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Introduction
Between the two world wars
The postwar ascendancy of realism
The behavioral approach and the task of integration
Foreign policy and international systems
The general-system perspective
Structures, institutions, and levels of analysis
Constructivism
International political economy
Scholarship and policy

European Union: Its purpose and significance

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international relations , the study of the relations of states with each other and with international organizations and certain subnational entities (e.g., bureaucracies , political parties, and interest groups). It is related to a number of other academic disciplines , including political science , geography , history , economics , law , sociology , psychology , and philosophy .

Historical development

The field of international relations emerged at the beginning of the 20th century largely in the West and in particular in the United States as that country grew in power and influence. Whereas the study of international relations in the newly founded Soviet Union and later in communist China was stultified by officially imposed Marxist ideology , in the West the field flourished as the result of a number of factors: a growing demand to find less-dangerous and more-effective means of conducting relations between peoples, societies, governments, and economies; a surge of writing and research inspired by the belief that systematic observation and inquiry could dispel ignorance and serve human betterment; and the popularization of political affairs, including foreign affairs. The traditional view that foreign and military matters should remain the exclusive preserve of rulers and other elites yielded to the belief that such matters constituted an important concern and responsibility of all citizens. This increasing popularization of international relations reinforced the idea that general education should include instruction in foreign affairs and that knowledge should be advanced in the interests of greater public control and oversight of foreign and military policy.

This new perspective was articulated by U.S. President Woodrow Wilson (1913–21) in his program for relations between the Great Powers following a settlement of World War I . The first of his Fourteen Points , as his program came to be known, was a call for “open covenants of peace, openly arrived at” in place of the secret treaties that were believed to have contributed to the outbreak of the war . The extreme devastation caused by the war strengthened the conviction among political leaders that not enough was known about international relations and that universities should promote research and teaching on issues related to international cooperation and war and peace.

International relations scholarship prior to World War I was conducted primarily in two loosely organized branches of learning: diplomatic history and international law. Involving meticulous archival and other primary-source research, diplomatic history emphasized the uniqueness of international events and the methods of diplomacy as it was actually conducted. International law —especially the law of war—had a long history in international relations and was viewed as the source of fundamental normative standards of international conduct. The emergence of international relations was to broaden the scope of international law beyond this traditional focal point.

International Relations

(19 reviews)

Stephen McGlinchey, University of the West of England

ISBN 13: 9781910814185

Publisher: E-International Relations

Language: English

Formats Available

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Reviewed by Yi Edward Yang, Professor, James Madison University on 3/18/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This textbook is divided into two parts. The first part introduces the readers to the conceptual and analytical building blocks of international relations. The second part applies the above building blocks to discuss and assess relevant global issues. Taken together, this text provides a comprehensive coverage of topics expected in a typical undergraduate introductory international relations/global politics offered in North American colleges/universities. The free version of the text was last updated in 2016 – some major global development emerged since then, e.g., the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising tension between China and the United States, are not covered. The text lacks a glossary and an index due to cost as explained at the end of the text. These omissions however pose significant challenges to effective students learning.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content of the text is in general accurate and free of errors. However, the analytical angle is still very Western-centric. One necessary expansion is to include non-Western international relations theories/frameworks/examples consistently throughout the text.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

This text clearly needs major update to include new issues/cases since it was last published in 2016. The structure of the text allows for relatively easy updates.

Clarity rating: 4

This text, although contributed by various authors, is written clearly, which makes it accessible to students in introductory courses.

Consistency rating: 4

The chapters, although written by multiple authors, are generally consistent in length and style. However, the is a lack of coherent presentation style/format across the chapters. Some chapters were written in a very simple way which is fitting to students from non-political science/international relations backgrounds. While others were written in more serious tones filled with more scholarly jargons – clearly meant for students majoring or minoring in political science/international affairs.

Modularity rating: 4

Each chapter can be assigned alone. Also, content with each chapter is organized by subheadings which allows parts of each chapter to be assigned.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The organization of the text is logical given how the authors approach the themes/topics.

Interface rating: 3

No interface issues, particularly since this text is free of any charts/graphs/images.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I have not found any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

I didn't find anything culturally offensive. But as aforementioned, the text would benefit from more non-Western theories/frameworks/examples.

A good barebone introductory international relations book that covers all the basics. It is good for the students since it is free. It does require the instructors to do a lot additional work to update issues/examples/cases and collect non-text content.

Reviewed by Corina Ladd, Adjunct Professor, Tidewater Community College on 4/29/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

Many reviewers have noted that the book doesn't talk about war. This is incorrect. The chapter on protecting people is really about war and civil war presented in a novel way. The chapter on Pax Americana is also about security. There should be more discussion of the causes of wars and civil wars, however. In addition, the chapter on the making of the modern world suggests that the European colonies copied the European ideas of how to run a country. This is a huge oversimplification of the system of colonization and the history of countries post-colonization. In addition, the textbook does not talk about dictatorship and human rights violations, and the global response.

Content Accuracy rating: 2

The textbook is inaccurate mostly because it's separate chapters allow each author to condense huge topics into a very short space

Relevance/Longevity rating: 1

The 2016 free edition can be used as a textbook but the textbook has been updated, but the update is no longer free.

Clarity rating: 5

The writing is extraordinarily free of jargon and the international relations vocabulary that is generally used in IR textbooks.

Consistency rating: 3

Each chapter has a separate author but it does begin by making a connection to other chapters.

Modularity rating: 5

Each chapter is very short and can be assigned at different points within the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

While the first chapter downplays the harms done by colonization, the chapter on poverty discusses colonization as one of the causes of global poverty. The chapter on food insecurity has a "bottom up perspective" that gives examples from everyday life in a number of countries and is designed to draw in readers rather than overwhelm them with global statistics. It is more like a reader on International Relations topics and has chapter that are not in a number of standard texts.

Interface rating: 5

There are no interface issues.

I found no grammatical errors.

As I have said in previous comments, the first chapter is quite insensitive, but others are much more inclusive. The chapter on the internet and devices includes examples from many countries, giving students a wider perspective on the world.

Peter Vale's chapter with personal reflections on the field of IR would make a good starting chapter for a course in lieu of the 1st chapter of this book.

Reviewed by Robert Asaadi, Instructor, Portland State University on 1/27/22

Part One of the text lays out the basic building blocks that one would expect to find in an introductory international relations textbook, and then in Part Two the authors compellingly explore these concepts across a wide range of relevant global... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and the analysis reflects in-depth consideration of the theories, concepts, and case studies presented.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is up-to-date and incorporates both canonical and contemporary case studies in its explication of the material. The text builds on foundational case studies and then applies this knowledge to the contemporary period.

The writing is clear and concise. The text is appropriate to a lower-division undergraduate level student.

Consistency rating: 5

Both the terminology and framework of the chapters is internally consistent. The organization of the text results in clarity and presents logically arranged ideas to support a comprehensive, cohesive portrait of the discipline for the introductory level.

Chapters make effective use of section headings and the text is easily and readily divisible. Instructors using this text will find that it is flexible and that sections can be assigned at different points within the course. Chapters function effectively either as stand-alone treatments of their topics or as complements with other chapters. For instance, assigning one chapter from Part One of the text ('The Basics') along with one chapter from Part Two of the text ('Global Issues') would usefully blend the more theoretically, abstract discussion of topics in Part One with the more detailed, case-specific treatment in Part Two.

Related ideas are well-grouped and the presentation of topics is logical and clear.

The text does not suffer from problems with navigation, image distortion, or other interface issues.

Sentence structure and grammar are excellent.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The examples are cross-cultural in scope and the the text is culturally sensitive in treatment of its topics.

Reviewed by Hakseon Lee, Professor, James Madison University on 11/26/21

It is pretty much comprehensive. Possibly, below stuffs can be added: democratic peace theory, capitalist peace theory, domestic audience costs, power transition theory, etc. read more

It is pretty much comprehensive.

Possibly, below stuffs can be added: democratic peace theory, capitalist peace theory, domestic audience costs, power transition theory, etc.

Yes, they provide accurate information and I could not find misinformation.

Highly relevant, but, of course, the most recent IR events (e.g., the evolution of US foreign policy during the Trump and the Biden Administrations, etc.) are not covered.

In an intro IR class, instructors may assign readings from Foreign Affairs or Foreign Policy to cover the most recent events in IR. Thus, not necessarily a critical issue.

Mostly yes, materials are clearly written.

Possibly, a glossary can be provided at the end of book so that students can refer to definitions of main terms easily.

It's an edited textbook written by multiple authors, and not necessarily perfectly consistent in depicting/describing historical events or explaining theories.

Still, I believe it's highly consistent, and any small discrepancy across authors would not generate any confusion to students. Actually, students would even appreciate the fact that IR scholars may have distinctive views/perspectives on historical/current events in IR.

It's great to have two main parts (i.e., the basics and global issues, respectively), and 18 chapters can be easily covered in a semester by instructors' own class schedules.

I think each chapter is very well organized. Some chapters have too many subsections, but I found undergraduate students usually prefer short paragraphs with single terms/concepts to longer paragraphs with multiple terms/concepts.

I don't think it has an interface issue.

No specific error I've found.

Some authors are from the UK and they use British English, not American English. It's simply natural and not an issue at all.

I don't think it has culturally offensive parts. Still, some materials (e.g., religion, colonialism, etc.) could be better served if instructors provide/explain fundamental values of DEI in all human communities/societies as they cover culture issues in IR.

I think it's pretty much well written and organized. It can be easily adopted as an Intro IR textbook in any English-speaking college/university in the world.

Of course, it's not a perfect IR textbook, but there's no "perfect" textbook, either. Experienced instructors should be able to provide additional and supplementary readings (i.e., academic journal articles, relevant websites, etc.) via institutions' own library database that are free to students.

Reviewed by Michelle Allendoerfer, Assistant Professor, The George Washington University on 12/17/20

The book covers a very wide and comprehensive set of topics in a concise way. There are many topics that I don't typically cover in an Intro to IR course but that I could see being interesting to students (e.g. technology, food) and the short chapters mean the students could quickly gain insights into those topics. However, compared to other introduction to International Relations textbooks, the treatment of conflict and explanations of war is not as comprehensive as I would need for an Introduction to IR course. I think as an overview of the discipline the book would work well, but would likely need supplemental material - especially with respect to interstate war and international political economy - to fully flesh out an Intro to IR course.

The book is accurate and error-free. I also think it does a good job being unbiased. I especially appreciate the efforts to highlight ways the discipline of IR is traditionally taught from a Western perspective, why that is problematic, and to point out differing perspectives.

I believe the book is very relevant and up-to-date but not in a way that would make it obsolete. The treatment of the various topics integrates both historical and contemporary cases in a way that makes it relevant without too tied to the publication date. I think the aspects that are current could easily be updated without a complete overhaul of the book.

I appreciate the readability of the book. The author avoids jargon and presents the ideas in a way that I think undergraduates would find compelling and accessible.

Overall, the book's flow is consistent. I do wish there was a more explicit organizing principle or thread throughout the book that you often find in introductory textbooks.

Each chapter can stand alone. It will be easy to assign single chapters.

The organization is logical and given the modularity of the text, instructors who adopt the book could easily change the order if needed for their purposes.

No interface issues.

No grammatical errors that I noticed.

As mentioned above, I appreciate that the book acknowledges the ways that IR as a discipline traditionally takes a Western approach. The author takes many steps towards pointing that out and incorporating different perspectives.

I think this book will work well alongside other materials. I believe the accessibility will be refreshing for undergraduate students new to the field of IR and I appreciate the different perspectives the book brings with various authors. Because the chapters can each stand alone, I think it's a great resource for instructors to be able to assign one or a few chapters to supplement other materials in the course.

Reviewed by Sahil Mathur, Adjunct Instructor, American University on 12/6/20

Given the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the academic field of International Relations (IR), any textbook on the subject is bound to be lacking in some aspects. Despite the daunting task it takes on, this textbook does an impressive job of covering a range of topics that form the focus of scholarly inquiry in the field. Part One provides excellent, succinct overviews of the fundamentals, or “basics,” of the field, while Part Two delves into specific global issues of contemporary importance. As an introductory, “day-zero” IR text, the book provides readers with enough detail to kindle curiosity, without overburdening them with a flood of information. A minor criticism, however, is that some chapters in Part Two do not adequately tie the discussion of the issue to concerns and debates in IR.

In general, the book presents accurate accounts of the key themes in IR, from a range of perspectives. Several chapters use case studies and examples—accurately described—to illustrate complex ideas and abstract concepts. While some individual chapters might appear biased toward a particular lens (e.g., a US- or Western-centric view of the world), other chapters present contrasting perspectives, thereby according the book with a semblance of overall balance. As an introductory textbook, the book is composed of considerably simplified narratives. In a couple of rare instances, the simplified presentation might be construed as inaccurate or, at least, controversial. However, these are almost always on deeply contested issues in the field; interested readers could consult other sources for more nuanced analyses.

The textbook’s content is up to date in two ways: the topics explored in Part Two (“Global Issues”) are contemporary, pressing problems in international relations, and the case studies peppered throughout are largely drawn from recent, relevant events. Most, but not all, chapters are designed to first briefly introduce the topic or concept, followed by illustrative cases to help the readers’ comprehension. This design makes the text adaptable for updated editions, as newer cases could be added. Individual chapters also work as standalone pieces, thereby facilitating easy addition (or removal) of chapters on particular global issues, if required.

The text is generally written in a conversational tone, doing a good job of explaining the substantive content of each chapter in a simple manner. The prose is lucid and accessible. A handy “Getting Started” section prior to the first chapter guides the reader on how to navigate the text, elaborating on some of the field’s jargon—which is used sparingly—as well as on the use of academic citations. A couple of the chapters, however, appear to assume some prior subject knowledge on the part of the reader; while written clearly, the narratives in these chapters may not be as simple as a basic text would demand.

Insofar as the chapters construct the fundamental building blocks of IR, the book is internally consistent. While the chapters generally avoid jargon, the terms used reflect the scholarly language of the field. Consistency in terms of chapter format, however, is lacking. Some chapters make effective use of case studies, but others do not employ cases as an explanatory technique. Some chapters are simplified to the level of an introductory textbook, while others use formal academic prose. Some chapters tie the conversation to broader debates in IR better than others. Perhaps the biggest inconsistency is quality: some chapters, especially chapter 11 on “Protecting People,” stand out as sharp and clear—a highwater mark for pedagogical effectiveness. But not every chapter presents as concise and comprehensive a picture of the topic as might be desired.

While the text provides a good picture of the field overall, each chapter covers a distinct topic or issue and stands on its own. Further, the chapters make effective use of subheadings to present the material, while remaining coherent. Moreover, each chapter begins with a few sentences tying it to the preceding chapter(s). Individual chapters can, therefore, be easily assigned for specific course subunits, without losing any of the book’s broader context. This is especially useful given the previously noted inconsistency in quality across chapters.

The broad organization of the text into “The Basics” (Part One) and “Global Issues” (Part Two) and the sequencing of the chapters in Part One are logical. Part Two, on the other hand, can come across as a set of issues put together in no particular order. Greater effort to align the discussion within Part Two’s chapters to the basic themes elaborated in Part One might have improved the book’s organization. While the standalone quality of the chapters on global issues ensures modularity, it also serves as a dent in the book’s logical organization.

The text’s interface is remarkably simple: just plain, narrative text (with references). There are no images, charts, or boxes; rather, case studies serve as illustration. While one might fault the textbook for not having a “catchy” appearance, its simple presentation ensures minimal distraction for the reader. Indeed, the accessible and conversational, yet informative and interesting, narrative style serves to distinguish the text from other introductory IR textbooks.

There are no major presentation errors in the book. Minor errors are rare (I caught two). Aside from these exceedingly rare instances, the book has undergone a thorough editing and proofing process, thereby minimizing distraction from the content.

The book makes an effort to include a diversity of perspectives in IR, reflecting the theoretical and empirical diversity that the field is striving toward. In its relatively short chapters, it manages to introduce readers to both traditional and critical perspectives. Examples are drawn from different parts of the world. Despite these efforts, there remains much scope for further diversity: even as case illustrations from the Global South are present, Western examples still form the majority. The Eurocentric nature of the first chapter (albeit, with a degree of self-awareness from the author) can be transformed to offer a more global perspective as the book’s foundational stone. The book could have also strived for—and consequently benefitted from—greater diversity among the chapter authors, who are overwhelmingly from the West.

The book is currently the sole open-access textbook in the field of IR, and promises to expose significant numbers of prospective students of IR to an informed, academic introduction to and assessment of the field. While no basic textbook could possibly cover the vast and diverse landscape that is IR, this text makes a sincere attempt to balance breadth and depth. Future editions of the book would benefit from further diversifying the set of authors; including more contemporary, pressing global issues (such as, for example, the rise of China); and streamlining the structure of individual chapters to follow a common, pedagogically effective standard.

Reviewed by Abigail Post, Assistant Professor of Political Science and National Security, Anderson University on 12/4/20

I would not classify this as a comprehensive text of introductory international relations. It misses some key components, the most obvious being interstate and intrastate war. My sense is that this omission emerges from its European perspective. In the United States, we still include segments on the causes, conduct, and consequences of both interstate (between states) and intrastate (within state) wars in our introductory IR courses. These text's underlying theme (obvious though never explicitly stated) is that of globalization as a cause of peace.

I did not identify any factual inaccuracies, although I would have liked more frequent citations. Since I use introductory courses to introduce students to basic research and citations procedures, I like texts that are very good at this.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The authors make a concentrated effort to make this text relevant to twenty-first century politics. Unfortunately, its relevance (like the relevance of so many political science textbooks) will take a hit due to the global pandemic. Its underlying, yet subtle, theme is that of globalization, and globalization has taken a hit with the pandemic.

Clarity rating: 3

The authors are clear in their presentation but they have watered down their approach so much that the text lacks conceptual clarity. Many key terms (anarchy, balance of power, collective action) are introduced but in an ad-hoc fashion. I imagine that it would be difficult for students to figure out what points were important to focus on. It's easy to read, however.

In general, the text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework, although inevitably multiple authors get repetitive.

The text is quite self-referential at first. That being said, I think that the chapters on international organizations and the environment would be two excellent standalone chapters that I could assign in any of my classes. The first 3-4 chapters were too interconnected. The editor himself argues that the text should be read in order in the "Getting Started Section."

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

I could not understand the organization of the chapters. I believe it is because the editor did not set out a clear organizing theme for the test. As I mentioned earlier, the underlying theme seems to be that of globalization. However, this concept does not explicitly organize the text, making it difficult to grasp the main points. The current IR text I use (World Politics by Frieden, Lake, and Schultz) is far superior on this point – but they are so expensive!

Interface rating: 4

The only downside is lack of index, which I presume is a costly endeavor. However, the text does not include images/charts, so the text is relatively easy to navigate.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not notice any typos, but the authors used informal/casual writing that I ban my undergraduates from using. For examples, the authors used the trite writing crutch: “It is important....” Several of the authors used contractions (didn't, isn't, etc.), which I forbid my students to use. I worry that assigning this text might teach bad writing habits.

There was nothing at all offensive about this book, but people should be aware that it is a European-worldview IR text.

Overall, this is a basic introductory text that to my mind holds promise. However, it requires a more explicit and systematic theoretical/conceptual framework to operate as a stand-alone text for an Introduction to IR class. I will, unfortunately, not be adopting this text as I had hoped.

Reviewed by George Amedee, Professor, SUNO on 12/12/19

The book is very comprehensive. It clearly covers all of the major themes, theories, concepts and trends in an extremely dynamic subject matters. It does well in covering traditional, enduring, and emerging issues and problems in international relations. The most recent emergence of the IR world Post Trump is the addressed in this text,especially with respect to the recent threats to NATO.

For the most part, the book is accurate and error free. However, it addresses early in the book the historical existence of pre-state areas in a European context only. Some scholars might prefer to also understand the nature of government in lands, territories and empires prior to the emergence of "the state" in the context of other non-European pre-states.

The content is extremely up to date. I believe this is because book is more of a reader with many scholars focusing on a specific area of IR. Sometimes with one or two writers the content can be limited by the writers knowledge and interest. Each write in this book obviously bring considerable in depth, current knowledge about the special subject in IR. The basics Of IR are covered and most modern global Issues are addressed.

The book is written clearly and at a level that undergraduate college students should have no problems There is no assumption that the reader has been exposed to the field of IR. Every major facet of IR is covered in clearly written terms. The jargon and technical terminology used is clearly defined in language accessible to our students.

The text has a strong internal consistency. I begins with basics of defining key terms and the historical context of IR. It then focuses on helping the reader to understand the various principle and theories, structure, key actors, and international organizations both state and nonstate . Most of the historical and contemporary issues, challenges, and problems then flow in the ensuing chapters addressing major issues one at a time. .

The division of the text into smaller readings sections is fairly good. However, headings are good but most students are aided by vignettes, tables, graphs are other pictures that bridge the gap between words and pictures that help to further help to absorb the context of the readings.

The topics are presented in a very logical and clear fashion.

In this case, the book can benefit from an interface with images, charts and other displays that would further the readers understanding of the key concepts, structures, and institutions and there role in IR. Also, most books also provide a multiplicity of weblinks and other online sources throughout each chapter.

The text did not appear to have major grammatical errors.

Overall, the book is not culturally insensitive. As mentioned previously, the inclusion pre-state history that focus on Europe only, makes one wonder about areas outside of Europe. Beyond that introduction of the advent of sovereign state, the book goes on to address the international global condition satisfactorily encompassing all regions and peoples.

Obviously, I am excited about using this book to teach my class in International Relations. The writers of each chapter appear to cover all of the themes that have been traditionally a part of IR and frankly have made major steps in incorporating today's issues as such connectivity, technology and cyberissues, terrorism, religion and culture factors, climate and environmental and the emergence of new power bases in Asia and the Mideast. Of course, I have already begun researching supplemental material in the form of pictures, graphs, weblinks to supplement this outstanding reading.

Reviewed by Michael McNeal, Adjunct Instructor, Metropolitan State University of Denver on 10/24/19

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International Relations, Stephen McGlinchy, ed. A book review for the Open Textbook Library By Michael J. McNeal, Ph.D.

Stephen McGlinchy, et. al. provide students of international relations a broad and substantive introduction to the discipline. McGlinchy has organized the chapter contributions in a sensible and accessible manner that succeeds in covering all of the major subjects and themes of the discipline. McGlitchy’s volume is comprehensive thematically, but certain sections would have benefited from deeper and more sustained analysis, for instance in the section on International Relations Theory. The content is accurate and given the general relevance of the text to the subjects covered the text should enjoy a fair degree of longevity. In the first chapter, The Making of the Modern World, by Eric Ringmar, the emergence of the norm of sovereignty is examined as a foundational development toward the Westphalian system of nation-states that emerged in Europe. Ringmar then focuses upon how this system was universalized over centuries via European imperialist conquests and colonialism. He then explicates how the resulting international system that is with us today operates and persists according to the post-war institutional framework for cooperation and conflict resolution. McGlinchy himself authors chapter two, taking up the issue of diplomacy through a number of illustrative cases. In the first case he examines efforts to regulate and prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons, including the recent case of Iran. He provides an overview of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and its diminution in recent years. The second case he focuses on is that of the 1979–1980 Iranian hostage crisis, the transformation of U.S. – Iranian relations in its wake and the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran in the future. Carmen Gebhard provides an introduction to the levels of analysis method of international relations theorizing. This chapter covers the individual, group, state, and systems levels of analysis and the implication of it for comprehending international relations. She also explicates the ways in which the levels of analysis framework determines the findings of researchers working in IR, as well as how it affects and is effected by the evolving ambitions of the discipline. The fourth chapter, which introduces international relations theory, is co-authored by Dana Gold and Stephen McGlitchy. They begin with a helpful introduction to the particular use of terms in IR theory, then proceed to define each of the “traditional” theories of liberalism and realism that have long dominated the discipline. Insufficient attention is given to the “more modern versions” of these traditions, namely neoliberalism and neorealism, which have prevailed over roughly the last four decades. They move into the so-called “middle ground” (their phrase) in assessing the consequence of the English School of IR theory, before examining Constructivism. The overview of the Critical Theory school starts with Marxism, proceeds to Feminism, moves on to Poststructural thought in IR. The chapter then employs each theoretical framework to assess by the lights of each theory, respectively, the United Nations. This is an effective exercise, but ultimately does not compensate, as it were, for what are rather insubstantial explications of the IR theories themselves. Chapter five, written by Knut Traisbach, introduces public international law. It covers the UN system, legal treaties, intergovernmental and the global organizations that since the Second World War have provided for the international legal regime we now enjoy. It begins with the contents of international law, including the aim of preserving international order and providing for greater justice in foreign affairs between states. The chapter also contends with the laws of peace, and international humanitarian law, including the related laws of war. Traisbach traces the development of international law from its complete absence, to the patchwork of laws characterizing the nascent regime, to the semblance of global governance provided by international law today. Shazelina Z. Abidin contributes the sixth chapter, on International Organizations. The differences between and respective functions of inter-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations is explicated. The author begins with the UN and moves through a clear description of the forms governmental organizations take, their geographical limitations, and their various aims are examined. The purpose and function of non-governmental organizations are similarly examined. The chapter then takes up hybrid organizations examining the ways in which certain agencies cooperate with formally collaborate with governments throughout the world. Finally, the chapter concludes by illuminating the ways in which international organizations shape the world. The remaining chapter contributions include introductions to a broad range of important but more specific subjects, including global political economy, religion and culture, global poverty and wealth, protecting people, giving people a voice, communications technology, terrorism, the environment, hunger, global security, and a concluding chapter on “doing IR” in a relevant way in the contemporary world. In conclusion, the text McGlinchey’s introductory level International Relations volume is clear, and the writing is well edited. While it employs British spelling and phrasing in places, this should enhance the experience of American students for whom it is unfamiliar. The book’s chapters, while authored by different contributors, are consistently edited, giving the text a high degree of consistency. The respective sections of the text can also be assigned separately. The organization, structure, and flow of the text are effective, and assigning the sections in a different order would not be detrimental to this. Finally, the text is sufficiently sensitive in cultural terms, and should present no issues to educators who assign it.

Reviewed by Stephen Bagwell, Visiting Assistant Professor, DePauw University on 10/10/19

Overall, very comprehensive for an introductory textbook. In my introductory course, I tend to delve a bit deeper into a number of issues, but this textbook overall provides a good framework to build those discussions off of. Still, I'd have liked to see at least a short discussion on the changing nature of global finance in the global political economy chapter- there is a discussion of trade and multinationals which easily transitions into course discussion of GATT/WTO, and FDI, but no mention of sovereign credit or debt, which is by far the most commonly access form of global capital.

I found no errors related to accuracy in the book. It was very well researched and proofed.

While some of the specific data will need to be updated (references to the debt/deficit as it stands now, etc), overall the theoretical discussion and the overall structure of the book should enable extended longevity. The updates should be fairly straightforward to implement.

Textbooks are never the most gripping reading, but even with advanced knowledge of the material in the book I found it fairly compelling, particularly because of the focus in the second half of the book on global issues. The second half takes the book from "good" to "fantastic"

The book is well put together and I found no issues in regards to consistency in terminology or framework.

Overall, each chapter is well written, and each chapter and section has a number of natural breaks. However, the book is written, as it says in the intro, not to be broken up or only have selections assigned. Students should use the book to progress through, which limits the ability of the instructor to structure the course prioritizing different information.

Same as above comment in "modularity". Overall, well done, but not much freedom to use a chapter here or there or rearrange chapters to fit the desired flow of the course.

There were no navigation problems (the table of contents was accurate). There were no images or charts or other display features, however.

The book was written by a large number of individuals with different backgrounds and identities, and it shows: I found no examples that were culturally insensitive or offensive, and found the inclusiveness of the viewpoints brought by the variety of authors to be refreshing.

I look forward to adopting this book in the Spring- while there are some issues with the ability to design a course around it (ie the text itself isn't flexible to starting from a different point than the text does), I believe it is worth the effort. We'll see exactly how much effort is required when I begin developing the syllabus for next semester. While the preface indicates that there are "no boxes, charts, pictures, or exercises" because "these things can be a distraction", I find that in particular to be counterproductive. The overall narrative is engaging, but including visualizations only helps to keep that engagement, particularly with undergraduates. Additionally, visualizations offer an opportunity to discuss how data is used, often erroneously, by the media or government. Being able to point to good visualizations (charts, in particular) in the textbook would be much more of a strength than a distraction.

In all, I like this book, but it could have been made better with a few tweaks. For my purposes, the book is probably about 4.75/5 stars- as good or better than many existing textbooks, and close enough to the best textbooks to justify the switch given my desire to adopt open access educational resources.

Reviewed by Xiaowen Zhang, Associate Professor, Augustana College on 7/17/19

A wide range of topics are covered. However, there is no index or glossary. read more

A wide range of topics are covered. However, there is no index or glossary.

I didn't find any factual errors.

Several chapters reference current events heavily, which will need updates soon. However, updates should be relatively easy.

The text is very accessible to beginners, although a glossary would really help.

The frameworks used by the contributors clearly vary a lot. It would be great if at least the issue chapters in the second part are written under the same framework.

Helpful subheadings throughout. Easy to be divided into smaller reading sections that can be moved around as the instructor sees fit.

Contributors in Part One tried to present the logic behind the flow from one chapter to another, but it is still odd to put a chapter on Diplomacy right after chapter 1 and before the chapter introducing the main actors of IR.

There were no major interface issues other than there are no images/charts. It would help if each chapter is followed with its own references, rather than putting all the references at the end of the book.

Many perspectives are included when issues are being examined. However, it could have included more non-Western perspectives/examples.

I can see myself including some chapters as supplemental reading material to my intro to IR course. However, using it as the primary text for college students in the United States would require a lot of extra work (developing a glossary,discussion questions, finding the images,charts, figures going along with the text, etc.).

Reviewed by Elissa Alzate, Associate Professor, Winona State University on 6/19/18

The first section of the book, "The Basics," did not cover the basics in as much detail as I would have liked to see. The first 4 chapters are really foundational for the rest of IR and the rest of the topics in the book, but the information is very cursory. For example, the IR theories are not covered in as much depth as they should be, and the author of that chapter seems to be somewhat dismissive of them. Also, there is no glossary. Each chapter should really end with its own list of sources cited, rather than having one long references section at the end of the book. I would also like to have seen each chapter end with a brief Further Reading list for students interested in the topic of the chapter, particularly since the main chapters in the first section are quite short.

I did not see any problems with errors or bias.

IR is a discipline that is always changing. Perhaps old information does not become obsolete, but new developments are always happening. The authors of this book did well writing about the topics in a way that it will not become obsolete within a short period of time.

Obviously, with any edited volume, the tone of the book will change from chapter to chapter based on each author's writing style. I found some of the chapters to be written in an incredibly simple way, beneficial for introductory students. Other chapters were not as accessible.

Again, it is difficult with an edited volume to make sure everyone is on the same page in terms of terminology, but the editor did a great job of ensuring that the terms and ideas were used consistently across the chapters. This was particularly true since a key theme of the book is that the ideas of IR being international and focused on states is somewhat outdated, shifting to adopt terms such as global, globalisation, and non-state actors.

Each chapter was well laid out with subheadings.

Some of the topics are presented in an odd order and appeared repetitive across chapters. For example, chapter 2 was really the first substantive chapter in the work, and it was on diplomacy. It would have been nice to get some more introductory concepts from some of the later chapters such as levels of analysis and actors before addressing one particular foreign policy tool. Additionally, the the subject of diplomacy itself was not explained very well or in much depth before the chapter went into quite a bit of detail covering nuclear proliferation, which seems to me to be something that should be discussed after basic concepts are covered.

The interface was fine. There were no interface issues or distractions. Very simple text and outline.

I saw no grammatical errors.

I saw no problems with cultural insensitivity or exclusion of any group. To the contrary, most chapters went out of their way to acknowledge that the traditional conceptions governing IR arose out of the Western tradition.

I wish the first four chapters of the basics section were covered much better. It seems that the editor chose breath over depth. In many ways, this is appropriate for an introductory class, but not when the basic themes and concepts are covered in less detail than the issues. The chapters in Part 2, "Global Issues," were covered in much greater detail. I don't find many of the chapters to be particularly useful for my purposes, but some other instructors might. I did particularly like Chapter 12, "Connectivity, Communications, and Technology," because it discusses things like the internet and internet commerce that relate directly to students' lives. Some of the other chapters did not seem as relevant and might have been better left to a textbook for a higher level IR course.

Reviewed by Boris Barkanov, Teaching assistant professor, West Virginia University on 5/21/18

This book covers an impressive range of topics. However, there is not much on IR theory. read more

This book covers an impressive range of topics. However, there is not much on IR theory.

I did not see any factual errors. There is some non-standard use of concepts. For example, the chapter on diplomacy calls the reaction of common alarm in response to the development of nuclear weapons in a previously non-nuclear state a norm (p.25). The more common but contested interpretation is that this is interest in security. This is an important and fruitful area of debate but the chapter does not go into it and there is not enough theory in the book for students to recognize and make sense of it.

It is mostly up to date and relevant. More focused and comprehensive discussion of 20th century cases, especially WWI, WWII, and the Cold War, would be useful, at least for American students. Also, I would expect more on the war/crisis in Ukraine (there is no mention of Maidan at all) and contemporary relations with Russia, which are addressed cursorily and from a very obviously Euro-Atlantic security community perspective.

I think it is very student friendly.

I found it consistent.

This is a strong point. Because of the topical focus, instructors can easily integrate the various chapters into their course.

Organization/structure/flow are fine.

It would be nice if clicking on a chapter title or page number in the table of contents took you to the chapter.

The book tries admirably to include many perspectives and address issues of global relevance. I agree that it reflects views more common among European scholars than in the USA.

I will certainly include some of these chapters as supplements to my intro to IR course. However, there is not enough theory to be my main text.

Reviewed by Peter Funke, Associate Professor, University of South Florida on 3/27/18

While comprehensiveness is not achievable, this edited volume covers main areas of the field. read more

While comprehensiveness is not achievable, this edited volume covers main areas of the field.

This is of course always depends on one's perspective but from what I could tell, it seems accurate.

Seems mostly fine although some chapters reference current events, which will be outdated at some point.

Clearly written.

There is some referring back to other chapters and topics but there could be more given that it is a textbook.

Yes, it is.

Dozen of ways to do it but it follows a somewhat standard approach. From broader and theoretical debates to issue areas.

No issues that I could detect.

Cultural Relevance rating: 3

It has a somewhat Eurocentric bend as there is little on colonialism or non-western examples or approaches.

No index but you can search as it is available electronically. A glossary might be helpful.

Reviewed by Azamat Sakiev, Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University on 2/1/18

The textbook is comprehensive in range of concepts it covers. Some topics, however, are dispersed throughout various chapters and could benefit from being looked at in a single section/chapter. The textbook does not provide and index or glossary,... read more

The content appears accurate. No major inaccuracies were detected as of this review.

The textbook is up-to-date. The events, concepts and examples used in it are durable enough that it will not need to be regularly updated. Certainly not on an annual basis. The emphasis on concepts rather than smaller current event make it last for several years before needing re-edition.

The textbook reads easily. It flows from chapter to chapter and theme to theme rather seamlessly. It would not be a difficult read for an undergraduate level course.

The textbook has a decent consistency.

As it stands the textbook would require some effort to divide into readable chunks for assignments. I would organize is differently in terms of the chapters. However, when combining various chapters from parts 1 and 2, the reading assignments are coherent. For example, the chapters 8 and 10 cover topics that are usually taught in sequence. Thus, most likely they should be assigned as a combined reading block.

Organization is the one area where I would recommend re-work. As it stands the textbook is rather fragmented. Many chapters could be combined for a more streamlined presentation. Bringing down the number of chapters would also help in fitting the text into a standard 15 week semester long classes (at least in North America).

The textbook could benefit from some graphic representations. Since the undergraduate audience is the primary target, pictures, graphics and other visual representations would significantly increase the textbooks appeal. It would also enhance its teaching ability.

No major comments. As of this reviewing no major grammatical issues detected.

The textbook presents a very euro (western) centric view of the international relations. This is more telling of the state of the IR curriculum, rather than the critique of the text per se.

This is a decent textbook. It accomplishes most IR requirements in an open format. As such it is a valuable resources in instances when textbook costs are a prohibitive barrier.

Reviewed by David Mislan, Assistant Professor, American University on 2/1/18

International Relations is an edited volume that attempts to cover all of the common themes in an introduction to IR course. On this, it does relatively well. It follows the basic format that most intro texts cover-- it starts with big themes and theories, and then proceeds to contemporary issues. The text lacks a glossary, boldfaced terms, and an index. These three omissions lessen the usability of the text.

The accuracy varies from chapter to chapter. One thing I'd like to see is more attention to key concepts in the first few chapters. The book lacks clearly written definitions of terms (e.g. state). Readers can infer definitions from context, however. This is good for a smarter, more experienced reader, but it's a problem for most novice readers. One thing I liked about a few of the chapters was the attempt to incorporate new and non-traditional theories of IR, e.g. critical theory.

A few of the chapters reference current events or contemporary individuals, and thus will appear dated soon. Other elements are deeply historical and unlikely to need updating anytime soon. Some teaching cases embedded in the chapters were sufficiently historical, so they are won't need updating anytime soon.

Again, the quality of the prose varies from chapter to chapter. There are some stylistic differences (e.g. first person in some, third in others) and more than half of the chapter read like they're transcripts of lectures. In this sense, I don't think that the book is written in a way that's appropriate for a first-year student being introduced to a topic. I understand that IR is interdisciplinary and rooted in the arts and humanities, but I also think that IR can be presented in a straight-forward and clinical way that makes reading and writing on the topic simple and accessible. Starting with boldfaced terms and a glossary would be good. Adding discussion questions at the end of each chapter, as well as a summary of key themes, would greatly help the reader. I suppose that faculty members adopting this book can create their own glossaries and materials. Let's face it, though-- who has time for that?

Some of the chapters reference concepts and theories in prior chapters. Not all do, however. I think the book would be better if there was a more concerted effort to integrate.

This text can be divided up according to one's own schedule.

The organization of this text is nearly identical to all standard IR texts. It begins with some history, quickly moves to theory, and then surveys issues. My chief complaint-- and this is true of most IR texts-- is that the latter third (issues) rarely refers back to concepts and theories. It sends the message to the reader that "here are these theories, let me show you how irrelevant they are with the rest of this book.) At best, this organization is a missed opportunity. At worst, it works against the basic goal of the course-- to show that the scholarly study of IR is useful.

There were no major issues. One minor observation is that the left justification seemed to be in different spots from one page to the next. I'm not sure if this is normal for an e-book. It didn't bother me.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

The grammar is fine. There are some basic style issues for some of the authors, though. Some authors rely on run-on sentences and page-long paragraphs. Both of these stylistic errors make it more difficult for students to read and comprehend the text.

I didn't see anything offensive, but I think there could've been more attention paid to non-Western examples. The last chapter was a bit weird, especially the bit about England's legacy for world affairs today.

I think that this book is a good alternative if you're looking to assign a free book. There are definitely better books out there, though. Students learn best when their texts have clear, simple, and accessible organization and prose. This book is, for all intents and purposes, a series of smart introductory lectures. I might not be the smartest guy, but I think that I already deliver smart introductory lectures. So, when I'm looking for a book, I'm looking for a reference guide/companion to my lectures. This book is not that.

Reviewed by Doga Eralp, Professorial Lecturer, American University on 2/1/18

This edited volume provides a comprehensive yet not so well integrated coverage of the issues and theories that define the international relations field today. Although the book lacks an index, as the editor noted as being too costly to compile. read more

Book provides often times an objective view of global politics, but on issues there have been instances where some authors refer to their personal experiences as a way to open up debates and introduce paradoxes which in some ways impact the overall bias on the issues introduced.

The edited volume captures the relevant debates in IR and provides an overall view of open topics in a manner to insuniate longer term discussion. updates for that matter would be rather easy in the coming editions.

terminology is very clear and almost too simplistic. it would have helped if the editor pushed the contributing authors to adapt a more nuanced language for their chapters.

Consistency rating: 2

the edited volume definitely deserves a more consistent narrative across chapters. As is chapters do not necessarily follow each other. The language is inconsistent and calls for a major revision to keep the use of terminology and frameworks the same across all the chapters.

each chapter of the book could be assigned separately as part of the weekly readings of an intro to IR theory course. in that respect it accomplishes a decent job; however, in terms of complementarity of chapters with one and another, it clearly fails.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 2

organization of the edited volume seems to be all over the place. there is a number of redundant discussions along with a lack of integration of different topics. it does not flow very well.

Interface rating: 1

the edited volume obviously needs more charts, figures along with images. if the idea is to attract the attention of younger college age readers, it fails to achieve that.

no problems with the grammar.

Cultural Relevance rating: 1

Yet another compilation of IR chapters from a very western oriented set of authors. There have not been a lot if any mention of contributions of non-western thinkers and scholars to the field of IR. As is such works contribute to the domination of western thinking in international politics.

Reviewed by Emily Channell-Justice, Visiting Assistant Professor, Miami University of Ohio on 6/20/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 2 see less

The book is presented as a beginner's guide to International Relations and in this way is comprehensive in its presentation of basic issues relevant to the subject. But the book refuses to use "buzzwords" like "globalization" because the authors do not want to get "bogged down in big debates" around complex terms. This seems like an inappropriate stance, as many beginners may be studying IR precisely to better understand such words. The book does not have an index. It has a bibliography, but throughout the text, is uses very few references, even when it seems obvious that the reader would like to know more.

The book appears accurate, but with so few citations, it's quite hard to know the perspectives of the authors of each chapter. It is not unbiased; the book is extremely Eurocentric. Countries in the global south are presented as object of diplomacy, or as the sites of problems like famine, rather than presented as active participants in globalization (I guess if they'd be willing the use the term globalization, they could have avoided this problem).

The book seems up to date, including citations from 2015. Because the text is so theory heavy and includes almost no examples, this might prevent it from seeming out of date quickly. At the same time, the second half ("global issues") that focuses on contemporary problems, would have to be updated quite regularly (i.e. examples like the environment, global food crisis). But the book should do this, because students need to be presented with examples of how IR works and how we can respond to these global issues.

The book is written clearly, if dispassionately. There is little jargon, as was the author's intention, but this makes the writing seem even too simplistic for college students. Why should we not be asking them to understand challenging terms? The book's introduction also gives recommendations for how to read, which, if idealistic, could be useful to college freshmen who are not used to reading long texts. Additionally, the authors state clearly that the chapters should not be "cherry picked" and must be read one after another--I did not find this to be the case and had no issues jumping around.

The book is very consistent. Each chapter looks quite the same, although several of the "global issues" chapters are quite short. Again, the book is meant to be read completely linearly, so this consistency was a priority for the authors.

Modularity rating: 1

The book presents itself as NOT predisposed to modularity. As a reader in the field, it seemed to me that this was a little strict and that a good professor could easily reorganize the book in order to, for example, assign an "issues" chapter along with a "basics" chapter in order to illustrate some points. But the authors do not encourage any sort of creativity so such a task would require significant extra work on the instructor's part.

The book is clearly organized based on the priorities of the authors: this means that it is theory heavy up front, features one completely inadequate chapter about "culture," and then presents a series of "issues" to bring IR into the real world. The book fits clearly into the authors' pedagogy.

There are no images or any other illustrations. This is another part of the authors' pedagogy in which they find such things distracting. There are no interface errors, but the book is entirely page after page of similar-looking text. This is ridiculously boring and very far out of touch from how students actually learn.

I did not note any errors.

The book is very Eurocentric and is focused on the diplomatic world through the eyes of Europe and North America. This is an archaic way of teaching and learning about the world. There is one chapter about "culture and religion" (which, first of all, each deserve there own attention) which tells us nothing about how cultural diversity impacts international relations. The "global issues" section is extremely weak. For instance, the chapter on the environment focuses almost exclusively on international agreements, but not on differential expectations for countries, debates around these policies, and the real-life impacts of climate change and environmental policy. This book is not culturally sensitive because there are no people in it. It's as if the authors see IR as outside of the realm of human relevance.

Since there are no images or suggestions for discussion or further reading, a faculty member using this book would have to do a huge amount of work to make the text engaging for students. The instructor would have to find creative ways to do any practical exercises, and this seems like way too much work when much better texts exist. This book is not worth using just because it is open access. Why on earth would you want to teach IR without thinking about any examples and without getting students thinking about what policies have what impact on the people living around the world?

Reviewed by Alexis Henshaw, Visiting Assistant Professor, Miami University on 6/20/17

The book at least touches on all of the subjects that I routinely cover in my introductory course on international relations, but the coverage of the subjects vary greatly. I thought the chapters on the environment and food security were particularly well-developed, but other chapters like the one on connectivity, communications, and technology would have been made stronger through more details or applied examples. The historical context given to today's political world is also a bit shaky. Some historical developments are more thoroughly explained than others, and students using this book might find it confusing that some background material is spread across chapters. Also noteworthy, the book contains no finding aids (index, glossary) which would make it cumbersome to students trying to use this in an introductory course.

I found the book to be accurate on the topics it covers.

It was not clear to me whether or how the publishers plan to update this text. This is particularly key for an international relations textbook with such a heavy emphasis on current world affairs. Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that the book is less than a year old, some sections are already debatably in need of updating (particularly Ch. 17, as it relates to U.S. foreign policy). While the basic information conveyed in each chapter will remain relevant, I would want to know the editor's intentions for updating the text before implementing it in a course.

The text is written in a very accessible way, and the various authors do a good job of explaining terms fully in the text.

The chapters are consistent in length and style.

The chapter structure is well-defined and appropriate for an introductory course. Potential users may want to be aware that the text is designed to flow in a certain order, so in most cases rearranging chapters out-of-order would not be advised.

The book is mostly well structured. I did have some issue with some concepts or historical developments being explained out-of-order or across multiple chapters, for example the history and development of the UN--which is spread across chapters 4, 5, and 6--and the Cold War, which is discussed piecemeal in multiple chapters.

My biggest issue with the interface is that there is none. The book contains no links, pictures, charts, graphs, or visuals at all--even where the addition of these materials could help students using the text. I appreciate the editor's note indicating that these items were sacrificed in order to produce a free text, but I feel there were some extremely low- or no-cost ways of enhancing the text that would have been beneficial. Even having authors use bold font for key terms would facilitate student learning. Authors might also have been encouraged to recommend further reading or links to online resources related to each chapter. Combined with the lack of finding aids, I think the lack of interface would frustrate some students.

I did not find any obvious grammatical errors in the text.

The text is largely inclusive, and the individual authors are representative of the global nature of the discipline.

Overall, my impression of this book was that it could not be a standalone text for an introductory, college-level IR course. The professor using this text would almost certainly need to supplement it with additional readings, and would probably also need to put a good deal of thought into designing exercises, lectures, tests, and study guides based on this material. Most importantly, I personally would not want to adopt this textbook without understanding the plan for updating it, as some of this information will likely seem outdated or obsolete in the next 5-10 years.

Part One - The Basics

1. The Making Of The Modern World
2. Diplomacy
3. One World, Many Actors
4. International Relations Theory
5. International Law
6. International Organisations
7. Global Civil Society
8. Global Political Economy
9. Religion And Culture

Part Two - Global Issues

10. Global Poverty And Wealth
11. Protecting People
12. Connectivity, Communications And Technology
13. Voices Of The People
14. Transnational Terrorism
15. The Environment
16. Feeding The World
17. Managing Global Security Beyond ‘Pax Americana'
18. Crossings And Candles

References Note On Indexing

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This book is designed to be a ‘Day 0' introduction to International Relations. As a beginner's guide, it has been structured to condense the most important information into the smallest space and present that information in the most accessible way. The chapters offer a broad sweep of the basic components of International Relations and the key contemporary issues that concern the discipline. The narrative arc forms a complete circle, taking readers from no knowledge to competency. The journey starts by examining how the international system was formed and ends by reflecting that International Relations is always adapting to events and is therefore a never-ending journey of discovery. Unlike typical textbooks, there are no boxes, charts, pictures or exercises. The philosophy underpinning this book is that these things can be a distraction. This book, like others in the E-IR Foundations series, is designed to capture attention with an engaging narrative. The chapters are short, with simple paragraphs and clear sentences placing the reader inside crucial issues and debates so they can understand how things work, and where they fit in the world around them.

About the Contributors

Stephen McGlinchey is Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of the West of England, Bristol and Editor-in-Chief of E-International Relations. His main research interests are in US-Iran relations during the Cold War.

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Introduction to International Relations

The course consists of 28 classes or units, approximating a normal semester or trimester in which a class would meet two times per week. Classes can be expanded or combined to fit the available time. Each class or unit in the course includes readings to be done (as well as videos, documentaries, and interactives to be viewed and podcasts, speeches, and radio programs to be listened to) beforehand along with suggested study questions, which can also be used for classroom discussion or for essay/ examination questions.

Full Syllabus: View | PDF | Word Educators: Access Teaching Notes for The World .

Student Learning Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, students will have a better grasp of how the world we live in came to be, how it works, and why it matters. In particular, they will be able to:

Describe the historical evolution of the international system from 1648 to the present;
Analyze the major issues and problems in each region of the world;
Understand the principal global challenges of this era, including but not limited to climate change, global health, trade, cyberspace, proliferation, terrorism, and development;
Evaluate the role global governance can play in addressing the major problems in the contemporary world;
Discuss world order and describe factors that contribute to order and those that detract from order.

Required Books

This course is built around The World: A Brief Introduction (Penguin Press, 2020), with each of the book’s chapters comprising one class and one chapter several classes. The book (hardcover) can be purchased at stores or online from Amazon and other retailers. The list price is $28.00 but it is often available for under $20.00. The kindle version costs $14.99. The course includes additional required readings that supplement The World , but importantly students do not need to purchase any additional books. Instead, all of the additional readings are available online. Many of the articles are drawn from Foreign Affairs , the magazine of record for international affairs. Students can purchase a subscription to Foreign Affairs that gives them unlimited access to the magazine’s entire catalog for $24.95. Other articles are drawn from news sources that for the most part are not behind a paywall or allow users to read a handful of articles each month for free before requiring them to purchase a subscription. For Educators Only : You may request a review copy of The World for course adoption consideration here .

The World: A Brief Introduction

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We live in a global era, in which what happens thousands of miles away has the ability to affect our lives. This time, it is a coronavirus known as COVID-19, which originated in a Chinese city many had never heard of but has spread to all corners of the earth. Next time, it could be another infectious disease from somewhere else. Twenty years ago, it was a group of terrorists trained in Afghanistan and armed with box cutters who commandeered four airplanes and flew them into buildings and claimed nearly three thousand lives. Next time, it could be terrorists who use a truck bomb or gain access to a weapon of mass destruction. In 2016, hackers in a nondescript office building in Russia traveled virtually in cyberspace to manipulate America’s elections. Now they have burrowed into our political life. In recent years, severe hurricanes and large fires linked to climate change have ravaged parts of the earth; in the future we can anticipate even more serious natural disasters. In 2008, it was a global financial crisis caused by mortgage-backed securities in America, but one day it could be a financial contagion originating in Europe, Asia, or Africa. This is the new normal of the twenty-first century.

In this global era, it is critical that all citizens understand how the world works. This introduction to international relations course eschews most of the theory, which tends to be too abstract and divorced from the way the world actually operates. Instead, it focuses on history, regions of the world, globalization and global challenges, and world order to provide readers with the essential background and building blocks necessary to make sense of this complicated and interconnected world. In short, this course will make students more globally literate, which is a must in this global era, as what goes on outside a country matters enormously to what happens inside. Even if we want to ignore the world, it will not ignore us. The choice we face is how to respond. We are connected to this world in all sorts of ways. We need to better understand it, both its promise and its threats, in order to make informed choices, be it as students, citizens, voters, parents, employees, or investors. Read More

About The Author

Dr. Richard Haass is president of the Council on Foreign Relations. An experienced diplomat and policymaker, he served as the senior Middle East adviser to President George H. W. Bush, as director of the Policy Planning Staff under Secretary of State Colin Powell, and as the U.S. envoy to both the Cyprus and Northern Ireland peace talks. A recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the State Department's Distinguished Honor Award, and the Tipperary International Peace Award, he is also the author or editor of fourteen other books, including the best-selling A World in Disarray . Read Full Bio

Endorsements

“After a lifetime devoted to the practice and study of American foreign policy, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations provides this useful guide to help us understand the confusing world that confronts us.” — Joseph S. Nye, Jr. Harvard University Distinguished Service Professor, Emeritus and author of Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump

"Dr. Richard Haass, a distinguished scholar-practitioner, has written an excellent introduction to international relations--The World--and has also provided a sample syllabus that can be used as is or adapted by instructors to create their own course to address the particular needs of their students and situation. Both the book and the syllabus are highly recommended." — Dan Caldwell Distinguished Professor of Political Science, Pepperdine University

"Richard Haass provides a compelling, informative, and timely learning tool. Together his book and syllabus offer invaluable comprehensive course materials with interactives, discussion questions, and reading lists. With multiple pedagogical approaches, students and faculty alike will find these materials engaging, well organized, and highly relevant. The compilation is accessible and yet challenging. Overall, this is an essential tool for courses in Political Science, International Affairs, and History." — Alynna J. Lyon Professor of Political Science, University of New Hampshire

"Dr. Haass’s volume provides a panoramic view of salient conceptual topics that are valuable for a range of seminars and courses that address international affairs—whether in the social sciences, education, or humanities. Faculty and doctoral teaching assistants will discern that his syllabus outlines themes that can be modified for undergraduates, concentrating on aspects of world affairs and preparing for practicums in organizations with an international foci." — Beverly Lindsay Codirector, Institute on Women and University Leadership in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies, University of California; Professora Emerita, Pennsylvania State University

Introduction to International Relations

Chapter 1 introduction (week 1), 1.1 discussion questions.

Why do you take this class? Any stories or research questions that are of particular interest to you?

Any questions or comments about the syllabus?

What is International Relations? And why do we study it? (*)

1.2 What this course will and will not cover

We will focus on discussing the recent studies across different subfields of IR. There are tons of topic to cover and we will only be able to cover only a small fraction of them. This is limited by the time we have and also by my research focus. That said, if there are topics that you would like me to cover in this class, please do feel free to propose them by sending me an email. If you come across readings, videos, or any other resources that you think would be useful to current (or future) students of this class, please do recommend them to me.

The primary focus of this class is to facilitate students to carry out and write up a research project. You are evaluated by your research projects and the thoughts and efforts you put into them. All materials covered in class will be made available on this website. So you do not have to take any notes in class. Instead, you should make sure that you’ve read and thought over the assigned readings and can actively engage in discussions. You should feel free to use the required and recommended readings to build up your research projects. Of course, you can and most likely need to draw on other resources too.

1.3 Assignments

The main purpose of this class is to facilitate you in writing up an essay. Note that essay 2 is an revision and expansion of essay 1. Essentially, there are two sets of assignments:

You will write an essay, present it, and write a critique on another student’s essay. These will be your essay 1, speech 1, and critique essay.
You will incorporate the critiques you get from the instructor and fellow students to revise your essay 1. Expand it by adding empirical evidence and support your theory/policy recommendations. You will also present it toward the end of the semester. These will be your essay 2 and speech 2.

Yes, these are a lot of work and you should be prepared to spend a good amount of time in reading and writing. If you are not ready, do not have enough time to devote (and contribute) to this class at the moment, or simply would prefer to just learn more about interstate conflict without the workload, you can always visit this website (which should be fully complied toward the end of the semester) to study at your own pace.

Contingent upon the number of students enrolled, we may hold the presentations in asynchronous manner by having students submit their recorded presentations to Blackboard. In this case, you will be required to watch and evaluate two fellow students’ speeches. This will be conducted via peer review assignments (more on this below).

In terms of your essay, you are free to apply either qualitative or quantitative methods (or both). Some students are taking methods training at the same time. You can use this opportunity to practice the methods you’ve learned.

If, however, you are not taking any methods class now, you can still write up an essay by clearly explaining what your theory is, why it is important, and what the empirical evidence is. For the empirics, you can use case studies to test/support your theory. Please pay special attention in justifying why the cases you draw on are crucial in (dis)confirming the theory. If you have not heard about least likely and most likely crucial cases, please take a look of this paper by Gerring: Is There a (Viable) Crucial-Case Method? .

Finally, I would also recommend that you cite the readings (either required or recommended) in this class. You do not have to do so, particularly if none of the readings overlap with your topic of interests. But it could be a good way to reduce your workload. You can also draw from the resources that I listed in this website.

1.3.1 Structure of the essays

I prefer not to lay down too many hard rules about the structure of your essays (and relatedly, I prefer not to offer any sample essays from your fellow students). You should feel free to construct your essay in a way that can best help your argument. That being said, I also understand for some students these could be your first written essay. Let me emphasis that the research articles discussed throughout the semester are all samples of good research. You should feel free to mimic their structures. You can also check some tutorials, such as this: How to Write Your First Research Paper , by Elena D. Kallestinova from Yale’s writing center. I am also providing some rough guidance below.

The end goal of this class is essay 2 . So let me begin by talking about what it should have.

An introduction section, explaining your research question and making the case concerning why it is worth investigating.
The next section should explain your theory/policy in detail, aiming at convincing the readers that your arguments are sound and cogent.
You would then follow this with a section that provide and analysis the evidence.
In these two main sections, you should remember to consider and address alternative arguments and opposing views.The instructor and your colleagues will try to help. But you should also carefully think through potential counter-arguments to strengthen your paper.
A conclusion section that summarize your argument. You can also discuss the policy implications or potential limitations of your research in this section.

Now, essay 1 should aim to setting up the first 2-3 sections of this final essay. So your focus should be placed on explaining your research question clearly and telling us why it is important to study the question. You should also provide some initial/tentative arguments or conjectures (and offer some evidence if you have them). This way, your colleagues and I can better help by offering some counter-arguments.

In this regard, the critique essay should have at least two parts.

An introduction that explain the reviewed essay’s argument. This way, the respective colleague can have a better idea in terms of whether they have explained their theory/policy clearly.
A section that offers counter-arguments. If there are any logical gaps, please do point them out. If you need additional information to be convinced, please tell your colleague. If you know stories or information that contradict the author’s interpretations, please do provide them (and with the sources of your information). Again, these assignments are designed to help you and each other write up a good essay. Therefore, try to be respectful and constructive in your critique essay. It also means that you should put good work into your essay 1 so that others can help in a more cost-efficient manner.

1.4 Optional presentations

At the beginning of each class, students will have the opportunity to give a 5 minutes presentation on a topic of their interests or talk about latest news relevant to International Relations. This is arguably the best way for us to engage with each other and to increase your participation bonus points as well.

At the end of each week (say, by the end of Friday), students can propose their topic for next week. This presentation does not have to overlap with the essay you are writing. It also does not have to be the latest events. You could, for instance, talk about a historical case or broad strategic questions concerning a certain project/region.

1.5 Appointment

I am happy to discuss with you about your research questions/interests either individually or in small groups. The format will be online meetings via Webex. Given the number of students we have in this class, please send me an email in advance for appointments. In the email, please specify

Your questions or purposes for the meeting.
Two or three time slots that work the best for you.
Whether you are willing to meet in a small group with students that share similar questions.

If you would like to arrange in-person meetings, please make sure in advance that you meet the university’s requirements (vaccination or recent negative tests).

1.6 Resources

You can regularly check these websites for broader topics concerning foreign policy and international relations.

Foreign Affairs
Foreign Policy
International Affairs Blog
War on the Rocks

Here are some think tanks and research institutes you can check.

Council on Foreign Relations
Rand Coporation

1.7 How to search and download research articles

Here are the steps to search and download articles via the library’s portal. First, you need the library’s UBsearch: https://ubsearch.sbg.ac.at/ . And then type in the journal you are looking for. In this example, it is Foreign Affairs.

In the search results, you need to look for e-journal.

In this step, you might be prompted to log into your Salzburg account. Remember to select a database that covers the year you are looking for.

You can now search the article by name and then download the pdf.

1.8 How to submit your work on Blackboard

Here are the steps to submit and evaluate peer review assignments (essay 1, speech 1, and speech 2). We are going to walk through the steps via a toy example after class. If you encounter any difficulties, please do make sure that you bring them up next week.

After the submission deadline has passed, you will be assigned to evaluate two peers’ answers. Please finish the evaluation before the deadline. For the speeches, the deadlines are within one week. For essay 1, you have two weeks to write up your critique.

International Relations: Theory, Policy, and Governance Essay

To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
As a template for you assignment

Introduction

The relationship of theory to actual policy, the ir theories that explain human behavior, the structure of the us government as reflected in the constitution.

Policy-makers in nations worldwide are responsible for overseeing decision-making in various sectors amid the influence of complex issues such as the human rights agenda, democratic values, environmental concerns, and the growing powers of private organizations. As a result, they adopt particular strategies and frameworks to guide their decision-making and help limit negative outcomes. Apart from individuals’ levels of intelligence and vast experience in global politics, international relations (IR) theories play a major role in guiding the way forward in case of conflicting opinions and dilemmas. Therefore, IR theories are strongly associated with actual policies because they assist decision-makers in identifying the phenomena they are dealing with, influence the choice of objectives, and allow them to anticipate potential outcomes. However, they do not exhibit a 1/1 correspondence with real policies since all of them can apply and are plausible in most situations including in the structure of US governance as reflected in the constitution.

Theoretical concepts are pivotal to policy formulation because they enable decision-makers to organize their ideas and settle on solutions that maximize benefits. Therefore, theories are the stepping stone to actualizing particular developments and soliciting support from like-minded individuals (Walt, 1998). According to Mingst et al. (2018), a theory describes a collection of ideas that aim to explain particular phenomena and establish a relationship between a set of concepts. That being said, individuals depend on theories to make decisions regarding most of their activities. In other words, a leader must strategize before deciding to send out military forces and weigh the rationality of their choice based on the outcomes. Hence, people construct and apply theoretical concepts without knowing because of their ability to organize factors and offer justifications.

Several global events are associated with the theories that explain them but in some occasions, there might not be a 1/1 correspondence between concepts and actual occurrences. To put it in another way, theoretical ideas offer guidelines and tend to explain why things happen the way they do. Nevertheless, theories have weaknesses in that they do not always predict factual outcomes and instead forecast highly probable results. Mingst et al. (2018) suggest that theories are conceptual frameworks that explain unique variations of incidents across time and space and seek to find a connection between causation and outcomes. However, no scientific genre considers theories to be factual, proven, or settled, meaning that they rarely exhibit 1/1 correspondence. Similarly, Keohane (2020) explains that theories rely on empirical laws fabricated through continuous observations of social factors and individual relations. Therefore, scholars measure the reliability of theories based on their strengths and weaknesses and by how strongly they are supported by particular events, which is highly variable.

The establishment and implementation of actual policies are guided by reason and evidence-based decision-making according to the foreseeable outcomes. As a result, there are some instances when leaders in the same faction have disagreed on the best way forward, with others openly opposing their political beliefs and standing (Doyle, 2018). For example, during Trump’s administration, the Supreme Court, comprised of a conservative majority at the time, ruled against the government’s decision to throw out a program that protected immigrants from deportation (Hurley, 2020). Thus, in some cases, external factors come into play and obligate leaders to go against what is expected. Therefore, theory and actual policies have a dynamic relationship that depends on various factors. In that sense, they do not offer definite guidelines that individuals must adhere to and respect (Walt, 1998). Hence, individuals’ knowledge in a field, rationality, and personal and cultural beliefs can influence their decision-making and preferences because, on some occasions, their understanding of the world may not align with their political standing.

Theories attempt to explain abstract concepts that do not exhibit definite outcomes. As a result, it is difficult to select a particular theory to describe human behavior best because the result of situations depends on variable factors. Therefore, the existence of various IR theories indicates that more than one might be plausible in similar or different events. For example, the case of Russia’s attacks on Syria in 2015 after it had agreed with the US and Saudi Arabia to reach a peaceful solution proves that different IR theories can accommodate a scenario (Mingst et al., 2018). Realists might argue that Russia sought to weaken US allies in the region and defend its interests in the Middle East while liberalists might point to the economic downturns in the nation as a probable cause. That is to say that the attacks were intended to turn attention away from their suffering and bad governance. Finally, constructivists might argue that Russia acted according to its identity so that it maintains its position as a great power among others (Keohane, 2020). Thus, IR scholars can use these ideologies to attempt to explain Russia’s move.

The interplay of several factors in determining occurrences can justify the applicability of multiple theories to explain phenomena. For example, the principles that guide liberal, realistic, and constructivist theories can all explain US foreign policy in other nations, more specifically in the Middle East. Realism assumes that states are unitary rational actors that pursue their interests and intend to maximize their power (Griffiths, 2021). Therefore, some scholars might suggest that US ventures in the region are aimed at reinforcing its military capacity and enhancing its powers overseas to ensure its security. On the other hand, liberalists will argue that the US strives to establish a democratic environment in the Middle East and positive economic developments. Constructivists would propose that US engagement in the area is unavoidable due to factors such as globalization, more efficient transport, international businesses, and increased social interactions (Doyle, 2018). Hence, different theoretical approaches apply to similar situations depending on the potential and expected outcomes.

In addition, the anarchist nature of global states necessitates the adoption of various approaches to ensure security and sustain sovereignty. Nations worldwide establish rules and regulations to govern their people and determine the government’s responsibilities. However, there are no laws to dictate state interactions, meaning that nations must work within themselves to ensure their stability and continuous growth (Mingst et al., 2018). Hence a realist perspective on international relations is reasonable in circumstances where other powerful countries threaten one’s sovereignty. Similarly, globalization, the spread of information, and the continuous interactions of individuals support adopting both liberalist and constructivist approaches in associating with other nations because sharing interests and collaborating prevents individuals from focusing on indifferences (Keohane, 2020). Most scholars adopt these theories to explain the extended periods of peace experienced between nations that depend on each other in various areas including trade, economic developments, infrastructural developments, and championing democracy. Hence, different IR theories can be applied in different scenarios and be used to explain various phenomena depending on their attributes and expected results.

The US Constitution gives federal and state governments the power to preside over their jurisdictions and oversee that everyone acts according to its stipulations. However, the US government structure adopts both a realist and liberal theory of human behavior because some of its policies are aimed at power sharing and balancing power, while some decisions, particularly those involving the military and warfare are inclined toward securing the nation’s interests (Ashworth & Swatuk, 2019). Federalism is a governance system guided by liberal concepts because it prioritizes the well-being of citizens. The more perfect union of 1787 is infused with a liberal spirit as it advocates for justice, domestic tranquility, general welfare, liberty, defense, and posterity (Doyle, 2018). As a result, the US governance system pays attention to everyone’s well-being. Moreover, the governance structure allows individuals to leverage the powers of the state against the federal government and vice versa. Hence, the system facilitates adherence to human rights issues by championing equality and enables decision-makers to acknowledge the implications of their actions on the general population and oversee social and economic advancement.

Nevertheless, the structure of the US government also creates room for realistic approaches to dealing with issues, especially in the case of national security and warfare. For example, the 1973 War Powers Resolution law was established to check the president’s ability to deploy military forces overseas. The legislation proposes that the US Congress must consent to the decision before it is made official. Therefore, the statute gives the US government the power to retaliate using force and its military resources against any nation that harms its citizens or allies (Hayes, 2018). Particularly, adhering to the concepts of realism in some instances is critical and beneficial to nations because of the anarchy state of the global political environment. The US government and the constitution acknowledge that sometimes it might be necessary to use force against external threats due to indifferences. Thus, their inclinations toward realism when it comes to critical issues assure their safety by obligating other nations to respect their wishes.

According to a biblical perspective, different theoretical concepts should be applied to govern international relations and establish a peaceful environment. For instance, the word of God warns his people against war because it facilitates human suffering and strife. However, it takes a realist stance in Ecclesiastes 3:8 as the verse suggests that there is a time to love, hate, go to war, and strive for peace. In addition, Exodus 15:3 proclaims that the Lord is a man of war. Thus, these verses explain that sometimes conflicts are necessary to protect specific values (English Standard Version Bible, 2001). Similarly, the Bible urges individuals to refrain from war because God is against these vices. Proverbs 6:17-18 proclaims that God hates hands that shed the blood of innocent people, a heart that plans evil, and feet that run towards wickedness. Therefore, the Bible upholds peaceful approaches to international relations as supported by liberal views but condones realistic ideologies of using force and military power to oversee the greater good. Similarly, it is reasonable to adopt strategies and theoretical concepts that promise the best outcomes.

Policy-makers and decision-makers consider several factors before they decide to embark on particular initiatives. As a result, their decisions are guided by several factors, most of which constitute theoretical concepts addressing causation and the potential results of initiatives. Thus, international relations theories offer a framework to enable individuals in authoritative positions to make better decisions by evaluating associated factors and their effects on results. Hence, theories guide policy development but do not offer definite laws. That being said, it is common for individuals to go against their beliefs and the theoretical principles that guide their positions. The United States has a reliable system of governance because it incorporates both idealist and realist approaches in decision-making as stipulated by the Constitution. Although the Bible supports peaceful co-existence, it proposes that there is a time for war. Therefore, different international theories can guide interactions between nations depending on involved factors and expected outcomes.

Ashworth, L. M., & Swatuk, L. A. (2019). Masculinity and the Fear of Emasculation in international

relations theory. In M. Zalewski & J. L. Parpart (Eds.), The “man” question in international relations (pp. 73-92). Routledge.

Doyle, M. W. (2018). New thinking in international relations theory . Routledge.

English Standard Version Bible . (2001). ESV Online. Web.

Griffiths, M. (2021). Realism, idealism, and international politics: A reinterpretation . Routledge.

Hayes, M. T. (2018). Congress and War Powers: Symbolism and nondecisions in the struggle for influence . In Congress & the Presidency 45 (2), 185-207. Routledge. Web.

Hurley, L. (2020). U.S. Supreme Court throws out challenge to Trump Census Immigrant Plan . Reuters. Web.

Keohane, R. O. (2020). International institutions and state power: Essays in international relations theory . Routledge

Mingst, K. A., McKibben, H. E., & Arreguin-Toft, I. M. (2018). Essentials of international relations . WW Norton & Company.

Walt, S. M. (1998). International relations: One world, many theories . Foreign Policy , 29-46. Web.

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International Relations: A Very Short Introduction (1st edn)

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International Relations: A Very Short Introduction covers the topics essential to an understanding of modern international relations. It explains the theories and practice that underlie the subject, and investigates issues ranging from foreign policy, arms control, and terrorism, to the environment and world poverty. This VSI examines the role of organizations such as the United Nations and the European Union, as well as the influence of ethnic and religious movements and terrorist groups which also play a role in shaping the way states and governments interact. It also considers how the international state system might be improved in order to improve relations between states.

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Introducing International Relations: Concepts, Theories and Practices

2023, Oxford University Press

Introducing International Relations explores the development of the IR ‘discipline’ through three major essentials: concepts, theories, and practices. Each chapter is structurally organised with respect to detailing concepts, moving thereon to theory, and animated with relevant empirical examples making the connect between theory and practice. Pakistan and the developing world provide the primary reference points for the discussion of practice which is one of the major strengths of the book. In addition, the book challenges students to think methodically, independently, and critically by way of relevant thinking exercises and a summation of key points at the end of individual chapters. This book will not only serve as a useful text for undergraduate and graduate students in universities and colleges but also as a resource for faculty, researchers in think tanks, bureaucrats, candidates appearing in competitive civil service examinations, journalists in print and electronic media, and general readers interested in understanding the nuances that constitute, determine, and shape international relations.

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Nadia Sophia Porcel Roldán

Karina Krol

Alf Beauman (PI) 🇪🇺

A book like this relies on the input and patience of many colleagues and students. Our debts are suitably global and we would like to thank colleagues in the UK and Australia for the time they spent reading material and encouraging us to get on with it. In particular we would like to thank David Boucher, Peri Roberts, Bruce Haddock, Keiron Curtis, Edwin Egede, Stuart Shields, Jocelyn Mawdsley, Sophie Hague, Ian Hall and Andreas Gofas. Just as importantly we would like to thank Phil, Nicola, Victoria and Matthew for creating the space in their lives to let us write.

shaayar khan

International Affairs

Martin J Bayly

Shiping Tang

Nassef M Adiong

International Relations (IR) is commonly understood as the study of behaviors and interactions of nation-states (such as the United States or China), regional organizations (such as the European Union or the Association of Southeast Asian Nations), international organizations (such as the United Nations or World Bank), and multinational corporations (such as Google or McDonalds). The question whether these examples may further be characterized as governmental, intergovernmental, or nongovernmental in nature depends on the hybridity of the tasks and roles they undertake and the mission-vision of these organizations. It is apparent that other social science disciplines have had a marked influence on IR in terms of its theoretical and methodological development. IR is described as an interdisciplinary field mostly influenced by philosophy, political science, history, economics, and sociology. Thus, the individual, the community (cultural, religious, or secular), civil society, world society (cosmopolitan and universal), and the international system and their interactions are also part of the study of IR. In addition, it is concerned with the formulation and implementation of foreign policy. Its motivations, objectives, national interests, and the involvement of its agents such as political elites in decision-making are all part of the foreign policy of a given nation-state. IR may also utilize positivistic or normative tools for its research design and methodology. Some treat it as still a branch of political science, but although IR is a relatively young discipline, scholars from the United Kingdom and the United States have established their own institutes and departments independent of the other social sciences. Almost all the books, journal articles, and textbooks in IR used all over the world were authored by American or British scholars, or by UK or US graduates. The extant literature in the West is therefore much more extensive than that in the rest of the world. IR is therefore considered by some scholars as a US-or Europe-centric discipline which ignores or downplays the experience of other parts of the world, such as the Muslim world, and its principal actors, such as China, India, and Brazil. Another significant aspect of IR is the difference between theoreticians and practitioners in the approach to international issues. Who has more weight, credibility, and influence in a given case (e.g., Iranian nuclear talks, or issues of climate change or crimes against humanity)? Theoreticians may guide and provide explanatory precedents to practitioners, while practitioners will always be in the forefront of the hands-on implementation of solutions suggested by theoreticians. In short, both play a vital role in shaping and/or carrying out the study of IR. Below is an overview of the historical development of IR as a discipline and guidance to practitioners or policymakers, including the major debates that have taken place and the future prospects for the discipline of international relations.

Zeynep Selin Balcı

It is always discussed whether international relations is a discipline or only a part of political science. International Relations, as an independent discipline, still requires efforts to prove its quality in the eyes of scholars, politicians and with a great importance, the students. Although it is easier to accept it as a discipline, it is still necessary to tell and keep the story of its evolution on the scene as it is now one of most required area of study in this era. Now, the assumptions of IR theories are much more needed, its future prospects have more potential to analyse the world politics since the nature of international politics is evolving. The aim of this study is to tell a short history of international relations and the sources of IR as a discipline including how much IR owes to its Great Debates. As a part of the story, it is argued that the nature of international relations is cyclical which is now turning back to the starting point, to the times when international relations did not even exist, in a different form.

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Globalization

Introduction, general overviews.

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Globalization by David Atkinson LAST REVIEWED: 02 March 2011 LAST MODIFIED: 02 March 2011 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199743292-0009

Globalization is one of the most vibrant, contested, and debated issues in modern international relations. The process is subject to a wide-ranging number of definitions, but most scholars and observers agree that it represents a global process of increasing economic, cultural, and political interdependence and integration, with deep historical roots. It is a process fostered by liberalized international trade and innovations in information technology and communication, which has been promoted and managed to a greater or lesser degree by international institutions, multinational corporations, national governments (especially the United States), international nongovernmental organizations, and even individuals with access to the Internet. The field is particularly subject to the vagaries of events, and as such it is a dynamic literature that is constantly in flux. Nevertheless, the basic outlines of the field are clear. Economic interdependence remains the most obvious and significant manifestation of globalization. Nevertheless, scholars have increasingly turned their attention to the myriad additional symptoms of this process; in particular, challenges to the state’s primacy, migration, global security concerns, culture, crime, the environment, and technology. It remains a controversial process that has engendered both withering critiques and staunch defenses, while other scholars debate whether the process is irresistible, irrevocable, reversible, or even whether it represents the global reality at all.

Scholars of globalization are well served by a number of excellent general introductory texts. These overviews provide an indispensable entry point for new students, yet they are rigorous enough to provide new insights, approaches, and methodologies for graduate students and experienced scholars. Osterhammel and Petersson 2005 is a brief historical primer that emphasizes globalization’s deep historical antecedents. It is an indispensable guide for those seeking to explore the context of globalization’s most recent iteration. Ritzer 2010 offers an excellent orientation for those seeking a textbook-style introduction to the theory, debates, critiques, and scope of modern globalization. Similarly, Steger 2009 provides a concise but effective introduction to the myriad issues inherent in the subject. Scholte 2005 also provides an accessible overview of the major debates and themes, while stressing the overarching concept of superterritoriality. For those ready to delve into the often eclectic issues and implications raised by globalization in the modern age, Lechner and Boli 2007 presents a diverse assortment of essays and articles that run the gamut of opinion and methodology. Held and McGrew 1999 is an older but nevertheless excellent introduction to the major themes and debates facing globalization scholars. Once oriented in the theory and issues, new researchers will find Friedman 2000 and Greider 1998 excellent introductions to the often vigorous debates regarding the inevitability, impact, and sustainability of political, economic, and cultural globalization.

Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree . Rev. ed. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000.

Popular journalistic account. Sees the process of globalization as inexorable and irrevocable; posits tension between consumer desires and traditional attachment to community. Insightful anecdotes illuminate the argument, but are increasingly outdated. Often betrays bias toward US-led free-market solutions, and its contrived jargon may grate. Lively introduction, best read in conjunction with Greider 1998 .

Greider, William. One World, Ready or Not: The Manic Logic of Global Capitalism . New York: Simon & Schuster, 1998.

Engaging polemical journalistic treatise against unfettered economic neoliberalism in particular and unregulated global capitalism in general. Sees globalization as a recipe for exploitation and severe economic inequity. Advocates global labor reforms, corrective tariffs, and capital reform. Unashamedly biased toward the left; best read in conjunction with Friedman 2000 .

Held, David, and Anthony McGrew. Global Transformations: Politics, Economics, and Culture . Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1999.

Somewhat dated, but nonetheless an extremely well organized, thorough, and largely objective introduction to globalization and its many facets. Includes well-researched and historically grounded sections on historical precedents, violence, trade, finance, corporations, migration, culture, and environmentalism. Highly recommended to beginning undergraduates and graduate students, who should nevertheless bear in mind its age.

Lechner, Frank J., and John Boli, eds. The Globalization Reader . 3d ed. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2007.

Exceptionally rich collection of essays on various aspects of globalization. Impressive roster of contributors, ranging from esteemed academics to distinguished practitioners, along with statements from international nongovernmental organizations. Offers something for every researcher, from novice undergraduates to experienced scholars. Highly recommended, albeit eclectic, introductory text.

Osterhammel, Jürgen, and Niels P. Petersson. Globalization: A Short History . Translated by Dona Geyer. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2005.

Translated from the German original (2003). Short, accessible primer on globalization’s deep historical roots. Brief introductory chapter on theory and concepts, but major focus on historical trends including imperialism, industrialization, emergence of global economy, and modern challenges to globalization. Especially suited to undergraduates and beginning graduate students.

Ritzer, George. Globalization: A Basic Text . Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.

Thorough, extensive, and coherent introductory textbook. Particularly appropriate for undergraduates and new researchers. Effectively outlines contemporary theories, debates, criticisms, and issues. Includes chapters on historical antecedents, economics, culture, technology, the environment, migration, crime, and inequality.

Scholte, Jan Aart. Globalization: A Critical Introduction . 2d ed. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005.

Highly praised theoretical introduction to globalization. Clearly presented and well-organized overview of major debates and concepts. Adopts superterritoriality as its organizing theme. Excellent bibliography provides readers of all levels with directions for future research. Suitable for use in the classroom, while experienced researchers will also benefit.

Steger, Manfred B. Globalization: A Very Short Introduction . Rev. ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Recently updated text from a popular series of introductory readers. Wide ranging and instructive despite its brevity. Thematic chapters on historical antecedents, economics, politics, culture, ecology, and ideology. Evident bias toward “compassionate forms of globalization,” which may irritate readers seeking a wholly dispassionate account. Nevertheless, an illuminating brief introductory text.

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🏴‍☠️ Introduction to International Relations

Unit 3 – the international system: states, sovereignty, and power dynamics.

The Westphalian System and State Sovereignty

Balance of Power and Polarity in International Relations

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Classics of International Relations

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Classics of International Relations introduces, contextualises and assesses 24 of the most important works on international relations of the last 100 years. Providing an indispensable guide for all students of IR theory, from advanced undergraduates to academic specialists, it asks why are these works considered classics? Is their status deserved? Will it endure? It takes as its starting point Norman Angell’s best-selling The Great Illusion (1909) and concludes with Daniel Deudney’s award winning Bounding Power (2006). The volume does not ignore established classics such as Morgenthau’s Politics Among Nations and Waltz’s Theory of International Politics, but seeks to expand the ‘IR canon’ beyond its core realist and liberal texts. It thus considers emerging classics such as Linklater’s critical sociology of moral boundaries, Men and Citizens in the Theory of International Relations, and Enloe’s pioneering gender analysis, Bananas, Beaches and Bases. It also innovatively considers certain ‘alternative format’ classics such as Kubrick’s satire on the nuclear arms race, Dr Strangelove, and Errol Morris’s powerful documentary on war and US foreign policy, The Fog of War. With an international cast of contributors, many of them leading authorities on their subject, Classics of International Relations will become a standard reference for all those wishing to make sense of a rapidly developing and diversifying field.

Classics of International Relations is designed to become a standard reference text for advanced undergraduates, post-graduates and lecturers in the field of IR.

Chapter | 12 pages, introduction, chapter | 11 pages, a pillar of air norman angell and the great illusion, a democratic critique of the state: g. lowes dickinson's the european anarchy, attacking hitler in england: patriarchy, class and war in virginia woolf's three guineas, power, morality and the remaking of international order: e. h. carr's the twenty years' crisis, chapter | 10 pages, a new politics for a global age: david mitrany's a working peace system, politics between and beyond nations: hans j. morgenthau's politics among nations, chapter | 9 pages, the enduring logic of the three images: kenneth n. waltz's man, the state, and war, the conditions and consequences of globality: john h. herz's international politics in the atomic age, realism meets historical sociology: raymond aron's peace and war, towards a liberal realism: inis l. claude's power and international relations, the joke's on you: international relations and stanley kubrick's dr. strangelove, the virtue of uncertain advice: robert jervis', probing the institutional fabric of world politics: hedley bull's, a circumspect revival of liberalism: robert o. keohane and joseph s. nye's power and interdependence, the politics of international theory: reading waltz 1979 as a classic, the cosmopolitan turn: beyond realism and statism in charles r. beitz's political theory and international relations, obligations beyond the state: andrew linklater's men and citizens in the theory of international relations, the making of ir/ipe: robert w. cox's production, power and world order, gendering geopolitics, gendering ir: cynthia enloe's bananas, beaches and bases, the limits of international relations: r. b. j. walker's inside/outside: international relations as political theory, the state has a mind: alexander wendt's social theory of international politics, a modest realist in a tragic world: john j. mearsheimer's the tragedy of great power politics, interrogating the subject: errol morris's the fog of war, restraint in the global polity, the remix: daniel deudney's bounding power.

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International relations
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‍☠️ Introduction to International Relations
🏴‍☠️ Introduction to International Relations Unit 3 - The International System: States, Sovereignty, and Power Dynamics. 3.1. The Westphalian System and State Sovereignty. 2 min read. 3.2. Balance of Power and Polarity in International Relations. 3 min read. 3.3. Hegemony and Power Transition Theory.
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Globalization by David Atkinson LAST REVIEWED: 02 March 2011 LAST MODIFIED: 02 March 2011 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199743292-0009

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