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

The ANZUS alliance (Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty) was formed in 1951 as a collective security arrangement to ensure mutual defense and cooperation in the Pacific region.

• The treaty was signed on 1st September 1951 in San Francisco and came into force in 1952.

• It was a direct outcome of Cold War tensions and the need for a strong Pacific defense arrangement following World War II and the Korean War.

• Although originally trilateral, New Zealand’s participation in the alliance diminished after 1986 due to its anti-nuclear policy, but Australia and the U.S. continue to uphold the treaty strongly.

The book “Engaging India: Diplomacy, Democracy and the Bomb” was written by Strobe Talbott, who served as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State during the Clinton Administration.

• Published in 2004, the book provides a firsthand account of the U.S.-India diplomatic negotiations following India’s 1998 nuclear tests.

• It details the dialogue between Strobe Talbott and Indian External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, highlighting how the two countries bridged the gap between strategic interests and nuclear policy.

• The book offers deep insights into India-U.S. relations, the global non-proliferation regime, and the evolving nature of diplomacy in a post-Cold War world.

The United Kingdom became the first country to vote to leave the European Union in a historic referendum held on 23 June 2016.

• The term “Brexit” (British Exit) became the symbolic term for this political and economic departure.

• 51.9% voted in favor of leaving the EU, while 48.1% voted to remain.

• The official departure occurred on 31 January 2020, but the referendum of 2016 was the definitive political decision that initiated the process.

• The decision had major implications for global trade, immigration policy, and EU integration.

The idea of “Containment of Communism” was propounded by George F. Kennan, an American diplomat and historian.

• He articulated this strategy in his famous “Long Telegram” (1946) and later in the “X Article” published in Foreign Affairs in 1947.

• Kennan argued that the Soviet Union would expand its influence unless checked, and the U.S. must adopt a long-term strategy of containment to prevent the spread of communism.

• This theory became the cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy throughout the Cold War and led to initiatives like the Truman Doctrine, Marshall Plan, and formation of NATO.

The term “Femonationalism” was coined by Sara Farris, a political sociologist.

• She introduced the concept in her 2017 book titled “In the Name of Women’s Rights: The Rise of Femonationalism.”

• Femonationalism refers to the phenomenon where nationalist, xenophobic, and neoliberal forces co-opt feminist ideas to justify anti-immigration policies, especially targeting Muslim communities.

• It critiques how women’s rights are selectively used as a political tool to marginalize certain groups rather than genuinely promote gender equality.

• Farris’s work is influential in feminist theory, migration studies, and political sociology.

Argentina pulled out of its plan to join BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) despite having received an invitation to become a member in the expansion announced in August 2023.

• The newly elected President of Argentina, Javier Milei, announced in December 2023 that Argentina would not join the BRICS bloc.

• The decision was based on his administration’s foreign policy shift, focusing more on aligning with Western liberal democracies rather than emerging non-Western powers.

• This marked a reversal of the policy under the previous administration which had welcomed BRICS membership.

Brazil is not a member of the Pacific Alliance.

• The Pacific Alliance is a regional trade bloc officially established in 2012, composed of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru.

• Its main goal is to promote economic integration, free trade, and cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region.

• Brazil, though a major Latin American economy, is not part of the alliance and is more aligned with MERCOSUR, another South American trade bloc.

Critical Theory developed out of the works of the Frankfurt School, a group of German intellectuals and philosophers associated with the Institute for Social Research, founded in 1923.

• Key thinkers include Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, and later Jürgen Habermas.

• Critical theory critiques traditional social theory and aims to uncover the structures of power, ideology, and oppression within capitalist societies.

• It combines Marxist philosophy, psychoanalysis, and cultural criticism, focusing on emancipation and human liberation through critical self-reflection and social change.

The Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) was launched in the year 2000 through the Vientiane Declaration.

• The MGC is an initiative involving six countries: India, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

• It emphasizes cooperation in areas like culture, education, tourism, and transportation links between the Mekong sub-region and India.

• The declaration was adopted in Vientiane, Laos, during the First MGC Ministerial Meeting held in November 2000.

• The initiative strengthens people-to-people connectivity and enhances regional integration between India and Southeast Asia.