International Relations

and Current Affairs

Dr. Jawad Karamat
 Some Important definitions
• A nation is a territory where its the people are led by the same
government. The word “nation” can also refer to a group of people who
share a history, traditions, culture and, often, language—even if the group
does not have a country of its own.
• A state: is a political division of a body of people that occupies a territory
defined by frontiers. The state is sovereign in its territory (also referred to
as jurisdiction) and has the authority to enforce a system of rules over the
people living inside it.
 Some Important definitions
• Non State actors: organization that has significant political influence but
is not allied to any particular country or state. For example, among NSAs
are non-profit organizations, labor unions, non-governmental organizations,
banks, corporations, media organizations, business magnates, people's
liberation movements, lobby groups, religious groups, aid agencies, and violent
non-state actors such as paramilitary forces.
• An intergovernmental organization (IGO) is a group of members (sovereign
states, countries) working together on issues of mutual self-interest. Some
IGOs are legal entities
 Some Important definitions
• International Nongovernmental Organizations (INGOs) are nonprofit organizations that provide various types of
services in low and lower-middle income countries. These organizations are “international” because they raise
funds in developed countries and utilize these funds in other countries.
• 1. Save the Children.
• #2. Oxfam International.
• #3. Doctors without Borders.
• #4. BRAC.
• #5. World Vision.
• #6. International Rescue Committee.
• #7. Catholic Relief Services.
• #8. Danish Refugee Council.
 Some Important definitions
• nongovernmental organization (NGO), voluntary group of individuals or
organizations, usually not affiliated with any government, that is formed
to provide services or to advocate a public policy. Although some NGOs
are for-profit corporations, the vast majority are nonprofit organizations.
• EDHI FOUNDATION.
• AGA KHAN FOUNDATION.
 Some Important definitions
• multinational corporation (MNC), any corporation that is registered and
operates in more than one country at a time. Generally the corporation has
its headquarters in one country and operates wholly or partially owned
subsidiaries in other countries. Its subsidiaries report to the corporation's
central headquarters.
What is International Relations?
What is International Relations?
What is International Relations?
What is International Relations?
What is International Relations?
 Evolution of International relations
• International relations as a distinct field of study has developed primarily in an Anglo-
American settings. International relations is a debate between the competing sets of ideas.
The debate is both ancient and modern, having been underway since at least the
seventeenth century, when the basic features of international politics emerged, and having
been established as an academic discipline in western universities.
• Since, it has been taught as a part of political science in various colleges and universities
of the world. There was a debate among the scholars of international relations about its
status; whether it is a part of political science or it has an independent status.
• Some scholars view that it is interdisciplinary of political science, economics, history,
psychology, business management and public administration.
 Evolution of International relations
• Before World War I faculties of history, law and philosophy shared their responsibility for
teaching of international relations. Historians recorded the facts of diplomacy, foreign policy
and foreign strategy, the jurists interpreted treaties, pacts and national and international
practices, and philosophers speculated on human nature, war, peace and justice.
• World War I brought the miseries for human beings during the four years, over twenty
millions lives were last. World's opinion was in favor of abolishing war and establishing a
global system of collective security; which could restrain the aggressors. The outcome of
this feelings was installation of League of Nations. The League of Nations seriously
attempted to put into practice the ideas of public voting by diplomats in international
organizations; the rule of law; the promise of disarmament; and foreign policies based on
reconciliation.
 Evolution of International relations
• International relations gained great momentum in 1939 when the US started teaching it as a separate
discipline
• As conclusion it can be said that evolution of international relations passed through many phases of its
study.
• The first phase was the historical, during which the students endeavored to explain how the present had
been formed from the past. This was related with legalistic approach which saw nation-states increasingly
implicated in a complex set of rules. The World War I demonstrated the political and disciplinary
limitations of historical and legalistic methods to understand the international relations.
• The second phase was the organizational in which international relations as a discipline had its own
foundation the ordering of the world through international institution for example League of Nations
which emerged as a result of the peace settlement at Versailles. Under the League system the expensive
dictatorships paved the way for the next phase.
 League of Nations
• The League of Nations was the first worldwide intergovernmental
organisation whose principal mission was to maintain world peace
. It was founded on 10 January 1920 by the
Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War.
 Evolution of International relations
• The third phase based on the analysis of great power interplay. During the period the military
strategy came to fascinate many students of international relations. This is a disastrous stage for
international system, which ended by the birth of United Nation out of ashes of the Second World War.
• The fourth phase was overshadowed by the cold war between United States and Soviet Union and
controversies over ideologies in the study of World Politics appeared. As the bipolar nature of this
post-war era, appeared to dominate world politics, the fascination of idealism and realism of the nation-
state's power and interest, appeared and dominated the public policy and scholarly discourse.
• The fifth phase marked the realm of sanitized realism. Its basic assumptions were the autonomy of
state actors, and their maximum role in the name of national interest. The validity of the concept was
not only unchallengeable, but it was prevalent in social sciences at that time. The same phase was
characterized by traditionalism: which dominated the first half century of academic international
relations.
 Evolution of International relations
• The sixth phase was dominated by scientific thinkings; which replaced both the classical and
traditional orientations by scientific methods and a science-based power oriented international
nations was observed. During the period realist/science paradigm was not discovered and the realist
position on power and interest and scientific value of detachment were called into question by the
war in Vietnam. The behaviouralists played their role during the phase.
• The final phase was a mis-named "post-behavioural” phase that would restore concern for
peace and world-order to its central position, Peace research in United States tended to be much
influenced by social psychology and its interest in frustration, aggression, misperception and
cognitive distortion. The most notable development of this phase was the institutionalization of a new
field of international relations. called international political economy: which combined attention to
economic matters, acknowledgement of non-state actors, interdependence and issue areas.
 Scope of IR
• IR used to cover only diplomatic history
• Then it was concerned with contemporary international affairs
• After WW2 it also included international law
 Scope of IR
• The study of international relations include the five ingredients in its basic
course in the subject. These are:
• (1) The nature and operation of state system:
• (2)factors which affect the power of a state;
• (3) the international position and foreign policies of the great powers;
• (4) the history of recent international relations; and
• (5)the building of a more stable world order.
 Scope of IR
• The following topics are also included in the scope of international relations.
• Diplomacy includes in itself its structure and instruments, changing scope of diplomacy, kinds of diplomacy
and synthesis of realism and idealism.
• Foreign policy comprises of theories of foreign policy, its variables, the study of foreign policy decision-
making and comparison of foreign policies.
• https://youtu.be/oSHIICl_AkY
• National interest includes its definition, its ideologies, its kinds, its fragmentation and national interest v/s
global interest. The national interest is a sovereign state's goals and ambitions (economic, military, cultural, or
otherwise), taken to be the aim of government.
• Under international institutions all global institutions and organizations like League of Nations, United
Nations Organization and other all regional organizations are included in the purview of international relations.
 Scope of IR
• International Law comprises of its historical development. sources of International law, subjects of
international law, recognition and jurisdiction of states and governments, law of treaties and laws of war and
peace.
• International economy deals with international trade, regulation of international transactions, balance of
payment international economic institutions and financial conditions of developing countries.
• International theories and approaches comprises of traditional, scientific and behavioral approaches of the
study of international relations. There are many other theories with which the student of international relations
has to deal.
• The scholars of international relations have to study the historical and psychological perspective of global
relations. To keep themselves abreast of current trends in international relations research. the scholars have to
consult all professional journals in the field, such as World Politics the Journal of Conflict Resolution.
International Studies Quarterly. International Journal. International Affairs. And International Studies.
 Theories of IR
• Although there are many contending theories, three of the more prominent theories are
• liberalism and neo institutional liberalism,
• In brief, liberalism is historically rooted in several philosophical traditions that posit that
human nature is basically good. Individuals form into groups and later states. States generally
cooperate and follow international norms and procedures that have been mutually agreed on.
• realism and neorealism,
• In contrast, real-ism posits that states exist in an anarchic international system. Each state
bases its policies on an interpretation of national interest defined in terms of power. The
structure of the international system is determined by the distribution of power among states
 Theories of IR
• radical perspectives whose origin lie in Marxism.
• A third approach, radical theory, is rooted in economics. Actions of
individuals are largely determined by economic class; the state is an agent
of international capitalism; and the international system is highly
stratified, dominated by an international capitalist system.

• Also introduced is the newer theory of constructivism.

• The end