international relations essay introduction

Chapter 1 – Introduction to International Relations

Resources to accompany ‘Introduction to International Relations’ by Stephen McGlinchey. Chapter 1 of Foundations of International Relations (2022).

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International Relations

(19 reviews)

Stephen McGlinchey, University of the West of England

ISBN 13: 9781910814185

Publisher: E-International Relations

Language: English

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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

See review pasted into the text window below. read more

See review pasted into the text window below.

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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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section International Relations Theory

Introduction, general overviews.

Anthologies
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Constructivism
The “English School”
Neoconservatism
Critical IR Theory
Feminist IR Theory
Post–Cold War IR Theory
Political Theory and IR Theory
Foreign Policy and IR Theory
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International Relations Theory by Jonathan Cristol LAST REVIEWED: 04 November 2019 LAST MODIFIED: 26 November 2019 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199743292-0039

International relations (IR) theory is difficult to define. It is often taught as a theory that seeks both to explain past state behavior and to predict future state behavior. However, even that definition is contested by many theorists. Traditional IR theories can generally be categorized by their focus either on humans, states, or on the state system as the primary source of conflict. Any bibliography of international relations theory is bound to create controversy among its readers. Why did the author choose one theory and not the other? Why did the author choose one source and not the other? Indeed, a wide variety of permutations would be perfectly valid to provide the researcher with an adequate annotated bibliography, so why were these particular entries chosen? This article identifies Realism , Liberalism , and Constructivism as the three major branches of IR theory. These three branches have replaced the earlier realism-idealism dichotomy. The “English School” could be considered part of any of the aforementioned three branches, and its placement in the IR theory world is the subject of some debate. It has therefore been given its own section and is not included in any of the other sections. Critical IR theory and Feminist IR theory are often considered part of constructivism; however, there is much debate over whether they constitute their own branches, and so they are included in this article (as well as in their own entries in the OBO series), though the sources are somewhat different. Post–Cold War IR Theory is given its own heading because there are a number of theories that were proposed in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War that are still widely taught and discussed in the field. Perhaps the most controversial inclusion is that of Neoconservatism . Though it is quite possible to mount a case for it to be considered a theory of US foreign policy, it is theoretically distinct from other IR theories (the belief in bandwagoning instead of balancing). The final three sections are included to show how political theory has influenced IR theory, and how history and foreign policy have influenced IR theory (and vice versa). The included sections and citations represent both the mainstream of IR theory and those nonmainstream theories that have just started to break into the mainstream of IR theory. This article provides a starting point for both the beginning and the serious scholar of international relations theory.

The overviews listed in this section are generally designed to be introductory international relations (IR) textbooks and not specifically IR theory textbooks. The only article listed in this section is Snyder 2004 , which is the best source for someone who needs to quickly learn the basics of realism, liberalism, and constructivism. Like Snyder, every source listed herein considers realism, liberalism, and constructivism to be the major IR theoretical frameworks. Drezner 2015 shows how these three, and other, theories explain and predict the response to crises. Duncan, et al. 2009 examines a wide range of IR theories, but the discussion is limited to the chapters dedicated to IR theory. Kegley and Blanton 2016 focuses on the traditional theories, returning to them throughout the book to show how they influence and are impacted by current events. Mingst, et al. 2019 , one of the most widely used undergraduate IR texts, includes sections on how different theories might deal with current international issues. Shimko 2015 devotes only one chapter to IR theory, but it does the best job of implicitly and explicitly weaving theoretical discussions throughout the text. Of the few widely used textbooks solely devoted to IR theory, Dunne, et al. 2016 is the most comprehensive and the clearest. It makes an ideal textbook for a midlevel or advanced IR theory class in that it goes far beyond the traditional theories, with chapters written by leading experts on the subjects that they cover. Booth and Erskine 2016 is similar in structure and breadth, but goes more deeply into the discipline and relevance of IR theory itself. Genest 2004 is a hybrid textbook and anthology. Genest covers a very wide variety of theories, which the author explains through his own writings; he adds classic and modern works to bring the tradition to life. Viotti and Kauppi 2019 presents a broad overview of IR theory, including a substantial discussion of the intellectual roots of IR theory.

Booth, Ken, and Toni Erskine. eds. International Relations Theory Today . 2d ed. Malden, MA: Polity Press, 2016.

This book provides an overview of the state of IR theory as well as how IR theory grapples with real-world problems. Generally clearly written, but most useful for graduate students and specialists in the discipline. All of the chapters are written specifically for this book; it is not an anthology.

Drezner, Dan. Theory of International Politics and Zombies: Revived Edition . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2015.

DOI: 10.1515/9781400852284

Drezner provides an overview of major international relations theories through the lens of a zombie apocalypse. The book uses this unlikely scenario to demonstrate the different IR theoretical approaches to “real world” crises. A fun, breezy read that provides an excellent overview of IR theory to the undergraduate student.

Duncan, W. Raymond, Barbara Jancar-Webster, and Bob Switky. World Politics in the 21st Century . Student Choice Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2009.

In the chapters that specifically deal with IR theory, this work is more comprehensive in discussing a wide variety of theoretical approaches than the other texts listed here. However, outside of those chapters, the discussion of theory is quite limited. A useful undergraduate textbook.

Dunne, Tim, Milja Kurki, and Steve Smith, eds. International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity . 4th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

A truly outstanding and clearly written general textbook on IR theory. The innovation here is to have A-list thinkers from within the various traditions write the chapters on those theories. Chapters range from “Structural Realism” to “Feminism,” with separate chapters on “Poststructuralism,” “Postcolonialism,” and “Green Theory.” All of the chapters are written specifically for this book; it is not an anthology.

Genest, Marc A. Conflict and Cooperation: Evolving Theories of International Relations . 2d ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2004.

A hybrid textbook and anthology. Genest provides a detailed chapter for each major theoretical tradition, as well as for some theories not covered in depth by other texts cited in this section. After an introductory essay about each theory, he includes articles and excerpts that exemplify that tradition, including classic texts and more recent works. An excellent lower-level graduate textbook or advanced undergraduate textbook.

Kegley, Charles, Jr., and Shannon Lindsey Blanton. World Politics: Trend and Transformation . 16th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2016.

One of the most widely used undergraduate IR textbooks. Devotes a full chapter to competing theoretical approaches and then returns to theory by devoting considerable time to examining how those approaches lead to policies.

Mingst, Karen A., Heather Elko McKibben, and Ivan M. Arreguín-Toft. Essentials of International Relations . 8th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 2019.

Along with Kegley and Blanton 2016 , one of the most widely used undergraduate IR textbooks. Only one full chapter is devoted to IR theory, but there are sections on IR theory within chapters on other subjects, including international law, peace and security, and foreign policy decision making.

Shimko, Keith L. International Relations: Perspectives & Controversies . 5th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2015.

This undergraduate international relations textbook contains only one chapter purely dedicated to IR theory, but it does an excellent job in weaving theory through the entire text. Shimko presents balanced, theoretically informed cases for and against current issues and problems in IR.

Snyder, Jack. “One World, Rival Theories.” Foreign Policy 145 (November/December 2004): 52–62.

An update on a similarly named 1998 Foreign Policy article by Stephen Walt. Snyder provides his take on the basic principles of realism, liberalism, and constructivism and compares and contrasts them. Perfect brief overview of the three dominant traditions in IR theory.

Viotti, Paul R., and Mark V. Kauppi. International Relations Theory . 6th ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of IR theory. It covers a wide range of theories, but its unique innovation is its almost 170-page discussion of the Western and non-Western intellectual roots of IR theory.

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Coups and Mutinies
Criminal Law, International
Critical Theory of International Relations
Cuban Missile Crisis, The
Cultural Diplomacy
Cyber Security
Cyber Warfare
Decision-Making, Poliheuristic Theory of
Demobilization, Post World War I
Democracies and World Order
Democracy and Conflict
Deterrence Theory
Development
Digital Diplomacy
Diplomacy, Gender and
Diplomacy, History of
Diplomacy in the ASEAN
Diplomacy, Public
Disaster Diplomacy
Diversionary Theory of War
Drone Warfare
Eastern Front (World War I)
Economic Coercion and Sanctions
Economics, International
Embedded Liberalism
Emerging Powers and BRICS
Empirical Testing of Formal Models
Energy and International Security
Environmental Peacebuilding
Epidemic Diseases and their Effects on History
Ethics and Morality in International Relations
Ethnicity in International Relations
European Migration Policy
European Security and Defense Policy, The
European Union as an International Actor
European Union, International Relations of the
Experiments
Face-to-Face Diplomacy
Fascism, The Challenge of
Feminist Methodologies in International Relations
Feminist Security Studies
Food Security
Forecasting in International Relations
Foreign Aid and Assistance
Foreign Policy Decision-Making
Foreign Policy of Non-democratic Regimes
Foreign Policy of Saudi Arabia
Foreign Policy, Theories of
French Empire, 20th-Century
From Club to Network Diplomacy
Future of NATO
Game Theory and Interstate Conflict
Gender and Terrorism
Genocide, Politicide, and Mass Atrocities Against Civilian...
Genocides, 20th Century
Geopolitics and Geostrategy
Germany in World War II
Global Citizenship
Global Civil Society
Global Constitutionalism
Global Environmental Politics
Global Ethic of Care
Global Governance
Global Justice, Western Perspectives
Globalization
Governance of the Arctic
Grand Strategy
Greater Middle East, The
Greek Crisis
Hague Conferences (1899, 1907)
History and International Relations
Human Rights
Human Rights and Humanitarian Diplomacy
Human Rights, Feminism and
Human Rights Law
Human Security
Hybrid Warfare
Ideal Diplomat, The
Identity and Foreign Policy
Ideology, Values, and Foreign Policy
Illicit Trade and Smuggling
Imperialism
Indian Perspectives on International Relations, War, and C...
Indigenous Rights
Industrialization
Intelligence
Intelligence Oversight
Internal Displacement
International Conflict Settlements, The Durability of
International Criminal Court, The
International Economic Organizations (IMF and World Bank)
International Health Governance
International Justice, Theories of
International Law, Feminist Perspectives on
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International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
International Nongovernmental Organizations
International Norms for Cultural Preservation and Cooperat...
International Organizations
International Relations, Aesthetic Turn in
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International Relations, Research Ethics in
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International Security
International Society, Theorizing
International Support For Nonstate Armed Groups
Internet Law
Interstate Cooperation Theory and International Institutio...
Intervention and Use of Force
Interviews and Focus Groups
Iran, Politics and Foreign Policy
Iraq: Past and Present
Japanese Foreign Policy
Just War Theory
Kurdistan and Kurdish Politics
Law of the Sea
Laws of War
Leadership in International Affairs
Leadership Personality Characteristics and Foreign Policy
League of Nations
Lean Forward and Pull Back Options for US Grand Strategy
Mediation and Civil Wars
Mediation in International Conflicts
Mediation via International Organizations
Memory and World Politics
Mercantilism
Middle East, The Contemporary
Middle Powers and Regional Powers
Military Science
Minorities in the Middle East
Minority Rights
Morality in Foreign Policy
Multilateralism (1992–), Return to
National Liberation, International Law and Wars of
National Security Act of 1947, The
Nation-Building
Nations and Nationalism
NATO, Europe, and Russia: Security Issues and the Border R...
Natural Resources, Energy Politics, and Environmental Cons...
New Multilateralism in the Early 21st Century
Nonproliferation and Counterproliferation
Nonviolent Resistance Datasets
Normative Aspects of International Peacekeeping
Normative Power Beyond the Eurocentric Frame
Nuclear Proliferation
Peace Education in Post-Conflict Zones
Peace of Utrecht
Peacebuilding, Post-Conflict
Peacekeeping
Political Demography
Political Economy of National Security
Political Extremism in Sub-Saharan Africa
Political Learning and Socialization
Political Psychology
Politics and Islam in Turkey
Politics and Nationalism in Cyprus
Politics of Extraction: Theories and New Concepts for Crit...
Popuism and Global Politics
Post-Civil War State
Post-Conflict and Transitional Justice
Post-Conflict Reconciliation in the Middle East and North ...
Power Transition Theory
Preventive War and Preemption
Prisoners, Treatment of
Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs)
Process Tracing Methods
Pro-Government Militias
Proliferation
Prospect Theory in International Relations
Psychoanalysis in Global Politics and International Relati...
Psychology and Foreign Policy
Public Opinion and Foreign Policy
Public Opinion and the European Union
Race and International Relations
Rebel Governance
Reconciliation
Religion and International Relations
Religiously Motivated Violence
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Rising Powers in World Politics
Role Theory in International Relations
Russian Foreign Policy
Russian Revolutions and Civil War, 1917–1921
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Science Diplomacy
Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), The
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Shining Path
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Soviet Union in World War II
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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.

international relations essay introduction

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.

Tips on How to Write an International Relations Essay

Crafting an essay for an international relations course requires a broad knowledge of various bordering disciplines, including but not restricted to political science, world politics, international security, human rights, etc.

So, how to write an international relations essay? There is no simple and distinct answer to that, but we propose a wide range of pragmatic tips and guidelines for you to follow to ace your upcoming assignment.

We will cover essential steps of the essay writing process in international relations, beginning with the interpretation of key terms, using evidence-based examples for theoretical approaches, analyzing main issues from various perspectives, and, most importantly, structuring an academic piece in an organized manner.

Meanwhile, consider using expert writers' help who write essay for money in case you need urgent help.

Define Key Terms in Your International Relations Paper

The establishment of international relations as a specific field of study is related to the major global political changes that have taken place throughout the twentieth century. For instance, the cold war played a crucial role in forming the contemporary world order. For some, the term 'cold war' requires a definition.

To make your international relations paper comprehensive for people with sufficient or no background knowledge at all in political science, you need to provide definitions of key terms. The reader should familiarize themselves with the main terms in advance of reading the paper. Try to make a list of terms from a particular area that might be under question mark for some and define them.

For instance, if your essay on international relations concerns analysis of an economic aspect of the African Union, you are most likely to concentrate your research on the African Continent Free Trade Area. If so, explain that the latter is a free trade area amongst the member states of the AU.

Use Real-Life Examples in Your International Relations Paper

Writing an essay on international relations is your chance to project theoretical knowledge of various theories. Such types of international relations essay topics include theories of realism, liberalism, and constructivism. However, keep in mind that a sole theoretical narrative is useless without the illustration of corresponding examples from real-life case studies.

Let's say that you decided to base the entire essay on a realistic approach. Realism suggests that states around the world are obliged to protect their national interests and security at all costs. Since each country is concentrated on keeping itself secure, they do not possess the liberty of depending on actors outside of its borders. Likely structure of global politics has become a topic of discussion in the United States after World War II.

In this case, you are free to question why did world war ii bring about the topic of realism into the agenda of scholars and provide real-life examples of realistic approaches in your essay on international relations.

Engage with Multiple Perspectives in Your International Relations Paper

An analytic piece of academic work is much more valuable than a shallow summary of the events from world politics unless the professor directly asks you to provide a summary for the assignment.

International relations essay topic, most of the time, requires a comprehensive analysis of multiple perspectives on a particular issue. For instance, let's say that you want to discuss a complex issue from global politics, such as the foreign policy of the USA, ever since the act of 9/11. In that case, we would advise you to discuss the latter by providing arguments for America shifting its foreign policy towards the democratization of the states from the middle east. On the other hand, you are required to propose the counter-argument in your international relations paper by including the drawbacks of this decision from the perspective of middle eastern countries.

For a specific international relations theory essay, request to write my essay online and receive top-grade work in a few hours.

Pay Attention to Your International Relations Paper Structure

Crafting the international relations essay in a logically structured and organized manner is the key to keeping the reader's attention from the beginning till the end of the academic paper. The entire essay should be based on the classical international relations essay format, including the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

To accomplish this goal, we would advise you to frequently use headings and subheadings and form main arguments about them. Implementing sentences known as logical transitions will help create a bond between adjacent paragraphs and maintain the ceaseless flow of words. This will make the content of the paper more explicit.

Use Evidence in Your International Relations Paper

Creating a top-notch international relations paper is impossible without having in-depth knowledge of history, economics, sociology, and all the interrelated disciplines. Information gathered from all these various fields of study helps you provide factual-based arguments in your academic work.

Therefore, if you decide to write an essay on the Civil War in America, you need to go further than the description of racial divisions among states and provide evidence on the origins of these divisions through economic analysis. Or, if you are interested in the opposition between the dominant powers of America and the USSR during the cold war, you may put down the facts of founding NATO versus the Warsaw Pact and the reasons behind those actions.

For more tips on how to write an international relations essay, use our essay writer service.

Consider Policy Implications in Your International Relations Paper

Some students prefer analyzing issues that the world faces today through the lens of international relations. For our international essay to serve some kind of purpose, students are welcome to propose possible solutions for problems orbiting the world through current affairs in global politics.

For instance, discussing the consequences of climate change requires going back to its historical origins, such as the industrial revolution. Afterward, students need to come up with probable ideas that carry the potential to be transformed through policy implications. That way, students can provide some kind of benefit to resolving contemporary political problems through their essays on international relations.

International Relations Essay Outline

The process of free writing is essential before jumping into structuring the essay directly. Choosing the topic of your academic paper requires careful consideration of all the issues of your interest. Try brainstorming all of them and then narrow the list down to the ones that you have the most knowledge and information on. Once you make a selection of the topic that nurtures your curiosity, it will simplify the writing process for you.

Afterward, make the bullet points of the core ideas you need to develop throughout the essay and follow the classical international relations essay outline, which consists of three main parts.

International Relations Essay Introduction

The international relations essay format requires students to commence writing with a general overview of the chosen topic. The thesis statement holds a major part of the introduction of your essay on international relations. That's where you provide broad historical background on the main objective of your paper. Start with the topic sentence explaining the importance of the chosen topic and try to make it relatable to contemporary global politics. Afterward, state your position regarding the complex issue and fixate on that through the rest of the essay with arguments.

International Relations Essay Body

The body part of the international relations paper can include a variable amount of paragraphs based on the number of arguments you are going to provide in support of your thesis statement. Primarily, you need to overview key issues concerning your international relations paper topics. For instance, if you decide to write about the Vietnam War, try highlighting ways in which South and North Vietnam continue to maintain peace with one another till today.

Connect analysis of the historical roots of the political event to the modern conditions regarding the issue. Be original with your approach toward the problem and try to propose possible solutions to it. Customize the probable solutions to real-life circumstances and remain realistic.

Meanwhile, you can purchase an academic paper customized to international relations essay format from a wide range of essays for sale .

International Relations Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is just as important as the rest of the international relations essay. In the final paragraph, you can reaffirm the main points and arguments covered above and highlight their importance. Additionally, you are free to present any recommendations for further research regarding the proposed topic in the concluding part of the essay on international relations.

International Relations Paper Topics

Take a look at some of the most thought-provoking international relations essay topics:

Violation of human rights in the Philippines
Can China replace the US in the Middle East?
Spanish Civil War as the prelude to World War II
American Hegemony and Cold War
The foreign policy of China
Effectiveness of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty Then and Now
The Comparative Approach of the Bush Administration and Obama Administration to the Middle East
The opposition between NATO and Russia
Lessons unlearned from West: 2014 Occupation of Crimea in Ukraine
The foreign policy of the United Kingdom after Brexit
The causes of opposition between Iraqi forces and American military
Historical Origins and Attempts to uprooting Terrorism
The impact of the Karabakh Conflict on the Euro integration of South Caucasian states
The effects of American foreign policy and South Sudan destabilization
Strategies of global governance through international organizations
Changed global order through the Treaty of Westphalia
International relations through Marxist and neo-constructivist approach
Impact of Engagement between China and Japan on Asian Politics
Maximizing national security in modern developing countries in Latin America
Comparison between classical and structural Realism

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Introduction to International Relations, Fifth Edition- Robert Jackson and Georg Sorensen

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Christopher Chao , Kefu Cao

Theories on international system have long formed and evolved even before the appearance of the study of international relations. Two of the dominant paradigms, liberalism and realism, have gathered advocates both inside the government and academia, aiming to set normative standards, explain international events, as well as exert influence on policy prescription. At first glance, judging by the character and doctrine of these two paradigms, a simple conclusion might be drawn that that there are completely opposite and by no means can work together. However, a closer analysis of a recent international event might suggest that the decision made by state leaders will probably take both paradigms into consideration. As this paper will point out, single paradigm, though sophisticated and self-consistent enough, is becoming less capable of explaining international events all by itself. In order to establish a logical order and foster insight on the topic, while discussing the paradigms, the first step is to explain how does each paradigm view the international system, state interests, state power, cause of war, etc. Followed by that, it will be helpful to provide the historical and empirical account, both historical events and writings of scholars before World War 1, of how and why these perspectives come into existence. Lastly, as each paradigm will naturally adopt certain series of policy preferences which meet its criteria, the impact they impose on the behavior of states will be the subject of discussion. To begin with, realists hold the view that the international system is a system of what Hobbes described as a state of war (Hobbes 1904,18). Without an overarching authority to supervise and to guarantee that each actor will act properly, every single actor on the international stage is facing the threat of being attacked and can only rely on themselves. The only way for actors to eliminate such threat is by increasing power, whether by expanding armed forces or forming alliance to balance or counterbalance those who may jeopardize their survival. For realists though, the only power they believe is the power to go into war, and the only valid actors are states with sovereignty and autonomy to act. Liberals on the other hand, are convinced that this anarchical system will not be permanent. In general, liberals hold the idea that the situation of warring states is subject to change, since war is caused by misunderstanding or the lack of institution in the current international system. While liberals emphasize on the importance of international

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Security is one of the most used and disputed concepts in the field of International Relations. Achieving security has always concerned the world, from those who hunted to ensure their food security, to those who started wars in the name of self-determination. The spotlight highlighted security, especially after the two World Wars, which led to a reconfiguration of the world. The institutionalization of the field of International Relations favored the emergence of different paradigms that aimed to identify and explain the causes of the war and to develop strategies to ensure this good. The purpose of this article is to analyze three of the best-known theories – realism, liberalism and constructivism – and to highlight the methods identified in order to achieve security. The approach will be predominantly descriptive.

The objectivity of studying social and political sciences has always been questioned on the ground that personal values may interfere. In the same vein, it is a challenge to understand and explain international relations, owing to different world views and approaches. This is mainly because there are many ways of studying international relations. First of all, it requires an interdisciplinary and multilevel analysis to explain international phenomena, which may embody conflict, cooperation or both. IR field began to be recognized as a separate discipline during the period between two world wars and since then debates have continued on “what to study” and “how to study”. These questions paved the way to many ontological and epistemological discussions. The realist-idealist debate of the 1950s and the methodological debate of the 1960s are just two examples that have evolved in the discipline. A realist description of International relations is based on competition among states as major actors to pursue their interests, whereas a liberal description concentrates more on harmonious relations of pluralist actors. Theories have also grown out of the need to seek regularities and reflect the quest for a grand theory to explain all observed phenomena, which has truly been an overarching and ambitious attempt. Theories of IR borrow assumptions of each other so to say, and provide feedback for their reconstruction, through the critiques they make against each other. In this book, you will make an introduction to realism, liberalism and economic structuralism as major traditions in the field, their historical evolution and some theories they have given birth to. Chapter 1 is about contending issues and classification of major theories in the field. Chapter 2 discusses the realist theory of IR and its evolution. Chapter 3 provides a close look to liberal tradition and its reflections in IR. Chapter 4 introduces economic structuralism via the Marxist theory and Chapter 5 familiarizes the readers with International Political Economy. Chapter 6 briefly informs the readers on types of international regime theories reflecting different traditions in IR. Chapter 7, the normative theory on the other hand deals with “what should be” in IR instead of “what is” observed. Lastly, in Chapter 8, the English School of IR which argues to be a via media between realism and liberalism is elaborated. Though cases in IR and different issue-areas demand different theoretical perspectives and methods of inquiry; researchers agree on the need to utilize theoretical frameworks as road maps to explain and foresee the future of events. The theoretical approaches and their basic assumptions may sound unfamiliar and abstract at the beginning, However, they will prove to be the alphabet to conceptualize and interpret international phenomena. As editors of this book, we hope you enjoy reading the book and it guides you in observing international arena and motivates for analytical thinking on international relations. We are grateful to our esteemed authors for their collaboration in preparing this course textbook for the International Relations Program. Editors Prof.Dr. Tayyar ARI Assoc.Prof.Dr. Elif TOPRAK

Thinley Dhondup , Thinley Dhondup

Daniel Mpala

The 21 st century, particularly the past two decades, is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous periods the world has had to face in recent history. We are living in an increasingly dangerous world with a security environment unmatched by any other, where the modern state has lost its monopoly on violence and is faced by an increasing and ever growing number of threats. Reading the latest security reports on anything from cyber-security, food and agricultural security to even climate change makes for some pretty grim reading. Security in its many forms is taking prominence in world politics. In spite of this, security remains one of the most ambiguous and difficult concepts to define in the discipline of International Relations. Regardless, security continues to be paramount in world politics and international relations as is shown by the different approaches towards it and perspectives of it that both realism and liberalism have. This essay seeks to discuss these realist and liberalist perspectives towards security and conflict. The first part of the essay will systematically unpack the main assumptions and ideas of liberalism with the intention of discussing reasons for liberal optimism in human progress, cooperation and peace. Additionally the validity of the arguments forwarded by liberalism will be tested by weighing out the main critiques and failures of liberalist institutions and thought. The second part of the essay will examine the core assumptions of realism. The ensuing discussion on these assumptions will explain the pre-eminence of security in realist thought and in doing so will hopefully prove the arguments raised by realists in this regard to be valid. The last part of the essay will succinctly discuss the importance of security in world politics. This will entail; an attempt to define the concept of security, an appraisal of the threats to international security, a review of both liberal and realist approaches to addressing security challenges and finally an exercise that will serve to vividly show the importance of security in world politics. Liberal optimism for human progress, cooperation and peace basically follows from the main ideas and assumption of liberalism. These are basically that; states are rational and moral actors, states interact and are highly interdependent and that it is possible for states to cooperate with mutual benefits being realised. The main aims of liberalism are the attainment of peace and realisation of cooperation among states through the application of its core ideas, assumptions and other liberal norms. Liberalists place a great deal of emphasis on human rationality; they extend this confidence in human reason to international relations (Jackson and Sorenson 2012, 98). Work by states to create institutions, moral principles and regimes are evidence of this morality and rationality (Nel 1999, 60). This is further reinforced by the fact that liberalists believe that in interacting with other states, states learn behaviour and

Jacob Lucas Samoraj

This paper will assess the alleged relevance of the realist thinking in International Relations by answering the question whether Realism still dominates the theory and practice of International Relations. Examination of some core theoretical assumptions of Realism and assessment of the continuing significance of the realist thinking during the Cold War period and after will be undertaken with regard to both theory and practice. To answer the key research question whether Realism is still dominant, arguments against and in favour of the claim will be presented. Based on evidence, the line of argument establishes that although the realist depiction of International Relations, with its stress upon the distribution of power, provides an important departure and continuous insight, not to mention the ‘timeless wisdom’ into the understanding of the behaviour of states, it is not in itself definitive as Realism has some noticeable weaknesses. This paper begins from the premise that although Realism alone is insufficient for understanding of contemporary international relations, its insights remain necessary to that enterprise. The method adopted is Toulmin model of argument, which serves as a basis for structure and organization. The big idea is an elucidation on ‘an enlightened Realism’, which confirms the continuing validity of Realist principles throughout history. It is explained through a juxtaposition between statecraft by Henry Kissinger and Zbigniew Brzezinski. Despite arguments questioning the relevance of the classical paradigm Realism is nowhere near becoming irrelevant in the practice of some states. Whereas the discipline has witnessed an astounding flourishing of numerous post-classical theories of International Relations. Despite emergence of such new theories, it is reasonable to suggest that Realism has not become obsolete. Undeniably, Realism produces numerous prolific critics, perhaps deservedly, because in its power political mode, it provides instrumental interpretation of the international system. Some would argue even, immoral examination of international politics, as opposed to a normative one, unlocked by the study of alternative International Relations theories, such as the English School, Constructivism, Feminism, Green theories or Global Environmentalism. It will be argued, however, that scholars of international politics cannot totally discard the Realist paradigm since security, rather than economic development, still remains the most important concern for many states in the developing world (although emancipation concerns are coming to the fore as well). Realism’s applicability and ability to explain the current international politics remains unparalleled. Although the world is changing (45% of the world is democratic), in certain fundamentals, it has not changed as much as many contemporary International Relations theorists believe. To a large extent, it remains characterised by anarchy, and its attendant logic of self-help and struggle for survival. The world is still decentralised, the key political actors are states which are competitive. This confirms Realist analyses of power politics with states compelled by their anarchic environment to act in a ‘functionally undifferentiated’ manner while using capability advantages to gain more influence over outcomes based on power accumulation, as timeless. In other words, Realism as one of not many theoretical paradigms remains relevant despite the passing of history, in other words, it aspires to explain events even beyond history as it is the longest tradition of thinking about international political reality. Thus, Realism remains essential to understanding states’ choices and actions. Consequently, despite the emergence of postpositivist approaches, it would be incorrect, some would argue even naïve, to state that Realism is not dominant. However pessimistically it may sound, based on data and evidence of states' practice Realism persists. Realism is far from being an exhaustive theory though, neither has it existed without evident limitations, nor has it remained universally applicable to all times and epochs (despite claims for it being beyond history, i.e. being relevant in all epochs), but its savage, simplistic variant is still evident in the world. Whether in brutal acts of war, acts of avenge, revanchism, competition and breaking of human rights, Realism is still unrivalled when it comes to the conduct of states in the non-democratic world. However, Realism's influence is not monolithic when it comes to theory. Realism persists in acts of states only when weak leaders sacrificing integrity and objectivity decide to allow so, for example, by not disarming an aggressor in time, or by turning a blind eye to unlawful military interventions, or by not being guided by ethics. Hard military power counts for more in the context of international politics than it does in democratic domestic politics. In international relations, conquest, or pure coercion, is not leadership, but mere dictation. In other words, 'offensive' Realism exists, as long as, weak leaders who are on top of states follow the realist precepts and its attendant logic of competition, rivalry, carnal revenge and retort to war. In so doing though dictators put whole societies as well as liberal order in danger. In contrast, strong leaders help groups create and achieve shared goals. Successful transformational leadership is about change. When strong leaders allow for the possibility of transformation of the structure towards security community, then the realist logic no longer holds true and is not accurate. Realism and neo-realism are unable to explain structural change in world order. In line with the evidence, although Realism is not definitive (i.e. even weak leaders have alternatives and societies have democracy to choose strong leaders), it is alive and well, and it looks like it is not likely to disappear anytime soon from both theory and practice of International Relations. Primitive, savage and brutal elements are unfortunately still visible in 21st century civilized world. What can IR scholars do to make Realism less dominant in both IR theory and practice of states? The relationship between theory and practice is that of mutual, dual causality. If Realism persists on top echelons of power, it persists also in the practice of states. To change this, scholars have to initiate a theoretical innovation among the top most powerful statesmen. Realism persists unless IR scholars are actively engaged in innovative refinement and eclectic creation of new theories which could then be, in turn, readily applied by strong, transformational leaders, i.e. leaders who believe in change and bring about real, multiple social change. In principle, good theories lead to good policies since policy problems inspire theoretical innovation. Theories inform policy although policy makers pay relatively little attention to the vast theoretical literature in International Relations. If this trend could be reversed, if more scholars would become more interested in doing policy-relevant work and if more policy makers started to listen to IR scholars, then this would enable more effective bridging of the gap between theory and policy. If it is accepted that the point of IR theory is to enable a convergence in which political theory meets practice. Then, such an analytic activity could be, thereby leading to a smoother and swifter transfer of new, well crafted, fine-tuned, and more innovative theories strengthening 'transmission belt' from theory to policy. This would be followed by implementation of effective, successful policies to enable peaceful change though within the system, in actual reality, leading to the innovative and technological transformation of the whole system. Perhaps, even civilizing the International Society in the way that some of the English School scholars have long time ago envisaged. Creative, original ideas exist, but they are rarely applied by policy makers and statesmen who often discard eco-movements, feminist, postmodernist, pospositivist theories. Thus, if scholars and academics produce useful knowledge, as for example with the theory of 'an enlightened Realism', such constructive ideas could be implemented into the practice of statecraft. When successful, research for policy’s sake could perform an enlightenment function of social sciences (this metaphor illustrates the role of a theory in understanding the world of IR - we can only shed light on what is known, and even then, we cannot be 100% certain about the activity of theorising, for what is unknown remains in the darkness) making the discipline more diverse and the world a better place. Reminding at the same time that each of the theories whether classical or post-classical, reveal only part of truth about contemporary international political reality, and thus, from this standpoint, none is sufficiently satisfactory.

Jack Donnelly

Realism and International Relations provides students with a critical yet sympathetic survey of political realism in international theory. Using six paradigmatic theories - Hans Morgenthau, Kenneth Waltz, the Prisoners' Dilemma, Thucydides, Machiavelli, and Hobbes - the book examines realist accounts of human nature and state motivation, international anarchy, system structure and the balance of power, international institutions, and morality in foreign policy. Donnelly argues that common realist propositions not only fail to stand up to scrutiny but are rejected by many leading realists as well. He argues that rather than a general theory of international relations, realism is best seen as a philosophical orientation or research program that emphasizes - in an insightful yet one-sided way - the constraints imposed by individual and national egoism and international anarchy. Containing chapter-by-chapter guides to further reading and discussion questions for students, this book ...

Patrick Kyanda

Realism in politics is a philosophy, which tries to observe, shape and predict political relations. It is based upon the assumption that power should be the primary goal of any political act, both in international or the domestic sphere. As far as domestic affairs are concerned, this theory states that political figures must direct all efforts to maximising their power. In the international sphere the nation should aim to maximize its power over other states. Interests should be satisfied by means of a power exercise, and the world is defined by competing powers This theory can be regarded as a prescription to be followed by politicians and states or as a description of current affairs of the state or politician pursuing self-interest. Realism in politics is often defined as a principle of power supremacy, and it has a long history since the dating back to ancient times. It was reflected in Peloponnesian War by Thucydides; by Machiavelli in his writing The Prince; as well as by other outstanding philosophers like Spinoza, Hobbes and Rousseau. Political realism is explained in the following way: “Prior to the French Revolution in which nationalism as a political doctrine truly entered the world's stage, political realism involved the political jurisdictions of ruling dynasties, whilst in the nineteenth century, nationalist sentiments focused realists' attentions on the development of the nation-state, a policy that was later extended to include imperialist ambitions on the part of the major Western powers-Britain and France, and even Belgium, Germany and the United States were influenced by imperialism (Viotti, Kauppi) .” In the second half of the nineteenth century it was found in social Darwinism who argued that social or political growth is determined by a struggle, in which the strongest parties survive (Ahrensdorf ). The underlying difference between social Darwinism and other branches political realism is the adherent of the former state believe nations are destined to rule over other nations, while others believe the that the nation, culture or politician secures their own needs before needs or interests of others. Political realism in international affairs Political realism suggests that international commonwealth is distinguished by anarchy, since there is no absolute world government that could rule with an all-purpose policy code. Since the anarchy does not need a chaotic nature, it allows member nations to enter into trading treaties. Theorists mostly agree with the Hobb’s theory: "Where there is no common Power, there is no Law: where no Law, no Injustice. If there be no Power erected, or not great enough for our security; every man will and may lawfully rely on his own strength and art, for caution against all other men (Hobbes, Leviathan, Part I, Ch.13 'Of Man', and Part II, Ch.17, 'Of Commonwealth, cited in Griffiths, O’Callaghan)." Respectively, without any supreme international force, nations treat each other with hostility or fear, and it damages the system. There are definite contradictions that can be found in the concept of political realism: descriptive realism may be regarded as a true theory or false concept. Even if it is regarded as a true concept, it does not necessarily mean that morality should be excluded from the principles that rule international policy. One of the strong forms if descriptive type of political realism states that states should be self-seeking, that they should build their policy basing upon desired gains of the nation and should not ignore their interests and demands. Simultaneously, “if descriptive realism is held, it is as a closed theory, which can refute all counter-factual evidence on its own terms (for example, evidence of a nation offering support to a neighbor as an ostensible act of altruism, is refuted by pointing to some self-serving motive the giving nation presumably has--it would increase trade, it would gain an important ally, it would feel guilty if it didn't, and so on), then any attempt to introduce morality into international affairs would prove futile (Stern).” The expressive political realism power depends upon the understanding of political reasons, between state diplomats and representatives. The pattern of officers’ relations, their motives and actions is complex. Waltz (date) says that the closed nature of expressive realism includes an oppose scheme that nations do not serve any needs at all, or can serve the needs of others only. The logical value of the three theories resulting from this concept offers that preferring one condition to another is an optional decision, if an assumption is accepted, or not. (Waltz, The present international sphere of nations’ interaction is defined by the lack of supreme power. In the past, wars were a strong argument in support of political realism – there have been more than 200 wars since the middle of the 17th century. This condition seems to have a chaotic nature, and some thinkers are likely to compare it to domestic anarchy, when state government is not able to rule the state: ‘Without a world power, war, conflict, tension, and insecurity have been the regular state of affairs; just as a domestic government removes internal strife and punishes local crime, so too ought a world government control the activities of individual states-overseeing the legality of their affairs and punishing those nations that break the laws, and thereby calming the insecure atmosphere nations find themselves in (Kegley, Wittkopf) ”. At the same time, such comparison leads to a conclusion that the relations between the state and the individuals are alike. This includes the personification of the states and collectivisation of individuals. Some theorists state that the relations between states and the citizens cannot be compared to the relations between the states and the relations of the individuals, and therefore should be differently judged. In addition to the propositions of descriptive realism, there are notions offered by prescriptive political realism, that a nation should follow its own interests and needs independently of the relevant state of international relations. This theory can be divided into various aspects, depending upon the proclaimed interest of the nation and the availability of the resources that would be used to reach desired goals. As far as the national interest is concerned, believers agree that the state should be self-efficient in economical and political sphere, cutting dependency on other nations (The Globalization of World Politics: an Introduction to International Relations, Year). This economic theory has been used for supporting political realism, especially in the 18th century the theorists of political sphere stated that the political power of the nation is reached and supported in the terms of reduced import and increased export only.

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The ‘Conclusion’ stresses the importance of skilled diplomacy and cooperation. The unfeasibility of unilateralism means that nations do still rely on the international system and need to manage tensions and disputes. Failure to do so could lead to disaster, as the system is all too capable of destroying itself. Statesmen must be committed to international peace and security. Although democracy may not be the modal form of government worldwide, foreign policy should nonetheless be conducted with reference to certain underlying principles, principles that should be promoted globally.

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Opinion article, non-western theorizing: the challenge of international relations curriculum in indonesia.

1 School of Sociology, Politics, and International Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, Indonesia
2 Department of International Relations, Universitas Hasanuddin, Makassar, Indonesia

1 Introduction

What is the issue encountered in the International Relations (IR) curriculum shared across divergent Indonesian higher education institutions? Since the first IR program was formed in 1957 at Gadjah Mada University ( Fakih, 2020 ), a lingering issue persists in the teaching curriculum. That is a dominant, positivist-inspired inquiry in the study of IR. This focuses on constructing empirically verifiable predictions as a methodology, leading to the endorsement of specific epistemological, theoretical, and methodological perspectives to be taught and grasped by students. Consequently, despite the growing number of post-positivist scholarship taught in universities, this still remains a marginalized topic.

In this opinion piece, I argue that only by reflexivity and self-reflection can higher education lecturers in Indonesia be aware of this. Eun (2020) raised this issue in several of his works in 2020 by arguing that academics can realize the severe lack of theoretical diversity in IR teaching if one reflects on what is being taught to students. Recently, Umar (2023) argued that Western IR dominance in Indonesia is due to the naturalized and reproduced institutional practices of power, which causes dominant schools of thought to be the main topics in IR teaching. I build up those opinions and echo the importance of further galvanizing IR studies in Indonesia's higher education institutions by focusing on broadening its curriculum. In doing so, I argue for theoretical diversity in teaching IR programs at Indonesian universities and a more robust adoption of “non-western” IR theorizing. In doing so, it allows consideration of divergent histories, philosophies, and knowledge, which spans across different ontological, epistemological, theoretical, and methodological thoughts that Acharya claimed to “…not impose any particular idea or approach on other but respects diversity” ( Acharya, 2016 , p. 4).

The existing marginalization of post-positivist scholarship is concerning. Indonesian IR curriculum is geared toward establishing future diplomats for the state. However, a curriculum comprising dominant Western-based IR theories impedes creative thinking and theoretical building outside the existing schools of thought. As future diplomats, it is pivotal for those taught in Indonesian universities that it is possible to theorize outside of the dominant Western theories. This allows students to be equipped with the knowledge to adapt to different geopolitical changes without succumbing to great powers' preferences.

2 The problem with the Indonesian International Relations curriculum: outmoded substantives

Higher education institutions teaching IR in Indonesia greatly emphasize Western-centric IR traditions. As Umar explained, this instance can be traced to institutionalizing IR studies during Suharto's presidency in the late 1960s. Not only were “sensitive” topics such as Marxism disregarded in the Indonesian curriculum, but an intentionally constructed curriculum focused on patterns of economic development in the West ( Heryanto and Nancy, 1988 ; Umar, 2023 ). Indonesian IR curriculum geared to support the New Order era of Suharto was also highly relevant to the geopolitical crisis, which inquired into Indonesia's position vis-à-vis the Cold War ( Hadiwinata, 2017 ).

Critical perspectives in Indonesian IR studies have been left out over the years. There was an increasing marginalization of critical perspectives within Indonesia's IR studies. This initially started during the New Order Era, when the Indonesian government left out the knowledge contributions of leftists, which then continued during Indonesia's democratic era through the imposition of development-based curriculum and the presence of government-determined curriculum approvals ( Nugroho, 2005 ; Wahid, 2018 ). Consequently, this hierarchical structure in constructing Indonesian higher education curricula has left out many insightful studies on global south IR theories. Within IR scholarship, these are known to be non-Western IR theories, a critical stance in understanding the world outside the dominant Western-centric IR traditions.

A number of IR scholars have echoed this in the past. Buzan and Acharya have been among the most vocal on this topic, criticizing that “Western theories, the criticism goes, misrepresent and therefore misunderstand much of the rest of the world” ( Acharya, 2014 , p. 647). Before this opinion, the non-convergence of the Western-centric IR traditions in Asia is described by David Kang as doing “…a poor job as they are applied to Asia” ( Kang, 2003 , p. 58). Inspired by this thought, Acharya and Buzan (2010) asked, “Why is there no non-western international theory”? Such scholars have argued for diversifying the IR theories, pointing to how non-Western societies' cultures, philosophies, and historical contexts can contribute to theorizing IR. As a result, we are now witnessing more IR schools of thought assessing the unique contexts within Asian societies, with the rise of China being a dominant discourse in contemporary IR studies ( Qin, 2011 , 2016 ; Yan et al., 2011 ). Consequently, contemporary IR theorizing has allowed for divergent views and points of analysis, transcending the ontological, epistemological, and methodological starting points under Western-inspired IR. However, Indonesian higher education institutions have not effectively adapted to this trend.

The development of the IR curriculum has been somewhat stagnant since Indonesia's democratization era. Transcending the Western-centered IR school of thought, there is a growing number of developments within Indonesia's IR curriculum to assess the role of non-state actors, non-traditional security threats, evolutions of human rights, and other empirically rich studies. However, when it comes to the core departure of analysis, what dominates is Western-inspired inquiries: the role of the state, power, political economics, and international system. Based on data from the Indonesian International Relations Association (AIHII), 73 IR programs in Indonesia are spread across different islands ( AIHII, 2023 ). However, despite the country's growing number of IR programs, they all share a curriculum that sidelines the importance of alternative IR thoughts. Looking deeper into prominent IR programs in the country, such as Universitas Hasanuddin, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Sriwijaya, Universitas Pertamina, Universitas Katolik Parahyangan, and Universitas Diponegoro, alternative schools of thoughts only occupy one or two classes within a course (Introduction to International Relations, Theories of International Relations, Foreign Policy, or International Politics). A heavier emphasis is placed on divergent empirical investigations of interest to the study program, such as regional issue areas, traditional security, and gender in IR, rather than exploring alternative ways of interpreting the empirical points of investigation.

As a result, theorizing in this field of study is exceptionally confined to those theoretical commitments. Although there have been notable attempts to discuss non-Western IR theories, this agenda is still lacking within Indonesia's higher education institutions. When Indonesian IR studies are anchored to place the importance of great power politics in the early years of one's studies, it affirms the importance of a Eurocentric Westphalian system and Western history, marginalizing other analysis points within the study.

It is, however, fair to state that other universities outside of Indonesia also face this issue. In a study conducted by Hagmann and Biersteker (2014) , they concluded that 23 American and European universities lacked any non-western scholarship introduced throughout their courses of studies. As Eun (2020) states, “…IR is too Western-centric”, and the Indonesian IR curriculum has adopted this for decades.

3 Discussion: reflexivity, self-reflection, and theoretical pluralism

I echo the importance of reflexivity and self-reflection, as argued by Eun (2020) . Doing so makes us academics realize that IR structure is the making of us (academics) as critical agents in IR knowledge dissemination ( Eun, 2020 ). By embracing this role, we can recognize that the Western-centric IR theories within Indonesia's IR curriculum are concerning and may impede our students' creative non-Western IR theorizing. As a lecturer myself, given the responsibility to develop the critical minds of young Indonesian students, developing a curriculum that teaches the diverse range of available theories is vital. Through self-reflection, we will realize that this existing structure is not fixed and can face changes once we realize the issue. As Umar recently wrote, this may not be easy to recognize due to the naturalized Western IR dominance through Indonesian institutions ( Umar, 2023 ). However, we can tackle this issue by constantly questioning what it is and why we teach our students a particular paradigm. In terms of ontological, epistemological, and methodological stance, is it justifiable not to introduce other emerging Asian and non-Western schools of thought?

After reflexivity and self-reflection, we will realize that other parts of the world have attempted to develop this non-Western-centric IR thinking. This considers the vast historical, cultural, and philosophical contexts underpinning foreign policies and how non-Western states think of the world.

An example is Chinese IR. Vis-à-vis the rise of China, western academics have adopted a somewhat stagnant view of this phenomenon. However, Chinese scholars have argued the importance of indigenous theories and concepts related to Chinese cultures, which allows for a better understanding of how China views the world ( Qin, 2011 , 2016 ; Yan et al., 2011 ). For these scholars, it is pivotal to develop IR studies that consider “Chinese characteristics,” which leads to a unique construction of a ‘Chinese School' that studies Confucianism, Marxism, Tianxia , and other concepts highly related to China. Take, for example, Qin Yaqing's relational theory, which perceives state foreign policies in the context of relationality. He argued state interactions can be comprehended by understanding the existing relationship among states and considering aspects of hierarchy and equality ( Qin, 2016 ). In contrast with the dominant realism school of thought in IR, Qin's relational theory abandons notions of state dominance and power and starts by inquiring about the relations between two different states.

Although Chinese IR is starting to be introduced within Indonesian IR programs, this has not been a consistent path taken across the nation. As in the case of the prominent IR programs mentioned in Indonesia, most have only adopted the curriculum of understanding IR theorizing in the Global South rather than a specified inquiry into interpreting Chinese IR. This is concerning, as Indonesian students are currently confined to power transition theories in comprehending Indonesia's relations with China and a rather binary view of the state's relations with other secondary states of Southeast Asia. Part of this problem is that different cultural, historical, and philosophical contexts are left out in IR curriculums, which severely impedes how Indonesian students can creatively theorize IR.

However, the most concerning development has been how Indonesian students understand Indonesia within the IR context. Due to the dominance of power transition theories, there is a stagnant view of Indonesia as a middle power in the international system. Some have discussed Indonesia's soft and niche diplomacy, but perceptions tend to start from a realist, liberalist, or constructivist theoretical foundation. Another consequence is the lack of efforts in considering a separate ‘Indonesian IR' school of thought, which would consider the theoretical richness that Indonesia's history, culture, and philosophies can contribute to IR theorizing. This is problematic. Indonesian academics such as Wicaksana have criticized this, arguing that Indonesia thus remains a ‘silent subject' within the study of IR ( Wicaksana and Santoso, 2022 ).

I close this opinion piece by echoing the importance of embracing theoretical pluralism in Indonesia's higher education IR curriculums. Students must be exposed to the various theories available within IR scholarship. The divergent ontological, epistemological, and methodological approaches are essential for students to develop the critical thinking necessary to be successful IR graduates. Being confined to the theoretical commitments of Western-centric theories severely limits this creative thinking process and students' ability to explore different topics contrary to the dominant schools of thought within the IR discipline. Non-western theorizing allows for diversity, which is currently dominated by the importance of ‘generality' compared to theoretical pluralism.

Author contributions

BP: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Acharya, A. (2014). Global international relations (IR) and regional worlds: a new agenda for international studies. Int. Stu. Q. 58, 647–659. doi: 10.1111/isqu.12171

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Acharya, A. (2016). Advancing global IR: challenges, contentions, and contributions. Int. Stu. Rev. 18, 4–15. doi: 10.1093/isr/viv016

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Keywords: non-western theorizing, curriculum, higher education, International Relations, teaching

Citation: Putra BA (2024) Non-western theorizing: the challenge of International Relations curriculum in Indonesia. Front. Educ. 9:1378316. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1378316

Received: 29 January 2024; Accepted: 19 March 2024; Published: 28 March 2024.

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Copyright © 2024 Putra. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Bama Andika Putra, bama.putra@bristol.ac.uk

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