Abstract

This activity, “Preventing World War,” simulates the process that international relations scholars use to understand the causal forces underlying great power wars. You will assume the role of an entry-level analyst in a think-tank, focused on predicting and preventing international wars. In this capacity, you will

  1. Distinguish among underlying, proximate, and immediate causes of the first World War
  2. Explore your affinity for the various schools of international relations theory, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and Marxism
  3. Make recommendations, incorporating international relations theory, for avoiding potential conflict
Begin
Learning Goals

After reading your text and completing this exercise, you will be able to:

  • Identify key schools of thought in international relations, including realism, liberalism, constructivism, and Marxism, and apply them to better understand international conflicts
  • Identify major causes of international conflicts, and World War I as an example, using international relations theory
  • Describe ways in which international conflicts may be avoided, using international relations theory and knowledge of underlying, proximate, and immediate causes of conflict.