1. Explain the notion realist analysts of international relations call a “unipolar moment”. When does it emerge and why? How is this different from distributions of power in the past? What does it mean for the United States and its foreign policy? Why are so many realists insistent on referring to it as a unipolar “moment” rather than a “system”, as was the common naming convention for the balance of power in the past (e.g. multipolar system, bipolar system, etc.)?
2. Explain the NATO dilemma post-1989. Why do we see what we refer to as a “crisis of identity” with NATO following the dissolution of the Soviet Union? What is the continued significance of NATO in a post-Cold War world? What were some of the lingering concerns in the West (for the United States, specifically) of a disbanded NATO? How does NATO ultimately “re-brand” itself? Can you provide an example of an “out-of-area” mission for NATO during this period?
