Topics Covered:
- Definition and Scope of IR
- The Nation-State System
- The Evolution of International Society
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| International Relations Definition and Scope |
§ The
term “International” relations was coined by Jeremy Bentham which appeared in
his book Principles of morals and legislation in 1789.
§ The
field of International Relations dates from the time of the Greek historian
Thucydides.
§ The
Ancient Sumerian city-sates started in 3500 BC, as the first fully-fledged
international system.
§ The
modern International Relations based on sovereign states dates back to peace of
Westphalia of 1648.
§ IR
is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of the interaction of state
and non-state actors in international politics.
§ IR
is a discipline, which tries to explain political activities across state
boundaries, said, Trevor Taylor.
§ The
scope of IR is in constant flux; indeed, IR is a field whose fluctuation is one
of its principle characteristics, said, Stanley Hoffman.
§ IR today is in its infancy, its mixture of
philosophy and history and its theories are shockingly unstable, said Organ
ski.
§ The first chair in IR was established at the university of Wales UK in 1919.
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| Modern Nation State System |
§ The
nation state system is modern system of states which emerged as a result of
Treaty of Westphalia in 1648.
§ The
nation state system is established on the principle that people living in state
should share history, language, territory, nationality, religion and culture.
§ The
expression nation state was firstly used in 1918.
§ A
stat is a political and geo-political entity, while a nation is a cultural and
ethnic one.
§
A state refers to a legal/political entity
comprised of following: a) permanent population b) a defined territory c) a
stable government and d) capacity to enter into relations.
§ The five basic social values of state are: security, freedom, order, justice and welfare.
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| The Evolution of International Society |
