UGC NET/JRF EXAM, Politics Including International Relations and Studies SEPTEMBER – 2024 – (PAPER-II)

De’tente is a French term meaning “relaxation” or “easing of tensions” and is specifically used to describe a phase in the Cold War when the two superpowers — the United States and the Soviet Union — experienced a significant thaw in their otherwise adversarial relationship. This period is generally associated with the late 1960s to the late 1970s.

• It was marked by various arms control agreements such as SALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) in 1972 and the Helsinki Accords in 1975.

• De’tente aimed at reducing the risk of nuclear conflict and promoted diplomatic engagement, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange.

• However, this phase ended with renewed tensions due to events like Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979.

It was one of the major treaties that amended the Maastricht Treaty (1993), furthering the process of European integration.

• The treaty reformed the institutional structure of the European Union to better prepare it for the upcoming expansion towards Eastern Europe after the Cold War.
• It transferred certain powers from national governments to the European Parliament, extended qualified majority voting in the Council, and aimed to create an “area of freedom, security and justice.”
• It also enhanced the role of the High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy.

Cynthia Enloe is the author of the book “The Big Push: Exposing and Challenging the Persistence of Patriarchy,” published in 2017.

• The book critically explores how patriarchy persists in both overt and subtle ways in various global political, economic, and social systems.
•Enloe is a leading feminist scholar in the field of International Relations and has made significant contributions to feminist theory, focusing on militarization, nationalism, and global politics from a gendered perspective.
• “The Big Push” combines case studies and real-life examples to encourage both academic and non-academic audiences to recognize and challenge entrenched patriarchal norms.

Garrett Hardin wrote the famous essay “The Tragedy of the Commons,” which was published in the journal Science in 1968.

• Though it is commonly referred to as a book, it was originally an academic article and later included in various collections.
• The concept illustrates how individuals, acting in their self-interest regarding shared resources (like air, oceans, pastures), can ultimately deplete or destroy them, leading to collective loss.
• This idea has had a profound influence on environmental policy and the study of common-pool resource management.
• It supports arguments for regulated use of natural resources and informed public policy to prevent ecological collapse

Rajiv Gandhi was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

• The visit took place in December 1988, marking a major thaw in India-China relations that had been strained for over two decades.
• During his visit, both nations agreed to restore high-level political dialogue, and set up mechanisms to manage border issues.
• The visit laid the groundwork for future cooperation and confidence-building measures between the two countries, including trade normalization.
• This was a turning point in diplomatic ties, eventually leading to the 1993 and 1996 agreements on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) was established in May 2004 by the Government of India.

• Its primary aim was to attend to the matters concerning the Indian diaspora, including Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs), and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs).
• The ministry handled issues related to emigration, promoting overseas employment, protecting the rights of Indian workers abroad, and fostering links with Indian communities across the globe.
• In 2016, this ministry was merged with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to streamline operations and reduce bureaucratic overlap.

John Foster Dulles, who served as the U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959, is known for his firm stance during the Cold War.

• He famously stated that “neutrality is an immoral conception,” particularly criticizing nations that chose to stay neutral during the Cold War.

• His statement was a direct critique of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which included countries like India that refused to align with either the US or the USSR.

• Dulles believed neutrality enabled the spread of communism and was thus unethical in the bipolar ideological conflict of the Cold War era.

The India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Dialogue Forum was officially established in June 2003 through the adoption of the Brasilia Declaration.

• The forum was created to promote South-South cooperation among three major democracies and developing economies from Asia, South America, and Africa.

• Its goals include promoting mutual development, poverty alleviation, UN reform, trade, and cultural cooperation.

• The first IBSA summit took place in Brasilia, and the initiative aimed to enhance trilateral collaboration on global issues like climate change, WTO negotiations, and UN Security Council expansion.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh Empire, was the first Indian king to conquer Kabul.

• This significant event took place in 1834, when General Hari Singh Nalwa, one of his most trusted commanders, led the successful expedition to occupy the city.

• Under Ranjit Singh, the Sikh Empire extended its influence into parts of modern-day Afghanistan, including Peshawar and Kabul, marking a high point in northern Indian military reach toward the northwest frontier.

• His empire was known for secular governance, military strength, and efficient administration.

The Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, formally ending World War I.

• The treaty was signed at the Palace of Versailles in France between the Allied Powers and Germany.

• It held Germany solely responsible for the war and imposed severe economic reparations and territorial losses on it.

• Key provisions included the loss of German colonies, restrictions on the German military, and the creation of the League of Nations to prevent future conflicts.

• The treaty is widely considered one of the factors that led to the rise of nationalism in Germany and the outbreak of World War II.