Skip to main content

Previous

Best of the blogs

Next

Referendums: without a consensus, the answer is ‘no’

politics at uni

What is international relations?

MARINA ZLOCHIN/FOTOLIA

If you ask ten people to list the issues that they consider make up the stuff of contemporary international affairs you will get ten quite different responses. A few will no doubt mention war and conflict, for example Iraq, Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden and the ‘war on terror’; some might suggest cooperation to reduce carbon emissions; others might talk to you about global development and poverty reduction; still others will stress human rights and the use of torture in the ‘national interest’.

Several other facets of international affairs are also likely to make an appearance, for example: immigration and human trafficking; international security and the Cameron-Obama ‘special relationship’; the 24/7 news, media and politics; international organisations such as the EU, UN, World Bank, GATT and the IMF; and Libya, humanitarian intervention and the revolutions in North Africa.

Your organisation does not have access to this article.

Sign up today to give your students the edge they need to achieve their best grades with subject expertise

Subscribe

Previous

Best of the blogs

Next

Referendums: without a consensus, the answer is ‘no’

Related articles: