The study of global interactions between states, societies and people. Originally referring to relationships between countries, the term has expanded to include many other interactions that have global impact. International relations scholars are interested in the world as a whole and explore issues such as globalisation, conflict and cooperation. IR is also concerned with the nature of power, war and peace.
International relations research is rooted in the idea of sovereignty as formulated by Jean Bodin in 1676, and it has shaped much of what we know about the world today. While this has provided a solid foundation for the field, it has also allowed many other schools of thought to emerge, some of which have garnered significant praise (e.g. constructivist theory) and others that have been highly criticised, such as Marxism, dependency theory and feminism.
A belief that the ‘Great Powers’ carry greater influence in the world than small states and that their behaviour shapes that of the rest. This approach was articulated by Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen Points following the conclusion of World War I and was a key factor in making foreign policy a discipline for university departments to pursue research on and teach.
A view that explains variation in what states want by looking at the complex nature of their domestic politics. Liberals do not believe that a country wants to maximise national security narrowly defined or its economic interests alone; rather, they seek to promote human rights, free trade and democratisation in other countries.