Diplomacy & Politics Glossary

The active, nonviolent refusal to obey certain laws or demands of a government as a form of protest.

Jacques Derrida's deconstruction critiques traditional texts and ideas by exposing inherent contradictions and ambiguities within language.

A Marxist framework that views political and historical events as the result of conflicts between social forces driven by material needs.

A political and ethical philosophy advocating for social change through peaceful resistance and civil disobedience.

Jürgen Habermas argued that rational communication and dialogue are foundational for democratic legitimacy and social coordination.

A concept of shared humanity and community emphasizing interconnectedness and mutual respect.

A method proposed by John Stuart Mill to evaluate the moral worth of actions based on their consequences, balancing pleasure and pain to maximize overall happiness.

John Rawls’s method of testing moral intuitions by balancing principles and judgments for coherent justice.

The agreement among individuals to form a collective sovereign that represents the general will and ensures freedom through law.

Rawls's method for determining principles of justice by imagining decision-makers unaware of their own social status or natural abilities.