International relations

Meaning & Scope

Definition: International Relations (IR) is the study of relationships among states, international organizations, non-governmental actors, and multinational corporations in the global arena.

Scope:

✳️ Diplomacy & foreign policy ✳️International law & organizations (UN,         WTO, etc.)

✳️Global issues: security, environment, human rights, terrorism

✳️International political economy

Evolution of IR

Ancient Roots: Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Greek city-states, Roman Empire.

Modern IR: Emerged after World War I (1919) with the League of Nations.

Post-World War II: Rise of United Nations, Cold War politics.

Post-Cold War (1991): Globalization, rise of non-state actors, multipolar world.

Major Theories of IR

(a) Realism

Focus: Power, national interest, survival of the state.

Key Thinkers: Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hans Morgenthau.

Motto: “International politics is a struggle for power.”

(b) Liberalism

Focus: Cooperation, international institutions, democracy, trade.

Key Thinkers: Immanuel Kant, Woodrow Wilson.

Belief: “Democratic peace” & interdependence reduces war.

(c) Marxism / Critical Theory

Focus: Economic inequality, imperialism, capitalism as root of conflicts.

Thinkers: Karl Marx, Lenin, Immanuel Wallerstein (World-Systems Theory).

(d) Constructivism

Focus: Ideas, identities, norms shape international politics.

Example: Cold War ended not only due to power shift but change in ideology.

(e) Feminist IR

Focus: Gendered dimensions of war, peace, and diplomacy.

 Key Concepts

▶️Sovereignty – supreme authority of a state within its territory.

▶️Balance of Power – states prevent dominance of one by creating alliances.

▶️National Interest – primary driver of foreign policy.

▶️Power – military, economic, soft power (culture, diplomacy).

▶️Global Governance – international cooperation to manage world affairs.

Important International Organizations

United Nations (UN) – peace, security, human rights, development.

World Trade Organization (WTO) – regulates trade.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) & World Bank – finance & development.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – collective security.

BRICS, G20, ASEAN, EU, African Union – regional & global cooperation.

Contemporary Issues in IR

Globalization vs. protectionism.

Terrorism & security challenges.

Climate change & sustainable development.

Human rights & humanitarian interventions.

Rise of China, decline of US hegemony → multipolar world order.

Russia–Ukraine conflict, Middle East crisis, Indo-Pacific geopolitic

Methods of Studying IR

Historical Approach – understanding past events.

Legal Approach – role of international law.

Philosophical Approach – values, ethics, justice.

Scientific/Behavioral Approach – data, case studies, models

✨ In short: IR = study of power, cooperation

, and conflicts among global actors. It explains why wars happen, how peace is built, and how globalization connects (and divides) the world.