Studying international relations gives you the opportunity to learn how political, economic and cultural factors influence decisions made on the world stage. You’ll be equipped with the skills to deep analyse global challenges from a variety of perspectives and develop an understanding of how these issues can be leveraged to make a positive impact on people around the globe.
Sovereignty
The study of IR is underpinned by the concept of sovereignty, with many theories attempting to explain the behaviour of sovereign states at various levels of analysis, including the individual state as a unit, the domestic state as an institution, the national level of intergovernmental and transnational affairs, the regional level of international interstate affairs, and the global level of international economic interaction. Other theories of IR also seek to explain the nature of power in the international system and how it can be used by states for different ends.
For example, realism advocates a straightforward approach to the field, arguing that all nations are working to acquire power and that those countries which manage to horde power most effectively will thrive. Conversely, Marxists argue that core states exploit a set of weaker periphery states for their own prosperity and justify a revolutionary movement to achieve an egalitarian global society.
The study of IR has evolved since its inception, reflecting a desire to understand how the world around us works and the role that nations play on this stage. The outbreak of World War I saw a shift in attitude towards the study of international relations, with many scholars believing that it was a matter for general education and public interest.