"International Relations (IR) are the interactions among sovereign states."
The study of the relationships between countries, including diplomacy and foreign policy.
State sovereignty: Refers to the ability of a state to govern itself without external interference.
International law: The rules and regulations governing relations between states.
Diplomacy: The art of conducting negotiations between states and other international actors.
International organizations: Institutions such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and World Health Organization, with a specific mandate to address global issues.
Political systems: The different forms of government that exist globally, such as democracy, autocracy, and totalitarianism.
Military and security: The use of force and the management of national security.
Political economy: The study of the relationship between politics and economics, including trade, international finance, and globalization.
Global governance: The mechanisms and institutions that regulate global affairs.
Human rights: The protection and promotion of basic human rights, freedom, and dignity.
Globalization: The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of economies, societies, and cultures across national borders.
Environmental issues: The study of natural resources, sustainable development, and climate change.
Terrorism and international security: The threat of terrorism and how state actors respond to it.
Development studies: The study of economic, social, and political development in developing countries.
Cultural studies: The impact of global cultural diversity on international relations.
Area studies: A region-specific analysis of political, economic, and cultural factors that shape international relations in a particular geographic area.
Realism: This is the most prominent and traditional approach to IR. It assumes that states exist in an anarchical system where they are primary actors and seek to maximize their own security and power. As such, they act rationally and in self-interest.
Liberalism: This approach emphasizes the importance of international institutions and cooperation between states. It assumes that cooperation, trade, and diplomacy can lead to greater peace and prosperity. Liberalists argue that peace can be achieved through democratic governance, human rights, and free markets.
Constructivism: This theory emphasizes the role of ideas, identities, and culture in shaping international relations. It seeks to understand how actors construct their perceptions of the world, and how these perceptions in turn shape their behavior.
Marxism: This approach focuses on the inequalities that arise from the capitalist system and the conflicts between different classes. It seeks to understand the role of economic power and inequality in shaping international relations.
Postmodernism: This approach argues that there is no single objective reality, and that meanings and identities are constructed through discourse. It seeks to understand how language, culture, and perceptions shape political interactions.
Feminism: This approach emphasizes the role of gender in shaping international relations. It argues that women's experiences and perspectives are often overlooked, and that gender power dynamics play a major role in shaping international relations.
Critical Theory: This approach seeks to understand the underlying power dynamics that shape international relations. It emphasizes the role of power, inequality, and domination in shaping global politics.
Environmentalism: This approach emphasizes the importance of environmental issues in shaping international relations. It seeks to understand how global environmental problems, such as climate change and deforestation, impact political interactions.
International Political Economy: This field of study focuses on the intersection of economics and politics in an international context. It seeks to understand how economic actors, such as multinational corporations, impact international relations.
Security Studies: This field of study focuses on issues of military and national security. It seeks to understand the strategies and tactics that states use to protect themselves, as well as the international laws and ethical frameworks that govern military behavior.
"It concerns all activities among states—such as war, diplomacy, trade, and foreign policy—as well as relations with and among other international actors."
"Other international actors, such as intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), international legal bodies, and multinational corporations (MNCs)."
"There are several schools of thought within IR, of which the most prominent are realism, liberalism, and constructivism."
"International relations is widely classified as a major subdiscipline of political science."
"It also often draws heavily from other fields, including anthropology, economics, geography, law, philosophy, sociology, and history."
"International relations did not become a discrete field until 1919."
"...first offered as an undergraduate major by Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom."
"...in response to the geostrategic concerns of the Cold War."
"The collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent rise of globalization in the late 20th century."
"The scientific study of those interactions is called international studies, international politics, or international affairs."
"The collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent rise of globalization."
"Itergovernmental organizations (IGOs), international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs), international legal bodies, and multinational corporations (MNCs)."
"...such as war, diplomacy, trade, and foreign policy."
"...particularly in North America and Western Europe."
"International relations is widely classified as a major subdiscipline of political science."
"...geostrategic concerns of the Cold War."
"It also often draws heavily from other fields, including anthropology, economics, geography, law, philosophy, sociology, and history."
"The collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent rise of globalization."
"...war, diplomacy, trade, and foreign policy."