Religion and Culture in International Relations
Understanding and including the impact of religio-cultural identity will help us better navigate and explain our ever more complex and seemingly divided world.
International Law
International law is a system of norms, a social practice and a professional culture that remains open to change and contestation. It comprises learned techniques, traditions, institutions and ideologies that evolve.
Global Civil Society
The presence of civil society organisations has become increasingly relevant within the global system, changing its nature due to their involvement and activism across a range of areas.
Towards Global International Relations
Despite its increasing geographical spread, International Relations is not yet a global discipline that captures the full range of ideas, histories and experiences of both Western and non-Western societies.
Introducing Bipolarity, Tripolarity, Unipolarity, Multipolarity and Multiplexity
There are many different ways to visualise where power lies within the global system. One way to do so is to consider different types of ‘polarity’.
Introducing Globalisation in International Relations
People have always travelled from place to place and exchanged goods and cultural artefacts. What has changed, due to advances in technology and transportation, is the speed and intensity of this process.
Levels of Analysis in International Relations
Levels of Analysis are the building blocks that are faced by all students and academics when they seek to build an analysis.
Discovery, Conquest and Colonialism
The ‘conquest’ and ‘discovery’ associated with 1492 might contain deeper-determining norms and practices than those of ‘non-intervention’ and ‘sovereignty’ associated with 1648.
Introducing Human Rights in International Relations
It is easy to regard human rights as a failure because, much like international organisations, individuals have not become sovereign the way nation-states are. Yet, this is a premature conclusion to draw.
Nuclear Weapons and International Relations
It may seem strange but, despite their offensive power, nuclear weapons are primarily held as defensive tools – unlikely to be ever used. This is due to a concept central to IR known as ‘deterrence’.
