A degree in international relations provides you with the skills to understand how a globalised world works. It’s a multidisciplinary subject, which means you study a wide range of subjects including politics, economics and history. It’s also possible to specialise in specific areas such as foreign policy or security. An undergraduate degree in IR often leads to a master’s degree in the same subject.
The discipline has a strong historical foundation. It builds on the idea that states are sovereign entities, with a right to self-determination. The study of IR also examines how a country’s form of government influences its interactions with other countries and the wider international system. It is important to understand the context of a nation’s policies and its place in the world.
Since the end of World War II, the United States has led the struggle to promote a liberal world order. But its unquestioned military and economic power has bred resentment in many countries, especially as the United States pursues its own agenda.
A growing number of scholars have developed alternative theories of IR, which are less reliant on the state as a unit of analysis. These include constructivist theory, Marxism, dependency theory and feminism. These approaches have attracted both praise and criticism, but they all offer valuable insights into the complex world of international relations. They help us understand how the international system is constructed, and how it functions. They can also give us new insight into the causes of conflict and cooperation in international affairs.