Introduction to International Relations

(Meaning, Evolution, Scope and Significance)

Muhammad Saeed Uzzaman

Lecturer, NUML, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
[email protected]
Mode of Evaluation Marks

2 Class Evaluation
 

Quizzes 5

2 x Assignments (minimum) 5

Presentations / Research Paper 10

Mid Term Exams 30

Final Term Exams By A.Waqar 50

 Introduction

International Relations have become vital for the whole

humanity and are characterized by a high degree of interaction
and interdependence

A nation-state cannot exist all alone and it plays a role of an

individual of primitive past, who could not live with the other
individual

So, to maintain the regular relations with other states, it is a

compulsory study to International Relations
 Introduction

Indeed, International Relations adopted different shapes in

different period of world history

In the old time, the states played much reduced roles, on some
occasions; they interacted into defense treaties or to some
extent developed trade relations under the need of their subject
But the WWI changed the pattern of state’s relations and the
WWII added further changes in it. The period has searched for
new international system to replace the old one

The scholars worked for new pattern of a relationship in the world

which resulted their efforts in the form of International Relations
 Meaning and Definition of International
relations

The term “international” was first used by “Jeromy Bentham” in the later part of
“18th Century” consequently the term International Relations was used to
define the official relations between the nation-states

International relations is defined in two senses.

In broader sense, “International Relations is the study of relationships
between countries, including the roles of states, Inter-governmental
Organizations (IGOs), Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), International
Non-governmental Organizations (INGOs) and Multi- national Corporations
(MNCs).

The definition of International Relations in a narrow sense is, “Official

relations between the states of the world are International Relations”

 In a comprehensive way, we can define it as, “The study of official and unofficial
relations by official and unofficial organizations of the world is International Relations”
 Cont.

International Relations (often referred to international affairs) has a broad
purpose in contemporary society, as it seeks to understand:

The origins of war and the maintenance of peace

The nature and exercise of power within the global

political system

The changing character of state and non-state

actors who participate in international decision-
making
 Introduction

International Relations is a new field in social sciences and there

is lot of debate when it started

Historical starting point of International Relations is considered

as Treaty of Westphalia in which the concept of nation-state
arose. That treaty also established the principle of sovereignty as
the foundation for relations among states

Up to 19th century there was a limited focus on the study of

International Relations in academic institutions and scholarly
literature
 Cont.


Most of the political theorists dealt with International

Relations as a side-kick of domestic politics, or as an
appendix of other disciplines

Practice of major aspects of International Relations such

as War, diplomacy, international trade was widespread at
those times, but the scientific study of these matters was
disconnected and relied on different disciplinary aspects
and methodologies
 Cont.

While international politics has been analyzed throughout
much of history, IR did not emerge as a discrete field until
the turn of the 20th century, initially as an extension of
political science; it was first distinguished as its own
discipline in 1919, when it was offered as an undergraduate
major by Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom

Over the next decade, similar studies were established at

the University of Oxford and London School of Economics,
which led the field to develop its independence and
prominence
Cont.

After the World War I and more specifically World War II, the IR burgeoned in
both importance and scholarship—particularly in North America and Western
Europe—partly in response to the geostrategic concerns of the Cold War

The collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent rise of globalization in the late

20th century presaged new theories and evaluations of the rapidly
changing international system

Into the 21st century, as connections between states become progressively more
complex and multifaceted, IR has been incorporated into other fields, such as
economics, law, and history, leading to a convergent, interdisciplinary field
What we study in international relations

IR has always tried to justified its existence challenged by questions

such as why isn’t politics or history then

Importantly, IR as a subfield of political science study international

politics by the application of its distinct concepts, theories and
methods

However, there are different views of the subject. Different people

working in the subject are having different approaches
Cont.

In fact, this diversity of approach in IR is good with respect to

utilization of theory and methods.

Nevertheless, apart from all this diversity what is common among

these perspectives is that they don’t discuss solely the domestic
phenomenon within a particular territory but the focus is much on
how that territory be it a state or region is link with other territories
at the regional or global levels
Cont.

As the relationship between the states became more complex such as advent of
nuclear weapons, MNCs, Smugglers, Terrorism, refugee crisis, international migration,
climate change and wars, IR focuses on everything that is above the state or one
governments jurisdiction

It looks into the decisions and questions such as:

When to go to war;
How to go to war and;
Why we should or shouldn’t go to war.
Cont.

It also looks into the process of cooperation and integration

for example the case of European integration

In broader term, the IR focuses on why certain things happen

in interstate relations with respects events, developments
and longer term trends
 Cont.

Most of the IR is about foreign policy and most foreign policy is about
what a specific state thinks it should do in a world to achieve its
national interest

However in the recent times, the people have started to question

state centric approaches and in this regard, academicians are
critically looking into it that who or what is left out?

In fact, these kind of questions have given rise to the perspective of

Human Security
Cont.

There is tension between the world as it is and the world it should be. In IR, there
are two group of students.

One focuses on question such as, why a certain

phenomenon happens

the other group focuses on the question of how the

world functions; how interstate relations functions
and get involved into the process of making efforts
to make a it function efficiently
The study and practice of IR is interdisciplinary in nature, blending the fields such
as political science, geography, history, economics, law, sociology, psychology,
and philosophy to examine topics such as human rights, global poverty, the
environment, economics, globalization, security, global ethics, and the political
environment

Exceptional economic integration, unprecedented threats to peace and security,

and an international focus on human rights and environmental protection all speak
to the complexity of IR relations in the twenty-first century

This means the study of IR must focus on interdisciplinary research that addresses,
anticipates, and ultimately solves public policy problems
 The significance of International Relations in a
Globalized Society

IR knowledge and skills enables you to interpret and navigate global

affairs, through the intricate and often subversive layer of influences

This framework effectively analyses how it impacts both developed

and developing economies – and how to adapt to this. IR imparts
transferable skills in history, politics, analysis, and research

These skills allow you to critically interpret the contemporary world,

and analyze the shifting complexities that dynamically occur in
politics
Cont.

Individuals learn to be objective and analytical when considering

various issues and events from multiple perspectives

This goes much further than only knowing history – contemporary

global affairs also explores:
• The natural environment
• Resource scarcity
• Technological disruption (with the threat of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and
robotics)
• Major concerns regarding nuclear weaponry
Cont.
These skills have the potential to expand professional opportunities,
and create an understanding of how and why people from
homogeneous or heterogeneous groups interact with each other in
specific ways

It is precisely because of global uncertainty that skills in IR are

becoming so relevant

This landscape provides exciting opportunities for innovation,

growth, and partnerships to students like you
Cont.

Compared to other disciplines, expanding your knowledge in the

theories of IR put you in a better positions to understand and
develop solutions to complex, global challenges

Studies in IR prompt you to think of change and reform, to unify

thoughts and actions – across generations and communities, among
public, private, and nonprofit sectors

Understanding how the world has evolved is crucial for future

development
Cont.

Events don’t occur in isolation, as happenings in one part of the globe

can have unlikely consequences in another

Globalization has affected political, socio-economic, and cultural

forces across the globe, and despite populist movements,
globalization continues to develop

IR promotes successful trade policies between nations

IR encourages travel related to business, tourism, and immigration,

providing people with opportunities to enhance their lives
Cont.

IR allows nations to cooperate with one another, pool resources,

and share information as a way to face global issues that go beyond
any particular country or region. Contemporary global issues include
pandemics, terrorism, and the environment

IR advances human culture through cultural exchanges, diplomacy

and policy development

Technology continues to defy borders, bringing diverse populations

closer together
Cont.

Lastly and importantly, we live in an interdependent world, and gaining an

understanding of this through a global lens can profoundly inform your
perspective for the future
Thanks for listening and understanding!
Any Question???
Feel Free to share opinion…