PSCI 2750 - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Bachelor of Political Science, KIRKHS, IIUM #slidepoli

1. UNDERSTANDING INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
Sub-fields of IR; Theories;
Levels-of-Analysis.

2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
• IR studies the relationships among
the world’s governments.
• These relationships are closely
connected with other actors, social
structures, geographical and
historical influences.
• IR is multidisciplinary.

3. SUB-FIELDS OF IR
International security studies
International political economy

4. THEORIES
• What is theory?
• IR scholars want to understand why
international events occur the way
they do.
• The answers to why questions can
be:
Descriptive Theoretical

5. THEORIES
Three broad theoretical perspectives:
Conservatism
Liberalism
Revolutionary

6. Levels of Analysis
• Based on Kenneth Waltz’s Man, the State and
War (1959).
Individual
State
Systemic (International)