IB Global Politics SL key terms

The capacity of an actor to influence the behaviour of others or shape outcomes, exercised through coercion, inducement, persuasion or attraction, and visible in who gets to set the rules.

The principle that a state holds supreme authority within its territory and is formally independent of external interference, giving it legal equality with other states regardless of size or wealth.

Influence achieved through material pressure such as military force, economic sanctions, trade restrictions or aid conditionality, where compliance is bought or coerced rather than freely given.

Influence gained by attraction rather than pressure, arising from a state's culture, political values and the perceived legitimacy of its policies, so others want what it wants.

The ability to shape the frameworks within which others operate, for example setting the rules of trade, finance or security, so that some options become easy and others costly.

A condition in which one state or group dominates the international system, underpinning order not only through force but through consent, shared ideas and control over institutions and rules.

A distribution of global power in which a single state possesses preponderant military, economic and technological capability, with no near-peer competitor able to balance it.

A distribution of power in which two states or blocs dominate the international system, shaping alignments, alliance structures and the strategic calculations of smaller states.

A distribution of power in which three or more roughly comparable great powers compete for influence, producing shifting alliances and greater uncertainty about the stability of the order.

A pattern in which states check one another's strength through alliances, armaments or countervailing coalitions, intended to prevent any single actor from dominating the system.

In international relations theory, the absence of a central authority above states, meaning order must be produced through self-help, cooperation, institutions or shared norms rather than world government.

The norm that states should not interfere in the internal affairs of another sovereign state, including its domestic politics, governance and human rights practices.

Action by an external actor in another state's affairs, ranging from diplomatic pressure and economic measures to military force, often justified on humanitarian or security grounds.

A set of principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures around which actors' expectations converge in a given issue area, such as trade, climate or nuclear non-proliferation.

A formal organisation created by states, such as the United Nations or World Trade Organization, that provides rules, forums and services for cooperation and dispute settlement.

Coordination of policy among three or more states through agreed rules and institutions, as opposed to unilateral action or bilateral deals, emphasising shared decision-making.

The UN body with primary responsibility for international peace and security, whose five permanent members hold veto power over substantive resolutions.

The right of each permanent member of the UN Security Council to block a substantive resolution, a privilege that shapes what the Council can authorise and whose interests it protects.

A formal or informal arrangement in which states commit to mutual support, often military, in the event of conflict, typically to deter a shared threat.

A system in which states agree that aggression against one member is treated as aggression against all, and commit to joint responses to preserve the peace.

Entitlements held by all people simply by virtue of being human, covering civil, political, economic, social and cultural claims, and setting limits on how states may treat individuals.

The 1948 UN General Assembly declaration setting out civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, non-binding in itself but the foundation for later human rights treaties.

A 1966 UN treaty binding ratifying states to protect freedoms such as expression, assembly, fair trial and participation, monitored by the Human Rights Committee.

The view that moral and human rights claims must be understood within a particular culture's values, challenging the idea that a single universal standard applies everywhere.

The position that certain rights belong to all people in all places, regardless of culture or tradition, and that states may be held to the same standards everywhere.

The 2005 principle that every state protects its population from atrocity crimes, and that the international community may act if a state manifestly fails to do so.

The legal principle allowing national courts to prosecute serious crimes such as genocide, war crimes and torture regardless of where they occurred or the nationality of the accused.

A permanent court in The Hague that prosecutes individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and aggression where national courts are unwilling or unable to act.

Rules that emerge from consistent and widespread state practice accepted as legally required, binding states even without a signed treaty.

A written agreement between states governed by international law, which creates binding obligations for the parties that ratify it and can be withdrawn from under its own terms.

Sustained improvement in people's wellbeing and capabilities, encompassing income, health, education, security and freedom, and contested over whether growth alone is sufficient.

A composite measure combining life expectancy, education and income per capita to compare average wellbeing across countries, published annually by the UN Development Programme.

Development that meets present needs without undermining the ability of future generations to meet theirs, integrating economic, social and environmental goals.

Seventeen global goals adopted by the UN in 2015, covering poverty, health, education, equality, environment and institutions, to be pursued by 2030.

An account of underdevelopment arguing that poorer countries remain poor because their economies are structured to supply resources and cheap labour to richer ones within an unequal global system.

Indirect domination of formerly colonised states through economic pressure, debt, trade terms and cultural influence rather than formal political control.

Unequal distribution of income, wealth, opportunity or power among people or countries, measured for example by the Gini coefficient, and linked to health, mobility and political influence.

More than the absence of war: negative peace means no direct violence, while positive peace means the presence of justice, equity and institutions that resolve conflict without force.

A situation in which two or more parties pursue incompatible goals, ranging from non-violent disagreement to armed violence, and shaped by interests, identities and institutions.

Harm built into social, economic and political arrangements that disadvantages groups, such as unequal access to healthcare or education, without any single identifiable perpetrator.

Deployment of international personnel, usually UN-authorised, to monitor ceasefires, protect civilians and support political settlements, with consent of the main parties.

Use of military force, authorised by the UN Security Council, to restore or maintain peace against the will of a party, going beyond consent-based peacekeeping.

Longer-term efforts to address the root causes of conflict and strengthen institutions, reconciliation and livelihoods so that peace becomes self-sustaining.

Strategy of preventing an attack by convincing an adversary that the costs of aggression will outweigh any gains, typically through military capability and credible threats.

Coercive economic or diplomatic measures imposed by states or bodies such as the UN to pressure a target into changing behaviour, often with humanitarian side effects.

Citizens' actions to influence public decisions and public life, from voting, campaigning and petitioning to protesting, organising and contacting representatives.

The practice of taking deliberate responsibility for public issues through participation, volunteering, campaigning or community organising, rather than relying on officials alone.

The sphere of voluntary associations, charities, unions, faith groups and NGOs between the state and the market, where citizens organise around shared interests and demands.

Organised efforts to influence policy, public opinion or institutions on behalf of a cause or group, using evidence, lobbying, media work and coalition building.

Direct attempts to persuade legislators or officials to support a particular policy or decision, conducted by interest groups, companies or professional firms.

Any activity through which people express preferences about who governs and what government does, including voting, protesting, boycotting, donating and standing for office.

Shared expectations about appropriate behaviour that guide actors even without formal rules, and which can spread across borders through persuasion, emulation and social pressure.

The process by which ideas about appropriate behaviour spread between states and societies, carried by advocacy networks, international organisations, examples and incentives.