Introducing IR:

Current State of the

Discipline

Mohammad Towheedul Islam

Department of International Relations
25 October 2014

Issues To Be Covered

Definition
Nature
Scope
Important Events/Periods in IR
Theories & Methods
Actors
Levels of Analysis
Contemporary Issues in IR

UNGA

Bombing of Nagasaki

Two Wartime Leaders

Official Visits of Leaders

National Election?

UN ASG

Limons Case?

Collapse of Rana Plaza?

Protest in Oxford Street,

London

IR in Our Lives

Defining IR

Essentialist Definition:

IR is the study of relations among (inter) sovereign states.

This is a state-centric definition. R W Mansbach, 2008)

Those relations are understood primarily in diplomatic, military

and strategic terms.

Inclusive Definition:

IR is the study of the interactions among the various actors

that participate in international politics, including
states,
international organizations,
nongovernmental organizations,
sub-national entities like bureaucracy and local
governments, and
individuals (Karen Mingst, 1999).

Nature of IR

Protecting national interest in an anarchic environment.

Secrecy to Openness

State Centrism

Eurocentrism

Multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary

Conflict and Cooperation

Scope of IR

IR has uncertain boundaries

Two Major Subfields:

International Security
War & peace
Alliance, balance of power, Collective Security
Development of Military Capability, Deterrence
Important themes in IR in 1950s, 1960s
Broadening of the field in 1990s
Regional conflicts, ethnic conflicts, terrorism

Scope of IR

Two Major Subfields:

International Political Economy

North-South Relations
Economic dependency, development
Development, foreign aid
Trade relations
Technology transfer
Environmental issues

Important Events/Periods in
IR

Peace of Westphalia, 1648 and its impact on politics

Treaty of Versailles 1919 & Woodrow Wilsons 14 Points

Interwar Period & Germany & WWII

Cold War Period

Post-Cold War Period

9/11 Attack

Theories & Methods

Three Major World Views

Conservative

Liberal

Focuses on status quo, relative gain (Realism)

Focuses on incremental change, absolute gain

(idealism, neoliberal institutionalism)

Revolutionary

Focuses on revolutionary change, justice (Influenced

by Marxism)

Theories & Methods

Actors

Inclusive definition & Multiple Actors

Two Categories

State Actors the most dominant actors

Non-state Actors
Sub-state Actors
Transnational Actors (MNCs, NGOs, terrorist
networks)
IGOs (World Bank, IMF)
Individuals

Levels of Analysis

Levels of Analysis to categorize actors and

processes

Four levels of analysis:

Global Level
Interstate Level
Domestic Level
Individual Level

Levels of Analysis

Four levels of analysis:

Global Level
North-South Gap
UN System
Terrorism
World Environment
Cold War

Interstate Level
Power
Balance of Power
Alliance formation
Wars
Trade Negotiation

Levels of Analysis

Four levels of analysis:

Domestic Level
Nationalism
Ethnic conflicts
Democracy
Public opinion
Foreign Policy Bureaucracies
Business lobby

Individual Level
Great leaders
Psychology of perception & decision
Values

Questions: Liberation War of Bangladesh

in 1971?

Contemporary Issues in IR

Unipolarity to Multipolarity, Rise of China

Interstate War, WMD and Terrorism

Civil War, Interventions, UN Peacekeeping

operations

Gender, Human Rights and International Law

Global Governance, Trade and Development

Environmental issues & Climate Change

Questions/Answer