The world’s societies must consider each other when making decisions that affect global outcomes like peace, trade and the environment. These international interactions are the focus of the discipline known as international relations, or IR. The topics that IR explores are often seen in the news, and they directly impact our daily lives. The US is a member of NATO and works closely with European countries, for example.
A belief that the rules and institutions of the international system – which was born out of World War I in Europe – should be used to promote liberal aims. This is often seen as a way to avoid hegemons emerging that would control the world. It is also the rationale behind US policy in the Middle East and Ukraine, which largely involves supporting democracy.
The formal recognition by one state that another entity satisfies the conditions of being considered a sovereign nation. This is the underlying principle that makes up the foundation for most of the international institutions that have emerged since the end of colonialism, such as the United Nations.
The study of how ideas, norms and identities shape relationships between nations on the world stage. The most influential theories in IR are realism, liberalism and constructivism. Post-structuralism and Marxism are other prominent schools of thought in IR. They have both earned significant praise and criticism for their contributions to IR theory. These theories are based on a wide variety of other disciplines, including history, economics, geography, law, philosophy, sociology and political science.