International politics is the study of the patterns of power and cooperation between sovereign states in their relations with one another. It explains why some countries can protect and project their interests in the global arena while others cannot. It examines the dynamics of political interactions at the national, bilateral, multilateral, regional and global levels of relations. Research in this area includes analyses of the role of the domestic state as unit, the foreign policy elites (who make decisions), the emergence of new actors such as non-state entities and transnational diaspora communities. It also examines the inter-connections between the different levels of analysis and the ways in which science and technology impact global affairs.
Realism
Realism is the most enduring school of IR, believing that the main driver of international politics is the power struggle between Great Powers. It is the basis of the modern world order characterized by a balance of power and the prevalence of military conflict, but it has also been argued that peace can be created through the use of economic and diplomatic means.
Institutionalism
A form of realism, institutionalists believe that international institutions have a significant influence on the nature of the global environment. They share the basic assumptions of realism – that states are rational and self-interested, that the international environment is anarchic and no state knows what the other states will do, but they argue that the rules and procedures of institutions can reduce the tendency toward conflict and promote cooperation.
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