.
★ Democratic rules are more humane and people take better decisions themselves.

★ The European Council is responsible for developing and creating a common foreign and security policy.
★ The right of initiative is with the member states and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and the High Representative uses this right with the support of the Commission.
★ Then the High Representative must take care of passing information and consult the European Parliament regarding the implementation of the CFSP. They must also ensure that the opinions of the European Parliament are duly taken into consideration.
★ For decision making, agreement should be the general rule that is adopted by the Council and the European Council concerning the CFSP.
★ A specific bridging clause is introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon that is applicable to the CFSP.
★ There are some exceptions in the decisions regarding the area of defense.
★ With the help of the bridging clause the European Council would authorize the Council to act by a qualified majority to adopt certain measures.

Implementation of the chosen policy is done once it has been chosen and a formal decision has been made.

Government will make formal decisions that are usually made by the executive branch of the government.

There must be multiple goals for a foreign policy, and the state must find out which goal is affected at what time by the international and domestic political environment.

State must plan on the basis of available options which would meet the goals, and in what circumstances.

Foreign policies are made keeping in mind the international and domestic political contexts. These are to be implemented and understood by a state so as to get the best foreign policy. Below is the procedure for it.
★ Setting up a goal
★ Deciding the options for the policies
★ Making formal decisions
★ Implementation of the chosen policy option

★ Countries must use diplomacy to maintain friendly relations and keep away threats.
★ Getting together all the economic power to encourage cooperation.
★ Maintain strong armed forces.
★ Concentrate on civil defense and plan for emergency situations such as anti-terrorism legislation.
★ Avoid threats and espionage through intelligence services.
★ Protect classified information using counterintelligence services.