An Analysis of the Syrian Crisis from a Realist Perspective

This research paper offers an analysis of the Syrian Crisis in light of the Realist Theory of International Relations. It argues that Realism can provide a better explanation for the conduct of regional and international powers that intervene in the Syrian Crisis. As a preliminary, the paper will provide a historical overview of partition of Greater Syria since the beginning of the twentieth century to the establishment of the present-day Syrian state. This places the Syrian crisis within a historical context that the researcher believes is important for a deeper understanding of regional and international policies towards the Syrian Crisis.

Power and Its Importance in International Relations

The events, the developments and the international changes are based on the tracks that always deviate as the result of wills struggle between the forces and states. In the sense that the political crises that countries face means a set of interactions among the forces that have conflict which may reach to a confrontation. So we must be aware of the political and economic changes, according to the scientific methods to understand what threatens the interests of the states. Many of the sequential crises throughout history are resulted from the use of the power which is based on the object of the available resources. Therefore, the power is the practical exercise and the political investment abroad and that happens through diplomacy or war so that the state can determine its objectives, and decide what to choose among those of power tools. The forces and the states have seek to own the overall power in order to be the motivator of the political units within the framework of the international community. There are countries which benefit from the wars set in their agendas in advance to achieve the aims of their policy. War is still an essential tool for states, governments and groups to achieve their interests through direct conflict, or through the threat of sanctions, or through aids, including the so-called soft power, and sometimes through the form of international legitimacy, including the emergence of the term "fighting terrorism" and what accompanied it of global changes led to politically, militarily, economically and technologically submission to the powerful nations.

Positivism and its Critics in International Relations (A Critical Studies of Positivist Theories)

The last few decades witnessed the rise of new approaches or frameworks in the study of International relations. These new approaches are called post positivism. Most of these approaches share a common view regarding the positivist theories which dominated international relations and political science for more than sixty years. The new directions criticize the methodology and the epistemological and ontological assumptions of positivism. In this paper we try to evaluate the contribution of the positivist theories in international relations and the arguments of the new approaches, mainly Critical theory, post-modernism and social constructivism.

Constructivism in International Relations

The last few decades have witnessed a substantial development in the study of International Relations. Many new theories and approaches have become part of the current debate within international relations. One of these new approaches is Constructivism which many scholars believe constitutes a bridge between the positivist theories and the post-positivist theories. This study seeks to examine the basic assumptions of Constructivism and its contribution to the study of international relations

المعوقات التي تواجه العلاقات بين الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية و الاتحاد الأوروبي

على الرغم من تحسن العلاقات الأوروبية -الأمريكية و ذلك من خلال التصويت الأوروبي على قرار مجلس الأمن الدولي رقم/ 1929 / في حزيران 2010 الذي أقر عقوبات ضد إيران بسبب ملفها في كوسوفو (ESDP) النووي، و المشاركة الأمريكية في عمليات السياسة الأمنية و الدفاعية الأوروبية في التسعينيات من القرن العشرين، إلاَّ أن هذه العلاقات مازالت تعاني العديد من المشكلات، و جاء رفض الرئيس الأمريكي باراك أوباما حضور قمة الاتحاد الأوروبي و الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية في أيار 2010، و قبلها عدم المشاركة في احتفالات الذكرى العشرين لسقوط جدار برلين، ليثبت ذلك. فما أهم العوامل التي تؤثر في تطور العلاقات الأمريكية- الأوروبية؟ و ما أهم السيناريوهات المطروحة للتعاون بين الجانبين؟

أنسنة التربية كموجه للعلاقات الدولية في الإسلام

هدف هذا البحث إلى تقديم تصور الإسلام للآخر –حسب فهم الباحث- و كيفية العلاقة به. و ذلك بغرض المساهمة في الحفاظ على هوية الأمة، و توجيه العلاقة مع الآخر، و المشاركة الحضارية في بناء علاقات دولية خَيرة. و قد استخدم البحث المنهج الفلسفي التحليلي، و توصل إلى أن رؤية الإسلام للآخر تتسم بالإيجابية و الاحترام، و يوجه الإسلام إلى علاقات دولية تقوم على العدل و الإحسان و التعاون.