Reflection Paper

John Kim Broqueza

There are so many takeaways from the lessons that enrich my knowledge in International Relations
which also help to complete the sense of being a political science student. These stuff would create new
perspective how must things must be understood in a political sense.

In the introductory chapter, it has been discussed that in the years post World War I, international
relations became an academic discipline. The devastation of World War I led early international relations
scholars to focus on measures to create a more lasting peace. Following international conflicts, such as
the Second World War, IR theorists' perspectives on global politics have shifted and their interests have
evolved. International Relations has intellectual origins dating back to the fifth century BC. As there is no
universal government, many in IR are still influenced by Thomas Hobbes' views on anarchy, order, and the
state of nature. John Locke's influence on IR originates from his belief in natural rights and his notion that
an individual's relationship with a state is defined by a social contract. By emphasizing the role of
economics as a driving force in human history, Karl Marx changed many aspects of political philosophy.
These political philosophers' ideas can be applied to a wide variety of contemporary issues, including the
causes and possible solutions to the Syrian civil war.

In the chapter of Empires and international society from 1500 to 1914, after 1500, Europe's imperial
expansion signifies the beginning of a truly "global" system of international relations. During Europe's
imperial age (1500– 1918), connections were formed to benefit European governments at the expense of
non-European political communities, increasing European hegemony. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the
liberation of the United States and South America did not impair Europe's hegemony in world affairs. The
period of European history from 1814 to 1914 is commonly called the ‘Long Peace’ because of the relative
stability that characterized its international affairs. All across the nineteenth century, British control was
key to sustaining the Long Peace. The expansion of Germany, imperial competition in non-European
countries, and the adoption of modern industrial technology have all been considered as reasons of WWI.
The First World War restructured international relations, pushed the Long Peace to an end, and
represented the beginning of the violent twentieth century.

In the short 20th century from 1919 to 1991, the unstable period from the outbreak of World War I in
1914 to the end of the Cold War in 1991 is known as the "short" twentieth century. The post - World War
I brought new concepts to international politics, such as self-determination, or a political community's
right to determine its own political future. The emergence of two new super powers, the United States of
America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, had transcended the great European powers of the
nineteenth century by the end of WWII (USSR). The Cold War was a bipolar era in which the world was
divided into clashing blocs of states centered on the United States of America and the Soviet Union.
Shared issues are addressed in a world of independent states by collectively agreed laws and organizations
involved with global governance. The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization (IGO) whose
main objective is to preserve its member states' sovereign independence.

In the post-Cold War world, following 1991, the United States turned unipolar. Between 1991 and 2001,
US foreign policy concentrated on multilateral global governance, particularly the creation of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) and the establishment of the EU and NATO. During this time, democratization
was a high concern of US foreign policy. Following 1991, European countries of the former Soviet bloc
joined IGOs such as NATO and the EU, while multinational states dissolved into their component countries.
By introducing their economies to the global capitalist economy while keeping authoritarian domestic
political regimes, the Communist governments of Asia avoided the outcome of the USSR. The continent's
collective sense of identity, as well as the might of the EU and NATO, have supported Europe's generally
successful transition away from bipolarity. The end of the Cold War caused extensive change to the global
South, along with a massive shift toward more liberal economic policies and several cases of state
collapse. The War on Terror has modified the laws of international society, making great power action
increasingly inevitable. After 9/11, US foreign policy switched from multilateralism to unilateralism,
compromising non-intervention, state sovereignty, and territorial integrity standards. The United States'
battle against violent non-state actors, such as terrorists, has empowered it and other countries to act in
ways that were previously forbidden by international law.

In the chapter of Globalization and the evolution of international society, the 'widening, deepening, and
speeding up of worldwide connectivity' describes globalization, which is a complicated phenomenon
involving both state and non-state players. Globalization is a historical phenomenon that may be linked
back to the European Age of Discovery from 1500. Thomas Friedman differentiates three phases of
globalization, with nations pushing the process first, then companies, and lastly individuals. Truly "global"
issues, such as the economic damage wrought by WWII, can only be remedied by worldwide responses.
One such response was the Bretton Woods agreement.

These are my takeaways from the lessons. I must be unfortunate to not be available to witness the
remaining discussion of these lessons due to insufficient time. Although some adjustments would need to
be made to catch up these lessons by myself. I am really glad that I have learned these things so that in
the near future, I would be able to apply this theoretical knowledge to real life applications. I am looking
forward to being in that circumstance.