International Relations

By

Asma Shabbir
Ph.d Scholar M.Phil (Political Science) Post Graduate Diploma in International Affairs Diploma in Research Methods & Data Analysis

Introduction to International Relations

International Relations

How countries relate, work together and conflict

Meaning of IR
The term International Relations used by Jeremy Bentham IR concerns the relationships among the world governments. Two views: 1. Narrow view: Political relations among states is the field of study 2. Broader view: along political, economic, cultural, social relations are also the field of study.

The Study of International Relations

International relations pertains to the study of state and non-state actors and their relationship to each other in the international system. Narrowly defined: The field of IR concerns the relationships among states (or governments)

IR is vast subject State and no state actors are discussed States maintain regular relations with others 17th century beginning of IR

IR as a Field of Study

Practical discipline Theoretical debates are fundamental IR is about international politics, Issue areas: political, economic, environmental, social Conflict and Cooperation Subfields International security International political economy

IR profoundly affects your life as well as that of other citizens.

Prospects for getting jobs

Global economy International economic competition

Jobs entail international travel, sales, or communication. Rules of the world-trading system affect what you may consume.

War is among the most pervasive international influences in daily life, even in peacetime. World is shrinking year by year.

Leaders role in international politics Students and citizens participate in IR they vote or buu any product Getting jobs after graduation depend on the global economy Means of communications and transportation expand peoples contact beyond boundaries The internationalization of life is increasing rapidly

States are major actor of IR Political relations among nations cover wide range of activities i.e. diplomacy, war, trade relations, alliances, cultural exchanges International relations is the mix of conflict and cooperation relationships among states The study of war and peace also defined subfield of IR International political economy, 1970s, 1980s, become field of study

Contemporary issues also field of study i.e. environment, human rights, over population, water and energy crisis, war on terrorism etc. IR concerns with transnational interactions Globalization (world became global village) Global economies, Breton wood system. Non state actors importance rapidly increased. i.e. MNC, IO, TNC etc.

Level of Analysis
There are five level of analysis contribute in IR 1. Individual level: Leaders influence, choices, in decision making and foreign relations. 2. Sub national level: Small groups, within states that influence states actions in the international arena 3. State level: type of government, the politics of ethnic conflict and nationalism etc.

4. Regional or interstate level: interaction of the state. This level pay attention to the geographical locations of states and their relatives power position in international system. 5. Global level: interaction of technology beliefs, human interactions etc. the global level is increasing transnational interactions, world wide scientific, technical, and business communities.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COOPERATION

Information Revolution: Growing accumulation of human knowledge; and the accessibility of new knowledge through rapidly spreading technologies Increasing Global Productivity: efficiency of economic output is enhanced through the introduction, spread, and improvement of computerbased technologies, spread of MNCs (economic enterprises with operations in two or more countries), and the mobility of global capital Rapid Rise of Newly Emerging Global Economies: China, India, Brazil; augers the potential for reduction in global poverty Development of Renewable Energy Sources: new research and technology investment in energy sources of sun, wind, and biomass etc.

Continued Growth of Authoritative Global and Regional Institutions: WTO, WHO, EU, OPECthese coordinate national policies with regional and even global norms and practices Proliferation and Networking of NGOs: Growth of global civil society through people organizing across borders to address global threats, humanitarian crisis and aid, technical information, cultural, political, and social cooperation. Growth of international regimes: formal and informal coordination and collaboration in certain issue areas to maximize global security and prosperity Decline of interstate Warfare Rapid Proliferation of International Law protecting the individual: codification of human rights, spreading norms or racial and gender equality

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2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

Global Environmental Degradation: these global threats include global warming, the thinning of the protective ozone layer of the atmosphere accompanied by rising rates of skin cancer; destruction of the worlds rain forests (global lungs) and denuding of other forested areas; rapid urbanization owing to peasant flight to megacities in countries like China and India with accompanying pollution and urban poverty; Spread of deserts into formerly fertile regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America; The elimination of species of plants and animals and reduction in biodiversity; Accumulation of radioactive debris and nuclear waste

POSSIBILITIES FOR CONFLICT

Overpopulation: in developing world may contribute to famine, spread of disease (AIDS), land hunger, political unrest, and large-scale migration to rich states with aging and shrinking population Resource Depletion: energy demands outstrip known reserves of petroleum and natural gas as growing populations and economic development places ever greater stress on finite sources of fresh water and fertile land Proliferation of Religious and Ethnic Extremism: identity construction in the age of globalization prompts fragmentation, the questioning of authoritative governmental and social structures from below; target often innocent civilians Global Proliferation of WMD: spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons to countries divided by profound political differences, f.ex. Pakistan and India

WMD may spread into rogue states (Iran, North Korea) and non-state actors, such as global terrorist networks Collapse of states: spread of socio-political disorder in selected regions Global spread of disease: rapid spread of pathogens that threaten humans, livestock, and plant life and the threat of new pandemics such as the avian influenza Growing North-South wealth discrepancies: rising disparities in wealth between winners and losers in the course of globalization Threats to the LIEO: liberal international economic order established by the West after WWII, responsible for much of western wealth and prosperity, by increasing trade demands from poorer countries Resistance by the U.S. to work with international and multilateral organizations:

Core Principles

IR revolves around one key problem:

How can a group such as two or more states serve its collective interests when doing so requires its members to forego their national interests?

Example: Problem of global warning. Solving it can only be achieved by many countries acting together. The problem of how to provide something that benefits all members of a group regardless of what each member contributes to it

Collective goods problem

In general, collective goods are easier to provide in small groups than large ones.

Small group: defection (free riding) is harder to conceal and has a greater impact on the overall collective good, and is easier to punish.

Collective goods problem occurs in all groups and societies but within a state, govts provide public or collective goods.

Particularly acute in international affairs

No central authority such as a world government to enforce on individual nations the necessary measures to provide for the common good

Three basic principles offer possible solutions for this core problem of getting individuals to cooperate for the common good without a central authority to make them do so.

Dominance Reciprocity Identity

Actors and Influences

Principal actors in IR are states IR scholars traditionally study the decisions and acts of those governments, in relation to other governments. Individual actors: Leaders and citizens, bureaucratic agencies in foreign ministries, multinational corporations, and terrorist groups

State Actors

Most important actors in IR are states. State: A territorial entity controlled by a government and inhabited by a population. Theoretical assumptions:

State government exercises sovereignty over its territory. Recognized as sovereign by other states Population forms a civil society; group identity

State Actors

International system

Set of relationships among the worlds states, structured according to certain rules and patterns of interaction. Modern international system has existed for less than 500 years. Origin in Treaty of Westphalia 1648 Nation-states Major source of conflict: Frequent mismatch between perceived nations and actual borders. Populations vary dramatically. Great variation in terms of the size of states total annual economic activity Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Great powers

Most powerful of these states are called superpowers

conclusion

Modern world more independent due to technology Satellite world: event in one part has impact on rest of world Increase global interdependent i.e. increasing ties of peoples Domestic politics/ events have great impact on rest of the world. i.e. currency devaluation, war on terror etc. Since 1945 IR significance increased

Revolution in transport and communication led to increase interdependence of global world. It reshape the capabilities and preferences of actors in IR. Increased transnational communication i.e. internet, TV, cable etc. all resulted govt little control Global economies are more interdependent i.e. trade issue. Contemporary issues got more importance in IR i.e. environmental pollution etc.