International Relations

Introduction to  International Relations

International Relations is the Study of the relationships between and among the States. As a branch of Political Science, International Relations (IR) focuses on the study the relationships among countries, the roles of sovereign states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations. It focusses on a wide range of topics, including diplomacy, conflict, trade, and the global economy, as well as issues like human rights, environmental protection, and international law.

Meaning of International Relations

The term “INTERNATIONAL” first used by Jeremy Bentham in his book “ An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation ” in later part of the 18^th century to define the relationships between the sovereign states.       

International Relations Definition

Hans j Morgenthau: International Relation is struggle of power among states in the International system.

Palmer and Perkins: International Relations is a subject concerned with the state system.

Hartman: International Relations is a field of study focused upon the process by which States adjust their national interests to those of states

In conclusion, International Relations is the systematic study of “ interaction “ among different actors( Nation States, International Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, MNCs, and Individuals) at International stage.

International Relations and International Politics

International Relations

International Politics

International Relations is the relations between and among the states. It covers all forms of relations like political relations, economic relations, cultural relations, military-technical cooperation and more. International Relations is a broad concept because it includes every aspect of relations between states.

International Politics deals with only the political relations between and among the states. It covers all political conflicts between states, reason behind the conflicts, conflict resolution and promotion of political cooperation among states. International Politics is a narrower concept than International Relations because it is only a component of International Relations and covers only political relation between and among the states.

Development of International Relations

The development of International Relations (IR) as a subject of study and practice has been formed by various historical events, power shifts, and changing global dynamics. The development of IR can be understood through several key phases:

1. Pre-Westphalian Era (Before 1648)

In pre- Westphalian era of 17th century, the concept of international relations did not exist like as it exist in today. In that period, relations between political entities were largely governed and shaped by feudal, religious, and dynastic ties. But there are several instances like the interactions between the various city-states of ancient Greece, the diplomatic relations in the Roman Empire, and the power struggles between medieval European kingdoms were early reflections of international relations.

2. Westphalian System (1648 – 19th Century)

The Thirty Years’ War(1618-1648) in Europe was ended with the signing of The Peace of Westphalia, which is known as the beginning of the modern state system. The treaty established the important concept of state sovereignty, that states have their supreme authority over their own territories both in domestic and international affairs without any kind of external interference.

According to the Westphalian system, the nation-state are the primary actor in international relations. The era is the beginning of the importance of state power, the establishment of permanent diplomatic missions, and the development of the concept of international law.

3. 19th Century and the Concert of Europe (1815 – 1914)

After the Napoleonic Wars, the major European powers like – Britain, Russia, Prussia, Austria, and later France established a system of regular meetings and consultations to maintain the balance of power in Europe to prevent major conflicts. This period is known as the Concert of Europe.

The 19th century was the century of balance of power politics, colonial expansion, and the rise of nationalism. International relations in that time were mainly Eurocentric, because European powers dominating the global politics of that time.

4. Interwar Period and the Birth of IR as a Discipline (1919 – 1939)

After the devastating effect of World War I, states are rethinking about the international relations. Important focus of each state was to preventing future conflicts that time . The League of Nations was established in Jan 10, 1920 as the first international organization with the aim to maintain peace and security through out the world, although it was later failed to prevent World War II.

Birth of IR as a Discipline: The this period, International Relations developed as an academic discipline. The first IR department was established at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales in 1919.

This period was witnessed the clash between idealism and realism. where idealism emphasized international cooperation and peace, realism focused on power politics and national interests.

5. Cold War Era -The Era of Bipolarity(1945 – 1991)

After World War II, the global order was dominated by the Cold War, the ideological battle between the United States and the Soviet Union which lead to a bipolar international system. The ideological battle between capitalism and communism, as well as the emerging threat of nuclear war.

In this era of bipolarity, Realism became the dominant theory in IR. Scholars like Hans Morgenthau emphasizing the importance of power and national interest and other theories like liberalism (which focused on institutions and cooperation) and constructivism (which examined the role of ideas and identities) also gained traction.

Global Institutions like The United Nations , NATO, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank were established to promote global cooperation and prevent conflicts. However, the Cold War saw numerous proxy wars, arms races, and competition for influence in the developing world such as The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962), the Vietnam War, the Helsinki Accords (1975), and the arms control treaties like the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) are notable events of this period.

6. Post-Cold War Era (1991 – Present)

With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the United States emerged as the only one superpower, which is popularly known as a “unipolar world order.” This period saw an expansion and development of democracy, globalization, and liberalism.

The new challenges arises after the post-Cold War period were ethnic conflicts, humanitarian crises, terrorism, and the rise of non-state actors. The 9/11 attacks in 2001 also highlighted a great threat of international terrorism.

But In recent years, there is e shift from unipolarity to multipolarity with the rise of China, India, Australia and other emerging powers challenging U.S. dominance that created competitive and diplomatic relation among great powers.

In the post-Cold War period, various new theories arises with greater emphasis on constructivism, critical theories, feminism, and post-colonialism that challenge traditional state-centric approaches of International Relations.

7. Contemporary Challenges and Future Directions

The contemporary world is based on Globalization and Interdependence. The world has increasing interconnectedness through trade, communication, and technology, making international cooperation an essential for addressing global challenges like climate change, pandemics, terrorism and economic instability.

The revival of Russia and the rise of China have led to renewed great power competition, that raise a concerns about the future stability in the international system. Global governance institutions like the UN, WTO, and WHO and Non-state actors like terrorist organizations, multinational corporations, and international NGOs, play an increasingly important role in global affairs and changing international landscape.

Nature of International Relations

states are the primary actors of IR:

States are the key actors of International Relations and International relations is primarily a process of interactions among nations. There are several other actors like IGOs, NGOs, and MNCs but the primacy always belongs to the states because these states always control all types of conflict and violence in International Relations.

National Interest is the objective of IR:

National Interest is the objective of International relations that each nation attempts to secure it with the maintenance of the relation with other relations. International Relations is an art for the states to secure their national interest by using control over other states.

Conflict as the condition of IR:

Conflicts, cooperation, coercion, and persuasion are always present in International Relations. So the study of International Relations involves a study of conflict and conflict resolution among nations.

Power as the Means as well as End in IR:

Power is both means as well as an end in International Relations. Every nation uses power for their national interest and each and every nation is continuously working for acquiring, increasing and maintaining their National Power. so International relations is a continuous struggle for power between and among nations.

IR involves continuous interaction among Nations:

International Relations involves continuous interaction between and among the nations. The interaction can be cooperative, competitive, or conflictual in nature. Every nation interacts with each other through various treaties, economic ties, diplomatically arranged meetings, etc. In the era of interdependence, the scope of interactions among and between the nations is becoming a  continuous process.

Interaction among Foreign Policies:

Foreign policy is known as the behavior of a state towards other states. Every nation formulates its foreign policy according to its national interest. Nowadays there is a large number of interactions and ties between the nations to secure their foreign policy goals. 

Scope of International Relations

The scope of the study of IR includes the following major areas\issues\topics: –

Nation-states:

International Relations is the study of interactions between and among the states and in International Relations nation-states are the primary actors. So the study of International Relations covers national interests, national power, technology, the military strength of every nation-state, and their interactions with others.

National Interest:

National interest is the objective and goal of International relations. Every nation wants to secure its national interest for which the nation interacts with others and make relations with other nations and organization.  We can say there is always a national interest behind the relations and interactions between nations on the international stage.

National power:

The concept of national power is the core concept of International Relations. Every nation wants to increase, secure, and maintain its national power for which it diplomatically interacts with other nations. Power and security are the main aims behind the International relations so International Relations covers the study of national power.

Foreign Policy:

The behaviour of each and every state is always directed and formulated by their foreign policy. The power and position of a state in the international system can be recognized by its foreign policy strategies and implementations. So the study of foreign policy expands the scope of International Relations.

International organizations, Agencies, Institutions and Associations:

International relations is not only the relations between and among the nations but also it covers the study of various international organizations (United Nations, World Trade Organizations, etc) regional organizations like SAARC, European Union, ASEAN etc, and many other institutions, agencies and associations which are playing an important role in shaping and affecting the decisions of nation-states.

Non-state organizations and actors:

Rise of several active and non-political non-state actors like NGOs, MNCs, TNCs, Human rights organizations, environmental, and peace movements also expand the scope of International Relations. These are playing an important role in the international stage and largely influenced the decisions and foreign policies of the nation-states.

Public Policy and International Relations

Public Policy and International Relations are interconnected fields which examine how governments create and implement policies, not only within their own borders but also in the context of the global environment. While public policy focuses on domestic governance, International Relations explores the interactions between states and other global actors. Together, they help us understand how national policies influence and are influenced by international dynamics.

Study of current Global issues and challenges before The international community of Nations:-

The scope of International relations covers the study of various current global issues and challenges like- Terrorism, Issues related to Climate change, protection of human rights, sustainable development, nuclear disarmament, etc. and these studies make International relations as a dynamic and vast subject of study.

Thus, the nature and scope of International Relations have been a very vast, dynamic and it is still rapidly expanding.

India’s Foreign Policy

Frequently Asked Questions:

Best College for ma international relations in India : Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi Jadavpur University, Kolkata South Asian University (SAU), New Delhi University of Delhi, New Delhi Symbiosis School of International Studies (SSIS), Pune

Eligibility for masters in international relations : A candidate must have completed their bachelor degree or any equivalent degree from a recognized college or university. A candidate must have scored 60% or above in their bachelor degree examination (55% of marks for SC, ST, PH candidates).

Master of International Relations in Australia : Master of International Relations in Australia offers access to world-class education, a global perspective, and opportunities for practical experience through internships and study abroad programs. The famous Australian universities like the University of Melbourne, Australian National University (ANU), and the University of Sydney, are renowned for providing brilliant IR courses.

International Relations Courses London: Both Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees like BA and MA in International Relations courses are offered in London with specialization in global security, international law, and diplomacy. Top places of London to study in International Relation are London School of Economics, King’s College London, University College, London, University of London offer International Relations courses.

International Relations Masters in USA : There is 2 years MA course provided in USA in International Relations, International Affairs, Security Studies, and Public Policy with a focus on global governance, security, and economics by the top universities like Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University , Georgetown University, Columbia University, and Princeton University.

International Relations book for UPSC : Here are the most important books on International Relations for UPSC: “International Relations” by Pavneet Singh “India’s Foreign Policy” by V.P. Dutt “International Relations: Theory and Practice” by K.K. Jha “Global Politics” by Andrew Heywood “The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy” edited by David M. Malone, C. Raja Mohan, and Srinath Raghavan

International Relations UPSC Notes :http://International Relations and International Politics

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