IB Global Politics Power Unit Vocabulary

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The use of coercive means such as military force or economic sanctions. Key Theorist: Joseph Nye (contrasts with soft power); Example: U.S. invasion of Iraq (2003). Sample Sentence: The U.S. used hard power in Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

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Hard Power

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The ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce. Key Theorist: Joseph Nye (originator of the term); Example: South Korea’s global cultural influence via K-pop. Sample Sentence: South Korea’s soft power has grown through its cultural exports like music and film.

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Soft Power

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A strategic combination of hard and soft power. Key Theorist: Joseph Nye; Example: Obama’s foreign policy approach. Sample Sentence: Smart power was evident in the U.S. strategy of combining drone strikes with diplomatic outreach in Pakistan.

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Smart Power

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A dominant power in the international system. Key Theorist: Antonio Gramsci (hegemony in cultural/political terms); Example: U.S. post-Cold War. Sample Sentence: The U.S. acted as a global hegemon by shaping international institutions like the IMF and World Bank.

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Hegemon

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Power derived from control over valuable resources. Key Theorist: Michael Klare (resource conflicts); Example: Russia’s gas exports to Europe. Sample Sentence: Russia’s resource power allows it to influence European energy policy.

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Resource Power

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Power that exists through interactions and relationships. Key Theorist: Robert Dahl; Example: China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Sample Sentence: China’s relational power is evident in its infrastructure investments across Africa and Asia.

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Relational Power

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The ability to shape outcomes without direct coercion. Key Theorist: Joseph Nye; Example: UN’s role in global health policy. Sample Sentence: The WHO’s influence was critical in coordinating the global response to COVID-19.

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Influence

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Power embedded in institutions and norms that shape global behavior. Key Theorist: Susan Strange (originator of the term); Example: Global financial system favoring Western economies. Sample Sentence: Structural power is evident in how global trade rules benefit industrialized nations.

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Structural Power

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The ability to use digital tools to achieve political objectives. Key Theorist: Thomas Rid (cyberwarfare); Example: Russian interference in 2016 U.S. elections. Sample Sentence: Cyberpower was demonstrated when hackers disrupted electoral systems in multiple countries.

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Cyberpower

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The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference. Key Theorist: Jean Bodin (early theorist); Example: Brexit as a reclaiming of sovereignty. Sample Sentence: Brexit was framed as a move to restore British sovereignty from EU institutions.

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Sovereignty