### Economic Sanctions:

**Definition:**

Economic sanctions are a form of punitive measure taken by one or more countries against a targeted country, group, or individual in an attempt to influence their behavior and policies by restricting trade and/or financial transactions. These sanctions can take various forms such as tariffs, trade barriers, import quotas, currency restrictions, and asset freezes. The purpose of economic sanctions is typically to achieve political, economic, or social change when diplomatic efforts have failed, often intended to discourage certain activities or policies deemed undesirable by the imposing entities, without resorting to military action.

Sanctions are enforced through the cooperation of international bodies, such as the United Nations, or unilaterally by individual countries. They can have significant impacts on the targeted entities by hindering their economic growth and development, causing inflation, unemployment, and other economic hardships. However, the effectiveness of sanctions can be mixed and they may also have unintended consequences, including negative effects on the civilians of the targeted nation and possible escalation of conflicts.

**References for Additional Information:**

1. `Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)` – The CFR provides an in-depth overview of economic sanctions, including their purposes, effectiveness, and impact on international relations. You can find more information on economic sanctions on their website:
(https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-are-economic-sanctions)

2. `The United Nations` – As a major international body that often coordinates sanctions across member states, the United Nations’ website provides information on the various sanctions committees and regimes that are currently in operation, including specific details about measures in place and their intended outcomes.
(https://www.un.org/securitycouncil/sanctions/information)