17.523: Ethnicity and Race in World Politics-Fall 2005 Prof. M. Nobles Lecture 13: International Dimensions of National Ethnopolitical Conflicts Back to the International stage. • When thinking about these conflicts, we think that they’re local but they have international dimensions. • In order to get a sense of the international dimensions of national conflicts, you must have a sense of the international arena. • International Relations (IR) Theory o The world is an anarchic place No governing body. There is no world government. States behave according to their own state’s interests. Countries routinely sign on to human rights treaties and then ignore them. o Separate supra-national organizations. NATO • North Atlantic Treaty Organizations-originally formed during the Cold War to protect Western Europe against the Soviet bloc. European Union • Euro is doing very well, better than the dollar. • What are the aspirations of the EU? o Economic unity o Open/Common borders o Regional Courts o Institutionalize cooperation among European states Advantage: The ability to compete against the U.S. economically and diplomatically. OPEC NAFTA • North America Free Trade Agreement o Reduce tariffs in trade o Between Canada and Mexico o Part of the idea was that it would bring economic prosperity for all three countries. o Student: we were losing a lot of jobs to the other countries. o Environmentalists were against NAFTA because when companies moved to Mexico, they didn’t obey American environmental standards, which they didn’t have to. o What would the labor activists have demanded from NAFTA: beef up labor laws (higher wages, health insurance, etc.) -1-o Environmentalists wanted NAFTA to require tougher environmental standards for American companies when moving to Mexico. OAS • Organization of American States • Members: U.S. Caribbean Islands, Canada, South and Central America • It’s been instrumental in providing cover for U.S. policy in the region. (e.g. when the U.S. overthrew Aristide of Haiti, we sought the support of the OAS.)
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