Lecture 1st

Introduction to the topic. Historical background: the concepts and

reality of international relations in the past

I. Overview of topic
1. Meaning and beginning of International Relations concept (17/18th century, Jeremy
Bentham)
2. International relations - international politics – world/global politics.
3. Features of international environment
- polyarchic,
- pluralistic,
- multidimensional/multilevel,
- dynamic.
4. Key concepts/issues:
- international actors and their legal and political entity (states, organisations,
nations, groups, individuals);
- international/global society;
- forms of international/global relations (diplomacy, conferences, organisations,
movements and virtual and real contacts of individuals);
- leading contemporary trends (globalization, regionalization, fragmentation)
- international/global order and paradigms concerning the world order from 1648 until
now ( Westphalian and post-Westphalian reality).
- anarchy and governance
- why bother to cooperate? (security, global, regional, local problems and
challenges).
5. Key theoretical approaches (they will be considered in detail during lecture 2):
Realism, Liberal internationalism, World-system theory (neo-Marxism, structuralism),
Social constructivism, Post-positivism and post-modernism.

II. Brief overview of the past – modern period.

Past – but whose? There are different stories from different parts of the world. This
story will be about the West and its narration about the Past
 1. Key geographical discoveries of 15th /16th centuries (new sea routes between
Europe, India and China; Americas) as beginning of modern international
relations.
2. Established domination of Western part of Eurasia in the following centuries:
- built thanks to new technologies, free market economy, pluralism of centres of
power, rationalism in philosophy;
- constituted as the world system after Westphalian Treaty (1648) with such
characteristic features as: pluralistic organisation of sovereign states; industrial
revolution; development of nationalism; oversea expansion; balance of power and
coalitions; global wars);
- rooted in the mercantilism doctrine (welfare stems from trade; expansion and wars
secure trade and welfare thanks to strengthening position of the state and power of
its army which can compete and win against rivals);
- with secular, territorial states (among them main powers: Portugal, Holland versus
Spain in 16th and 17th centuries, France contra England in 18th century, Pax
Britannica in 19th century).
Pax Britannica ( Latin) - "British Peace", which means: British Order (stemming from
similar: Pax Romana). We use this name for the period 1815–1914 characterised by
relative peace in Europe, following new territorial divisions after Napoleon’s wars. During
this period, the British Empire became the global hegemonic power and adopted the role
of a global “gendarme”.
- with new powers from the end of 19th century (the US, Russia, Japan, Germany)
and in second part of 20th century two superpowers: USA and Soviet Union.
3. Are we witnessing a quality change since the end of 20th century? As a result of:
 Technological revolution;
 Economic interdependency
 Global society ideas.
This change is visible in:
 The diminishing role of the state (?) and the growing importance of non-state actors
 Emerging global society (?)
 Multidimensional concept of security
 Coordination of national foreign policies
 Global problems
Reading/seeing:
Baylis J., Smith S., Owens P. (eds.), The globalization of world politics: an introduction to
international relations, 7th edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2017, part one.
Derek Croxton (2013), What is the Peace of Westphalia, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=o52GPe_EBG4
The Treaty of Westphalia ( joke but quite true one) 2008, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=c-WO73Dh7rY