GLOA 720: Capstone

Theoretical interpretation of ISIS

Paper #3

By Christina Lambert

10/3/2014

Choose a global problem and demonstrate how different responses follow from different theories or worldviews. Which one of these theories do you think best provides an answer to your chosen global problem? Why? Daniel Drezner’s book does the same to analyze an invasion from zombies.

Globalization has made our world very connected- anyone can turn on the news and see

events that are happening thousands of miles away in real time, or log onto Twitter and

communicate with someone in a foreign country. Any problem that happens in one place is

bound to spread to other regions, and that is why the study of global affairs is so important in

today’s world.

International relations theories are used to provide perspective into various global issues.

Some of the most well-known theories are realism, neorealism, liberalism, neoliberalism,

constructivism, feminist thought, domestic politics, bureaucratic politics, and basic needs theory.

Any one issue can be applied to these theories, and each will provide a different response. For

example, the issue of the recent terrorist activity in the Middle East that has been brought about

by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), can be looked at through different theories and

show different things.

ISIS, which was previously called the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), was

originally part of al-Qaeda in Iraq and fought American troops in the 2003 invasion of Iraq1.

They became involved in the Syrian civil war, which began in the spring of 2011.2 Due to a weak

central government in both Iraq and Syria, ISIS has been able to spread, gain more followers,

and instigate more violence. ISIS gained widespread attention in the Western world after the

beheadings of two American journalists and a British aid worker in 2014, which were recorded

on video.3 Although ISIS had been on the United States’ (US) radar for a decade, the beheadings

catapulted the terrorist organization to the forefront of the world stage. The US has responded

1 “ISIS Fast Facts,” CNN, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/isis-fast-facts/ 2 “ISIS Fast Facts,” CNN, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/isis-fast-facts/3 “ISIS Fast Facts,” CNN, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/isis-fast-facts/

with airstrikes, saying that the threat of ISIS planning an attack on US soil is a very real

concern.4

When looking at ISIS and the response of the US to ISIS, the theories of realism,

constructivism, and bureaucratic politics can be used. According to realist theory, the main actor

on the world stage is Nation-States, and their actions are based on their own self-interest.

Realism claims that there is anarchy in the world without a dominant power, called a hegemony.

The US is a Nation-State, but it is tricky to define what exactly ISIS is. The US views ISIS as a

non-state actor, although ISIS has a different view of itself- they are seeking to remove all

borders in the Middle East and create a caliphate, or a sovereign Nation-State of members of the

Islamic faith.5 Under realist theory, the US does not view ISIS as a Nation-State, so the US is

trying to eliminate ISIS in order for Nation-States in the Middle East, like Iraq and Syria, to

regain control of their rightful territory. As the dominant world hegemony, the US is exerting its

power and trying to restore the world order. The US is also acting in its own self-interest, which

is to protect itself from attack from ISIS and to prevent more Americans in the Middle East from

being beheaded or hurt. And ISIS, believing itself to be a sovereign state, is acting in its own

self-interest to unite all Muslims in one state.

Constructivism is a very different theory, but it can still pertain to the ISIS crisis.

Constructivism states that there are many actors on the world stage- they include not only

Nation-States, but also international organizations, like the United Nations (UN), non-state

actors, and individuals, too. These actors socialize each other, and this creates norms. In regards

to the ISIS crisis, ISIS is seeking to unite all Muslims, and this will establish a norm of all

4 Mark Palmer, “Air Strikes Will Never Work, Say the Troops Fighting ISIS,” Newsweek, October 1, 2014, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.newsweek.com/2014/10/10/air-strikes-will-never-work-say-troops-fighting-isis-274491.html 5 “ISIS Rebels Declare ‘Islamic State’ in Iraq and Syria,” BBC News, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28082962

Muslims coming together as one and the borders between Middle Eastern countries eliminated to

create one Nation-State. In terms of the US response, the US has taken action to fight ISIS. This

sets the norm of taking action, and it may promote US allies to follow suit and carry out

airstrikes against ISIS.

Finally, the bureaucratic policies theory views bureaucrats as the main actors on the

world stage. Internal decision-making, especially in regards to foreign policy, drives their

actions. In terms of the ISIS crisis, the US decision to carry out airstrikes reflects American

bureaucrats in Washington, DC deciding how the US should respond to ISIS. Bureaucrats could

have taken a different route and made ISIS an ally or trading partner, although they most likely

decided to take action against ISIS as a result of the beheadings of the American journalists and

ISIS threats against the US.

Of these three theories, realism describes the ISIS crisis the best. Realism accurately

identifies Nation-States as actors who are engaging in power conflicts and struggles. This is what

is happening as the US tries to battle ISIS. Realism also brings up the concept of chaos and

anarchy in the absence of a hegemony. As the world hegemony, the US is asserting its

dominance against ISIS to restore world order. Constructivism promotes the idea of norms being

created, and although this theory can be applied to the ISIS crisis, realist theory more accurately

portrays the power struggle that is occurring between the US and ISIS. The same can be said of

bureaucratic theory- it can again be applied, but it does not address the power struggle and

hegemony factor that realism does. Therefore, realist theory is the theory that most appropriately

applies to the ISIS global problem.

Bibliography

“ISIS Fast Facts,” CNN, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/08/world/isis fastfacts/

“ISIS Rebels Declare ‘Islamic State’ in Iraq and Syria,” BBC News, accessed October 2, 2014,http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-28082962

Mark Palmer, “Air Strikes Will Never Work, Say the Troops Fighting ISIS,” Newsweek, October1, 2014, accessed October 2, 2014, http://www.newsweek.com/2014/10/10/air-strikes

will-never-worksay-troops-fighting-isis-274491.html