UGC NET/JRF EXAM, Politics Including International Relations and Studies JANUARY-2025 – (PAPER-II)

Total Questions: 100

1. Which of the following is NOT the fundamental objective of national security?

Correct Answer: 4. Promoting universal tranquillity
Solution:The fundamental objectives of national security primarily include protecting a nation’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and ensuring internal peace and stability.

While promoting peace at a global level is ideal, it is not a core or fundamental objective of national security. That is more aligned with international diplomacy or global governance efforts.

2. Who among the following is known as the 'father of international law'?

Correct Answer: 3. Hugo Grotius
Solution:Hugo Grotius is widely regarded as the “father of international law” for his pioneering work in codifying principles of just war and legal norms between nations in his book De Jure Belli ac Pacis (On the Law of War and Peace), published in 1625.

3. The infamous 'Watergate scandal' is associated with the administration of which US President?

Correct Answer: 1. Richard Nixon
Solution:The Watergate scandal, involving a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters and the subsequent cover-up, led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974. This scandal severely damaged public trust in the U.S. government.

4. Who formulated the Neo-liberal traditions in International Relations?

Correct Answer: 2. Robert O. Keohane and Josaph Nye
Solution:Neo-liberal traditions in International Relations were chiefly developed by Robert O. Keohane and Joseph Nye.

Their work emphasized the role of international institutions, complex interdependence, and cooperation even in an anarchic international system.

5. Who among the following stated that "Geopolitics is a Pseudo-Science"?

Correct Answer: 3. H.J. Morgenthau
Solution:The statement “Geopolitics is a Pseudo-Science” is attributed to Hans J. Morgenthau. He was a prominent realist in International Relations who viewed the deterministic and geographical approach of classical geopolitics as overly simplistic.

6. The concept of mixed-motive game is offered by:

Correct Answer: 3. Thomas Schelling
Solution:The concept of the mixed-motive game originates from game theory, where situations involve both conflict and cooperation. Thomas Schelling, a Nobel laureate and strategic thinker, explored such games in his work on bargaining, deterrence, and conflict resolution during the Cold War.

Mixed-motive games are crucial in understanding international negotiations where states have both shared and opposing interests—such as arms control talks or trade negotiations.

7. The idea of "risk society" is given by:

Correct Answer: 2. Ulrich Beck
Solution:The concept of the “risk society” was introduced by Ulrich Beck, a German sociologist. In his 1986 book Risk Society:

Towards a New Modernity, Beck argued that industrial society had evolved into a risk society—where risks are increasingly man-made and global (such as climate change, nuclear accidents, or financial crises).

He emphasized that modern technological advancement brings unintended consequences that affect society, governance, and international relations.

8. Who coined the word "casino capitalism"?

Correct Answer: 4. Susan Strange
Solution:The phrase “casino capitalism” was coined by Susan Strange, a pioneering scholar in International Political Economy (IPE). In her 1986 book Casino Capitalism, she critiqued the global financial system, which she argued had become unstable,

speculative, and unpredictable—much like gambling in a casino. She highlighted the dangers of deregulated capital flows, short-termism, and the growing power of financial markets over states and societies.

9. Which one of the following Islands has no dispute between China and its neighbours?

Correct Answer: 2. Pitcairn Islands
Solution:The Pitcairn Islands, located in the South Pacific Ocean, are a British Overseas Territory and have no territorial disputes involving China or any of its neighbors.

In contrast, the Spratly Islands, Paracel Islands, and Scarborough Shoal are all part of the South China Sea dispute, where China’s territorial claims overlap with those of countries like Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.

10. The term "sustainable development" was firstly used by:

Correct Answer: 1. Brundtland Commission
Solution:The term “sustainable development” was first popularized by the Brundtland Commission (formally known as the World Commission on Environment and Development) in its 1987 report titled Our Common Future. The commission defined sustainable development as:

“Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

This concept became foundational in global environmental and developmental discourse, including the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).