An international relations student who wants to understand current problems involving the Middle East, especially in Syria or involving the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL), would do best to use which of the following approaches to an understanding of world

politics?

a. the realist approach, since all the major players involved are traditional states, with the exception of the Islamic State
b. the liberal approach, mainly because non-state actors and problems such as global climate change are involved in Syria’s troubles
c. the constructivist approach, since social and cultural shifts in the Middle East have driven so much of the Syrian conflict, starting with the Arab Awakening protests of the early 2010s
d. a combination of the realist, liberal, and constructivist approaches, since the Syrian conflict is a contemporary one and all three approaches are best used in trying to understand a changing world

Answer: D