Society, Politics, and Internationalisation An Introduction on Key Theories and Analytical Approache

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Society, Politics, and Internationalisation-An
Introduction on Key Theories and Analytical
Approaches-

• CCG / 7
• Fall 2006

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The international policy processes

• Case II The war on terror
• Introduction to the International Policy
  Processes
• What is policy, policy analysis and
  policy-making?
• The models of policy processes
• The international system and the international
  actors
• Foreign policy
• Case Environmental policies in a globalized world

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Case II The War on Terror

• Contextual material
• Discussion on the construction of reality in
  relation to terrorism and the war in Iraq
• Empirical material
• Identifying different discourses (on terrorism,
  international security, the war on terror, etc.)
• Identifying key concepts which articulate the
  discourse (markers)
• Antagonisms and discursive struggles
• Inclusions and exclusions in the establishment of
  hegemonies (us/them, opposing categories, etc.)
• Connotations in relation to the specific context
• Discourses aiming at legitimizing certain actions

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There is no war on terror
The war on terror is a construction. ... There
is no war on terror! It is a semantic trick so
that a we can be confronted with an enemy,
and the media can enter into a collective
psychosis. (Noam Chomsky, 8th of September 2006
If you dare say oil, then youre judged as an
anti-American, somebody who defends conspiration
theories, an old marxist or just plain crazy. It
is illegal to admit that we have a government,
who is trying to maintain and expand an empire,
even though nothing could be more obvious. (Noam
Chomsky, 8th of September 2006
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Victory is a fata morgana
If we act intelligently and form the necessary
coalitions, the appeal of terrorism may diminish
and limit its capacity to find sympathizers...
... If, however, we envision victory as the
equivalent of a Hitler shooting himself in the
bunker, that will not happen. This is precisely
why the whole analogy with the war is so
misleading. It is not helpful for making the
public understand that we are dealing with a
long-term problem in a very volatile region,
... ... We should neither run nor should we
seek a victory, which essentially would be a
fata morgana.
War rhetoric Reelection Enhanced abilites
to exercise executive power (at the
expense of certain civil right)
Former US National Security Advisor Zbigniew
Brzezinski
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War on terror
... we're not going to defeat this ideology
until we in the West go out with sufficient
confidence in our own position and say, this is
wrong. It's not just wrong in its methods, it's
wrong in its ideas, it's wrong in its ideology,
it's wrong in every single wretched reactionary
thing about it.
Press conference 28th of July 2006
For them, what is vital is that the struggle is
defined in their terms Islam versus the West...
Speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council,
1st of August 2006
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Nodal points or discourse axis
Modernisation, global values
This is the only solution for Islam and the world
Moderation is not possible from islam because its
radicalism does not comply to the moderation that
civilization demands
Tolerance, freedom, respect for difference and
diversity
Moderate, Mainstream Islam
Radicalism, Reactionary Islam
Moderation
Reaction, division and hatred
The existing Islam is the cause of the military
action
Islam can not represent the global values because
its nature is antiglobal and opposed to
modernisation
Sense of grievance that can motivate people to
divide against each other
Antimodernisation
Values in stead of military action
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Discursive clousure

• Only one solution It can only be won there is
  only a way and not different possibilities by
  showing that our Western values values are
  stronger, better and more just, more fair than
  the alternative
• Need for change in perceptions Doing this,
  however, requires us to change dramatically the
  focus of our policy war of terror is neccesary
  the new times and our values require changes
• Delimitation of interpretation of current times
  The banner was not actually "regime change" it
  was "values change
• Colonial tendencies It is about ... inspiring
  people, persuading them, showing them what our
  values at their best stand for them/us they can
  learn from us accepting our values-, but it does
  not indicate if we can learn something from them
• And ... we then have to empower Moderate,
  Mainstream Islam to defeat Reactionary Islam,
  etc. us as the active subject, moderate
  Islam or reactionary Islam as a passive
  subjectvalues

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The Alliance of Civilizations
There is a need for a committed effort by the
international community ... to bridge divides
and overcome prejudice, misconceptions,
misperceptions, and polarization which
potentially threaten world peace. The Alliance
will aim to address emerging threats emanating
from hostile perceptions that foment violence,
and to bring about cooperation among various
efforts to heal such divisions. Events of
recent years have heightened the sense of a
widening gap and lack of mutual understanding
between Islamic and Western societies -- an
environment that has been exploited and
exacerbated by extremists in all societies. The
Alliance of Civilizations is intended as a
coalition against such forces, as a movement to
advance mutual respect for religious beliefs and
traditions, and as a reaffirmation of humankinds
increasing interdependence in all areas... ...
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Introduction to the International Policy Processes
How are decisions made internationally?

• Comparisons between the policy processes of
  different countries
• Foreign policies
• Policy processes in the international
  organizations

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Key concepts policy

• Public policy decisions of national governments
  or international organizations
• Power dimension choice of action or inaction
• Constraints
• A dynamic, complex and multi-layered political
  process

... a set of interrelated decisions taken by a
political actor or groups of actors concerning
the selection of goals and the means of achieving
them within a specific situation where those
decisions should, in principle, be within the
power of those actors to achieve. (Jenkins)
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Key concepts policy analysis
Analysis for policy
Analysis of policy

• Understanding the policy process
• Descriptive
• Content, origin, intentions, development,
  operation, outcome

Improving the policy outcome Normative and
prescriptive Advocacy, recommendations,
informations, monitoring
The purpose of the analysis
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Key concepts policy-making

• A rational, controlled process, aimed at specific
  political goals
• A problematic, constrained process determined by
  power relations and particular interests
• Conflict or consensus?

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The models of policy processes
Environment
Policy formulation
Agenda-setting
Implementation
Etc.
Issue definition Option analysis
Adoption Decisionmaking
Monitoring Evaluation
INPUT
OUTPUT
OUTCOME
INPUT
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Policy cycle logic problem-solving
Problem recognition Agenda-setting Proposal of
solution Policy formulation Choice of
solution Decision-making Putting solution into
effect Policy implementation Monitoring
results Policy evaluation
(Howlett Ramesh)
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The classic model Easton

The political system
Input
Demands
Output
Support
Laws, policies etc.
Actors and institutions Decisions and actions
Feedback
Environment
Effect Social changes
National, international, natural
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Critique of the policy cycle models

• Sequences and separation of stages
• Linear order and starting points
• Loops and overlaps
• Multiple interactions and complexity

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The big wave
Agenda-setting Solutions looking for
problems Preexisting particular interests
The policy entrepreneurs waiting for the big
wave the right combination of public concern
and political will Changing environment and
windows of opportunity Comparisons in the
international context
(Kingdon)