Monsoon 2020 - Introduction to International Relations

Introduction to International Relations

With the dawn of the 21st century, human kind is facing disparate epochal challenges. Global politics affects our lives more than ever before. How countries interact with each other -- in military conflict, in trade, in diplomacy, and in other forms of cooperation and conflict -- affect all of us. Increasingly, important is how international actors other than countries' governments (terrorist groups, corporations, nonprofit organizations, and etc.) interact with each other and with governments. If we want to understand what is happening to us now, and what may happen in the future, we cannot afford to ignore the world outside our borders. In the light of the global and international political phenomena, this course will introduce you to the study of international relations, a set of concepts, the major competing theoretical approaches, and knowledge developed in the effort to understand the complexity of the world politics. Additionally, you will be introduced to key concepts, crucial questions, and major theories of international relations. Simultaneously, illustrative examples of pivotal political, economic, and security events are explored. This class attempts to draw out the traditions and modern realities of international relations that shape our contemporary interests, interactions, and institutions. A comprehensive understanding of the critical international issues we face and our own possible alternative solutions to their conceivable consequences are the central focus of this course.