...relations with external entities (Hudson, 2008). It should not be understood as a bridge between preexisting states with secure identities. Rather, foreign policy is concerned about the establishment of the boundaries that constitute the state and the international system. There is a dichotomy here between the Self (the state) and the Other (the international system) (Campbell, 1998). In this context, the concepts of identity and alterity are inextricably tied together because defining oneself necessarily entails an “othering” process where one’s identity is built on what it is not, rather than what it is. In essence, identity is built on alterity. Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that the identity of a state is more than just something that is derived from a process of contradistinction. It is not a stable, single unitary “I”. It is a condition that has depth, is multilayered, possesses texture and comprises many dimensions. (Campbell, 1998) The identity of the state is also constantly in flux, being shaped constantly by both external and internal forces. With the process of globalization, the divide between the state and the international system is sometimes blurred and complicates the task of separating the two. As such, the borders are not just narrow topographical lines, but instead, are shifting horizons marked by flux and ambiguity. (Campbell, 1998) 1) Realism According to the realist perspective, a state’s foreign policy is a consequence of pressures emanating...
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...course aims to introduce students to the subject of International Relations (IR), whose main focus is the nature of politics at the international level. Students will acquire the empirical and conceptual foundations needed to understand a world political system which cannot be accurately described as either pure anarchy or a coherent form of ‘global governance’. The starting point is the notion of ‘international society’, which refers to the set of institutions and common procedures generated by states over the last three and a half centuries in their attempts to achieve some minimal form of co-existence, but which has gradually evolved to include many non-state actors and different levels of activity – diplomatic, economic and cultural, as well as that of military competition. By the end of the course you should be able to have an informed discussion about: the historical origins of the present system; what is distinctive about international politics as opposed to politics inside the state; and the main challenges which confront humanity in the twenty-first century. You will also acquire a basic familiarity with the main theories needed to think analytically - and critically - about the idea of international society and the behaviour of the actors which constitute it. Brief Description of the Paper The subject of International Relations (usually given capital letters, as opposed to international relations as events) has a huge range. Some see it as covering everything that has happened...
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