International relations is the study of nations’ interactions with each other, and their involvement in global issues such as peace, conflict and economic development. It is a vast academic field, with strong links to other disciplines such as politics, history, geography, economics and law.
One of the top reasons to study international relations is the chance it gives you to develop your leadership skills. This is a key aspect of the subject and will serve you well in whichever career path you follow, whether that’s working in government or business.
IR is a multidisciplinary subject that draws on a range of methodologies and theories, from the most orthodox to the more progressive. These include realism, liberalism and neorealism, as well as Marxism, postmodernism, constructivism and other critical theory.
A particular concept in international relations is polarity, the idea that some countries are inevitably more powerful than others, creating instability and the risk of war. This is a central part of Kenneth Waltz’s neorealism. Theories of balance of power, in which alliances prevent the rise of a hegemon, are also popular.
Another approach is democratic peace, which argues that democracies will not go to war with each other, as they externalize their norms and respect each other’s sovereignty. This is the basis of the European Union’s enlargement policy, which requires candidate states to meet certain criteria before joining the bloc. Finally, the ‘naming and shaming’ of states by large human rights NGOs such as Amnesty is often seen as an important tool in influencing international politics.
