International Relations

International relations (IR) or international affairs, depending on academic institution, is either a field of political science, an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies, or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines. In all cases, the field studies relationships between political entities (polities) such as sovereign states, inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), other non-governmental organizations (NGO International relations (IR) or international affairs, depending on academic institution, is either a field of political science, an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies, or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines. In all cases, the field studies relationships between political entities (polities) such as sovereign states, inter-governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and multinational corporations (MNCs), and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction. International relations is an academic and a public policy field, and so can be positive and normative, because it analyses and formulates the foreign policy of a given state.

As political activity, international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides (c. 460–395 BC), and, in the early 20th century, became a discrete academic field (no. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature) within political science. In practice, international relations and international affairs forms a separate academic program or field from political science, and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary.

For example, international relations draws from the fields of: technology and engineering, economics, communication studies, history, international law, demography, philosophy, geography, social work, sociology, anthropology, criminology, psychology, gender studies, cultural studies, culturology, and diplomacy. The scope of international relations comprehends globalization, diplomatic relations, state sovereignty, international security, ecological sustainability, nuclear proliferation, nationalism, economic development, global finance, as well as terrorism and organized crime, human security, foreign interventionism, and human rights, as well, as, more recently, comparative religion. ...more

Most Read This Week Tagged "International Relations"

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The Future of Geography: How Power and Politics in Space Will Change Our World

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House of Huawei: The Secret History of China's Most Powerful Company

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International Relations Books

Man, the State, and War: A Theoretical Analysis

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics (Politics of Place, #1)

The Twenty Years' Crisis, 1919-1939: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations

Arms and Influence (The Henry L. Stimson Lectures Series)

Perception and Misperception in International Politics

The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers: Economic Change and Military Conflict from 1500 to 2000

Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides’s Trap?

Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

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Lists

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

War on the Rocks 2021 Recommendations

84 books — 8 voters

Disaster Capitalism by Antony Loewenstein

Private Military/Security Corporations

14 books — 9 voters

A Businessman's Guide to the Wholesale Markets of Guangzhou by Christian D. Taulkinghorn

To Understand Contemporary China

35 books — 25 voters

Building Power In Babylon by Courtney Sharpe

Sleeping With the Enemy by Edouard Prisse

Thinking Historically by Francis J. Gavin

Strategy

26 books — 3 voters

A GUERRA INVISÍVEL by Lucas Máximo Alves

Manufacturing Consent by Edward S. Herman

Hegemony, militarism and systematic inequality in the United States

108 books — 98 voters

The Concept of the Political by Carl Schmitt

Nuclear North Korea’s War Scenarios by Hwee-rhak Park

International Relations

9 books — 3 voters

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Quotes Tagged “International Relations”

“ International peace negotiations need more value creation than value claiming. The more we create value for peace and development, the easier it is going to be to claim value for a nuclear weapons free world. ”
― Amit Ray, Nuclear Weapons Free World - Peace on the Earth

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“ The key to resolving international conflict with a positive outcome includes looking for a win-win situation, finding common ground, formulating proactive strategies, using effective negotiation and communication, and appreciating cultural differences. ”
― Amit Ray, Nuclear Weapons Free World - Peace on the Earth

7 likes

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