The world is becoming increasingly interconnected through trade and commerce, political leaders seeking to build close economic ties, global organizations that work toward peace and the environment, and social movements and other forms of communication. International relations and global studies are the disciplines that enable us to understand these interactions.
The field of IR is concerned with relationships that transcend the boundaries of nation-states, including global governance, foreign policy analysis, national and ethnic identities, diplomacy, the economy, development studies, international security, and the interaction between cultures. It is a broad, multidisciplinary subject that encompasses the fields of political science, history, sociology and political philosophy as well as anthropology, law, and economics.
Historically, IR has been driven by the desire to find less dangerous ways to conduct world affairs and to make foreign policies more transparent. It also grew out of a European system of presupposing the sovereign equality of states and exporting this concept to other parts of the world via colonialism and the “standards of civilization” that were established. The IR discipline has been stultified in communist China and the Soviet Union and thrived in the West as a result of a surge of writing and research inspired by the belief that systematic observation and inquiry could dispel ignorance and serve human betterment.
A degree in IR can open doors to a number of different careers within business, government, non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, research institutions, international relations offices and academia. An IR degree also provides excellent preparation for graduate school in a number of subjects, including law, public policy and public administration, business, economics and political science.
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