Political Science and International Relations

Feminist approach to international politics is biased. Comment. UPSC 2014 Paper 2A - Qn 1d Women, in the west emerged as a distinct interest group in the early 19th century because of the democratic revolutions of the 17th century and the industrial revolution.  Institutionalization of male dominance over women across all institutions of society, according to Gerda Lerner, does not mean that every individual man is always in a dominant position and that every individual woman is always in a subordinate position. So, feminists in international politics rather than talking in a neutral tone would talk keeping the women's interest in mind. They take the platform of international politics as a medium to advance women's issues. Feminists recognize that women are placed in an inferior position in society and that this hierarchy is based on gender.  It is deliberate that it focuses on the socially constructed roles that ‘women’ occupy in world politics. Over 1 to 3% of the wo...

Do you agree that the U.N. has failed to contain transnational terrorism? Elaborate your answer with examples. UPSC 2014 Paper 2A Qn 1c The United Nations adopted Security Council Resolution No. 1373 in the wake of the attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 to curb the spread of international terrorism. UN's efforts in Countering terrorism - The creation of the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) demonstrates the institutional focus on combating terrorism through policy recommendations and technical assistance. The UN General Assembly's Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2006) emphasizes a multi-pronged approach that includes preventive measures, law enforcement, and capacity-building. It aims to tackle root causes like radicalization and extremism. Sanctions - The Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee established in 1999 has made it more difficult for terrorists to access funding. Failures and Limitations - Fragmented enfo...

The party  system in India is neither Western nor indigenous. Explain . UPSC 2014 Paper 2A Qn 1a The party system in India is described as neither entirely Western nor fully indigenous because it embodies a unique hybrid structure, blending elements of both imported models and native socio-political realities. It reflects the nation's diverse socio-cultural conditions, its historical evolution, and the need to reconcile modern democratic principles with traditional forms of organization and governance. Western influence on the Indian Party system - India's party system is adopted based on the inspiration of the British Parliamentary system. India owes features like free and fair elections, democratic governance, etc., to the British. However, it is later adapted to fit the local needs. Morris Jones termed Indian democracy as "the third world model", suggesting that while it is inspired by the British model, it functions under conditions that pay attention not...