1. Why does methodology matter to the field of international relations, and how?
Introduction
Many relations exist between organizations. These relations are responsible for the actions that happen between these organizations. The broader groups such as countries as well as international organizations employ these strategies in ensuring that they maintain relations between each group. These relations help these countries and other organizations help each other through exchange of ideas or aid methods.
This methodology is very important to the field of international relations. Qualitative methods have made major countries come up with solutions to their problems as well as major international relations inventions have been made. Through using interviewers, we are able to arrive at the best opinions and answers that assist in formulation of policies. The use of different methodologies in the field of international relations is very important. There are two main methods of methodologies in the field of international relations. The first method is the qualitative method. This method applies the use of different ways of obtaining data using historical representatives, process tasting, content analysis, agent–modeling as well as pragmatic analysis. The use of case studies is also applied. In this method, researchers go out and collect data in the respective data collection points. In these points, the researchers are able to document the data that they collect. The collated data is analyzed and through it, we arrive at inferences. Apart from the formulation of policies, qualitative methodology has helped the countries arrive at the best theory through careful and thorough analysis of the case studies.
Quantitative methodology
The quantitative data analysis allows political scientists to gather data from numerous sources. This data collection method in international relation is simply and obvious in nature. The ability to gather different types of information from numerous sources allows for comparison and contrasting of info (Cerny 1995:605). The magnitude of how extracting information from say a thousand different sources all having individual attitudes and beliefs shows just how rich the information that will be extracted will be. The product and revised information derived even from simple statistical data will go a long way in the descriptive analysis of the data at hand.
Quantitative data analysis is the generalization of a research on a wider scale. As stated above, thousands of data enhancing reports all of different backgrounds and individual attitudes are gathered and used to come up with a general view of a particular topic. Survey, one way of quantitative research methods, has been useful in international relations research. When caring out this research people from different national backgrounds, ages and sex, are ask to fill the questionnaire. The resulting data is classified into groups according to the ages and nationalities. This helps political scientists to know the differences in behaviour and thinking of people of different nationalities and ages. This method of research matters in that it also gives similarities. These two methodologies have been widely used in different parts of the world to establish the desired relations.
Examples of how qualitative and quantities methodologies have been applied
When the cold war ended, leverage and linkage were responsible in making international relations between some countries prosper. This was determined through careful analysis of collaborating countries by the host countries. The relations caused external democratization influence on the countries that depend on the others maybe by having debts. This may create positive effects such as economic boosts when the linkage is an economic linkage or negative effects when the countries are weak and receive western democratizing pressure (Rivke Jaffe 2006:25). This linkage also reshapes the domestic balance of power that is seen in weak countries that have authoritarian regimes.
Countries may also relate by using the method of solving crime between them by the establishment of international agencies that help in solving international crime. An example is the formation of the International Criminal Court, which was established so that it may enforce justice on any state, or nation that signed the bounding statute if at all they fail to provide justice. Through careful qualitative analysis on countries where justice seemed to have been absconded, the United Nations Security Council together with the representatives of a few countries came up with the establishment of the International Criminal Court. This creates a chance for countries that have weak court systems to have crimes that involve the whole state solved. An example is, the 1994 Rwanda genocide that led to the death of many innocent people, there was an urge to form a system that would be in unison with other countries’ wishes to have the perpetrators be brought to justice (Meunier 2009:15). This formation of the court it unites the countries on a common ground where peace is the main goal. It is through the credibility of the courts system that the countries are united.
There are countries that are able to relate through sharing different forms of power. This method of international relations however depends on the form of power shared by these countries. Countries that have an autocratic type of rule, will try to pass the same type of rule to the neighboring countries. For these two countries to relate, a careful observation must have happened between them as well as interviews. This is an example of how qualitative analysis is important while restoring international relation. For instance, China does little to the developing autocratic regimes of North Korea and Myanmar.
Countries have also united by forming human right commissions through which human rights activists are able to fight for people’s rights. This was arrived at after careful analysis of statistics showed that many countries in the 20th century lost many people to domestic violence than to battles. The use of statistical data to establish the rate of human right violation is an example of how quantitative methodology plays an integral role in promoting international relations among neighboring countries. This method of advocating for human rights fosters international relations by ensuring that the countries that have formed the particular human rights commissions will see justice delivered. This method of interaction between countries and government brings positive results to those who relate to each other. As a result, cases of human rights violation ceases and justice begins prevail in these countries.
There are international relations that are established when international non-governmental organizations meet and relate. Through these relationships, the organizations are able to share information as well as vital knowledge in solving different contemporary issues that have risen in the world as well as extending help to the organizations that are affected. Through qualitative analysis, these organizations are able to decide upon which strategies and plan to use. This involves analysis of the data about the places or groups where they intend to work. The relation between these groups helps them in developing good strategies as well as programs that will be helpful in solving most of the contemporary issues in the world.
Some international relations have been created through industrial relations. In this case, countries share industrial knowledge and innovations to help each other. This happens particularly when developed countries help developing countries realize their potentials by either offering them machinery efforts, personnel efforts or through the sharing of ideas by creating international science forums (Barth, 2003:573). In these forums, new scientific ideas are shard so that the countries that are relating may apply those ideas mainly for the betterment of the citizen lives in their respective countries.
In conclusion, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies matter in the restoration of international relations. An analysis of the data and information collected from countries where crime has prevailed; determine the courses of action required to solve the existing problem. Regions where crime rate are on the rise countries unite to form collaborations throughout the region in order to solve the different crimes. For instance, countries have been sending peacekeepers in the fighting nations to try to restore peace in these fighting countries. These relations help the countries that are experiencing fighting have peace. We have seen these peacekeeping missions in countries like Yugoslavia, Serbia and recently in Somalia.
