Foundations & Challenges

to IR: Intr106
Introductory Lecture
Dr Christopher Baker-Beall
Welcome to Intr106: Today’s Session

• Explain what International Relations (IR) is

• To get you interested in IR
• Discuss the module booklet and take care of some module
administration
• Meet & greet
• Use a case study material to ‘do’ some IR
 Session Outline
• What is IR?
• Why is theory important?
• Some key concepts…
• Module Administration
• Break
• Examples of IR – Terrorism & Radicalisation Case Study
 So What is IR?

• IR can not be summarised in one sentence or even one

paragraph
• Diverse, varied discipline which covers lots of different issues
• However, it is possible to provide a general outline
• … and there are key concepts which can be identified
• IR is a social science… so what do we mean by this?
IR as a field of study is difficult to pin down…
• It’s not like… say… Ornithology
• We all know what a bird is… but also there is a scientific consensus on what
constitutes a bird
• IR is not a natural science…
• There is no such consensus in the social sciences – in politic science the very
nature of what constitutes politics is contested. E.g. terrorism.
• This has two implications for International Relations
• 1. We decide what issues are important.
• 2. If there is a traditional way of thinking about IR (which there is!) then we need to
be aware that rather than being objective it is actually going to be quite contentious .
 So What is IR?
• With the person next to you take two minutes to introduce yourself and
discuss: (1) What you think IR is? (2) Who the key actors in IR might be?
• (1) Studying the human world – relations between people and people and their
environment…
• (2) As well as… The study of the relations between countries, including the
roles of…
• sovereign states (nation-states)
• inter-governmental organizations (IGO)
• international non-governmental organizations (INGO)
• non-governmental organizations (NGO)
• and multinational corporations (MNC)
• These are some of the key actors in IR.
 So What is IR?
• IR draws on many diverse fields – so it is what we would call
interdisciplinary.
Philosophy Politics
History Law
Psychology Economics
Sociology Cultural Studies

• IR is a theoretical discipline – it is like learning a language – you need to be

able to understand the different theories in able to frame your arguments
• The more you read (or speak) IR the easier it becomes…
 What issues do we study in IR?

• Again in pairs – take 2 minutes to think about... What

issues do we study in IR?
• IR covers a whole host of different issues…
• globalization terrorism
• state sovereignty environmental issues
• international security nuclear proliferation
• nationalism economic development
• Anything with a political and an international dimension.
• The fun thing about IR – once you learn the basics – you can
study just about any issue you like.
 Key Concepts in IR
• The state – the key unit of analysis in International Relations
• International System – provides the environment within which state operate
• Sovereignty – states have authority over their own territory
• Anarchy – no formal international government
• Self-help – a key characteristic of the system, states have to look after their
own interests
• Security – a preoccupation of all states
• Diplomacy – the way in which states interact and negotiate with one
another to ensure their security/prevent conflict
 Do we have to do theory?
• YES!!!
• Theory is essential to International Relations.
• We ALL theorise ALL the time.
• Processing information.
• Key schools of thought / groups of theories:
• Realism
• Liberalism
• Structuralism (Marxism)
• Critical Approaches
 The Module: Outline & Handbook
• Part 1:
• Sets out the aims and objectives of the module.
• Your learning outcomes – E.g. learn about IR and stuff I just talked about
• The skills you will develop:
• The ability to deploy the skills of analysis, evaluation and critical reasoning
• The ability to collect, select and organise secondary and primary material
• The ability to apply theory in varied contexts
• Debating and other oral skills
• Individual/independent learning; negotiation
• Team Work
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Part 2: Approaching the module

• If you have little knowledge of twentieth century history, we would
recommend taking some time to look through:
• Eric Hobsbawm (1994), The Age of Extremes, Harmondsworth: Penguin.
• Success will require effort as these ideas are not easy. An inquiring mind and
a willingness to ask and consider questions will assist students in tackling
the subject matter.
• Wide reading is essential
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Part 3: Core reading list

• Main text:
• Steans, J., Pettiford, L., Diez, T. and El-Anis, I. (2010), An Introduction to
International Relations Theory: Perspectives and Themes, 3rd Edition, Harlow:
Pearson Longmans.
• Other good ones:
• Baylis, J., Smith, S. and Owens, P. (2013), The Globalization of World Politics:
An Introduction to International Relations, 6th edition, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
• Brown, C. and Ainley, K. (2005), Understanding International Relations, 3rd
edition, Basingstoke: Palgrave.
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Part 4: Journals
• You are at University now – wider reading is essential
• The library contains a wide range of academic journals relevant to IR.
Students should browse the shelves and identify those of interest.
• Alternatives, Development and Change, the European Journal of
International Relations, Foreign Affairs, Global Society, International Affairs
(and the Adelphi Papers produced by the same publisher), International
Studies Quarterly, International Relations, Millennium, Pacific Review,
Review of International Political Economy, Security Dialogue, Survival, Third
World Quarterly, The World Today.
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Part 5: The Internet

• The Virtual Learning Environment
• NOW includes email, lists of students on your modules, module learning
rooms, module learning materials, Dropbox facilities, the personal
development planner, programme, module and School news, server space
and software tutorials.
• At the beginning of the new semester, there will be demonstrations of
NOW. Outside of these, please use the drop-in support described below to
learn how to use the portal, or to troubleshoot problems.
 The Module: Outline & Handbook
• Part 6: The lecture program
• Is broken into four parts:
• Part 1. Foundations: IR Theory (8 sessions between now and Christmas)
• Part 2. Challenges in IR (9 sessions up until 2 weeks before Easter)
• Part 3. IR and Other Disciplines ( 4 sessions - 2 weeks before and after
Easter)
• Part 4. Conclusion and Revision (Final session of the year)
• There are also 2 Event Weeks (compulsory attendance)
• The vast majority of lectures will be taken either by myself or by Natalie
Martin, with a couple of guest lectures from Liam McCarthy & Imad El Anis
 The Module: Outline & Handbook
• Part 7: Seminar Programme
• Seminars run from Week 11… for the first 5 weeks they correspond to the
previous weeks topic.
• E.g. So in Week 12 you have a lecture on Classical Realism, in Week 13 you will
have the seminar for that topic.
• After Event Week – from Week 17 onwards – Lectures and Seminars on a topic
will be in the same week
• The module book contains the entire seminar program:
• Seminar Questions
• Reading List
• Seminars will be taken by different members of the IR team.
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Part 8: Assessment
• The assessment elements and related percentages of the final module
classification are as follows:
1. Essay (1500 words (+/-10%)) Summative 50%
2. Exam Summative 50%
• The Essay
• The essay deadline is: Monday 19th January 2014 @ 11:59pm
• 8 Questions in the module booklet
• The Exam
• The exam will take place in May 2015.
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• The Essay:

• Don’t plagiarise
• Reference Properly
• Computer failure isn’t an excuse
 The Module: Outline & Handbook

• Extensions and Extenuating Circumstances:

• In the event that you need to request an extension for the submission of
your work – you will need to contact your course leader.
• The course leaders for 2014/15 are:
• BA Politics: Joanna McKay
• BA International Relations: Liam McCarthy
• BA Politics and International Relations: Kevin Love
Activity
Map of the world today
 The International State System

• Think about map on previous slide – take 5 minutes in pairs to discuss –

• When do you think this model emerged? E.g. has it always been this way?
• Is it possible to think of an alternative to this form (nation-states) of social
organisations?
• Treaty of Westphalia – 1648 – Foundation of modern state system
• Euro-centric – but imposed elsewhere - colonialism
• The dominant model – but flawed
• Alternatives to the nation-state model? Difficult to imagine precisely
because of the dominance of the existing order
Ancient Greece
 Seminar Questions: Thursday 9th October

• 1. Do you have any questions about the module or anything you have read in
preparation for this seminar?
• 2. What is the difference between 'international relations' and international
politics? What is distinctive about the 'international'?
• 3. Is there a clear difference between ‘international’ and 'domestic' politics?
• 4. What issues do you think are the most important in International Relations
and why? (E.g. why have you chosen to study this discipline at university?)
 The End

Break / Lecture to Follow