1st Lecture

International Relations
By
Zahid Mehmood Zahid
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2480224122267
811
National Officers Academy (NOA), Islamabad &
Lahore.
Lecture by: Zahid Mehmood Zahid, PhD (IR) NDU, NOA Islamabad.
Recommended Books
 1 Book available at NOA Book Store,
 2 “International relations” by J. C Pevehouse & Joshua

Goldstein
 3 “Perspectives on Int. Relations” by Henry R. Nau
Introduction
• The definition and Scope of IR

• The Nation State System
IR/Politics - a World of Possibilities
Domestic or International, politics has no dead ends!
 Pak-Soviet relations, Pak- Russia relations today.
 Iran-US relations – 1979, Iran-US relations today.
 Pak-US relations, Pak-US relations today.
 Arabs and Israel, Warmth after wars.
 European Union after WWI & WWII.

Think in terms of IR and analyse.
 Think politically, see the world through “Why” lens, process
the information, and use the IR language for expression.
 Put your biases aside, ensure objectivity, & don’t distort facts
while analysing an issue.
 You would find more focus on global affairs, than domestic
ones.
 IR does not deal in religious ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but in legality
rendered by I. Law, UN charter, and sanctity of agreements.
Actors that shape and influence IR
 States
 Non-state-Actors, organizations with political influence.

(Taliban)
 Transnational Organizations, MNCs—McDonalds, IS, Amnesty

Inter. (Individual members)
 Intergovernmental organizations - UNO, EU,WTO (Govts.

members)
Multiple explanations at multiple levels
 Individual: Hitler a dictator, Bush aggressive, Mandela

charismatic, Benazir accommodative. (personality traits)
 State: Interests. (economic & security)
 International: Effects of the system (relations with other

states)
Let us analyze two cases;
Case 1- “Iraq War 2003”

Individual level:
 Saddam anti-US dictator, irrational.
State level: US wanted to protect its interests;
 After Taliban – Saddam was supporting terrorism;
 Assuring stable oil supply;
 Denying access to weapons;
 Promote democracy.
Int. level:
 Enforcement of UN resolutions against Iraq.
 Unipolarity
Lecture by: Zahid Mehmood – US
Zahid, a NDU,
PhD (IR) superpower
NOA Islamabad. to preserve the system.
Case 2
“why India wanted war, and why Pakistan prevented

that war in the aftermath of Pulwama 2019.”
History of IR and what is it all about…?
 IR is relatively a new field of study established in the after math

of WWI.
 IR became an academic discipline in 1919 when university of

Aberystwyth (UK) established IR department (Woodrow
Wilson Chair).
 IR is the branch of Political Science & It provides ‘methods’

and ‘analytical Frameworks’ of understanding the world.
IR Defined:
“IR deals relations among states, International organizations and
groups. It includes variety of international relationships at
different levels, above and below the state level in the
international system”
Palmer and Perkins
“Collective interactions of the international community, includes

nation-state, inter-governmental organizations and Non-
governmental Organizations.”
Baylis, 2005
Scope of IR
 IR has very broad scope.
 IR covers political, economic, & social issues. discuss.!
 Politics, economics, Int. Law, history, diplomacy, security,

globalization, nuclear proliferation, terrorism, environment, and
human rights etc.
Utility of Studying IR?
 It expands your understanding beyond domestic horizon.
Helps understand the interaction of the states.
 IR enables the one to comprehend the behaviour of the states

and international institutions.
 A wide-range subject–dealing in political, economic, security,

and social issues.
Its time to think critically …!
 Why do people identify themselves as Pakistanis, Indians,

Iranians, Chinese, Canadians, or Russians?
 What is the concept of sovereignty?
 Are all states equal in the world?
Nation – a communitarian concept
 “A large body of
people united by
common history,
culture, identity,
and language,
inhabiting a
particular state or
territory”.
Nation State – a politico-legal entity
Nation State is “a
sovereign political entity
with a governance
system controlling a
territory and its
inhabitants”.
Nation State System
“A pattern of
international life in which
people are separately
organized into sovereign
states and interact with
one another”.
Where has this concept come from?
The Rise of Nation State System
 It is a European thinking, exported to the world.
 Prior to the 1600s, this system did not exist in Europe.
 Europe was ruled by Monarchies with the support of Catholic

Christian Papacy.
Rise of the Modern Nation-State System
 Protestant Reformation movement of Martin Luther 1517-1648.
 Few kings wanted to reduce the power of pope and control their
own people.
 In England, Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic

Pope and established an independent Church of England in the
1530s.
‘Thirty Year War’ 1618-1648
 Protestant Bohemians revolted against Catholic Habsburg

Dynasty in 1618.
 Protestants & Catholics faced massive human losses.
 Treaty of Westphalia 1648 ended the war.
Treaty of Westphalia 1648
 Treaty ended the religious authority and established secular state

authority – stating;
“sovereign ruler of a state will control nation, state, and religion.”
 Resultantly, England, France, Germany, and Spain became

nation states.
Treaty of Westphalia 1648
 Treaty ended conflicts, especially over religion.
 Over the course of time, Westphalian system established

democracy, int. Law, diplomacy, mutual trade, Treaties, and
International Institutions.
 Europe then exported this NSS to the rest of the world.
Principles of Westphalian Treaty
1. Sovereignty,
2. Equality of states,
3. Non-intervention
The UN Charter
Chapter 1: Purposes and principles
 Article: 2 (1) The organization is based on the principle of the

sovereign equality of all its member states.
 Article: 2 (4) All members shall refrain in their relations from

the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or
political independence of any state …...
Outcomes of Treaty
1- Secularism; Treaty favoured secularism and made religion

private affair of the individual.
2- Nationalism; In the absence of religion, Nationalism became the

new religion for Europe.
Significance of NSS in Modern Era
 Each state is independent is deciding what is best for its people.
 Other states have no right to intervene into the affairs of the

other sovereign countries.
 Powerful states cannot exploit the weaker states.
Questions to attempt;
 Explain significance and scope of IR in a changing world.

What are the salient features of modern nation state system?
 Discuss why has nation state been such a successful political

unit? Analyse how far future of the state will be affected by an
interdependent world?
 How do you see the role of nation state in the future, given that
that globalization and MNCs are undermining state authority?
For Further Details;
Please read;
 Treaty of Utrecht 1713,
 Congress of Vienna 1814,
 Treaty of Versailles 1919,
 United Nations Organization 1945.


1st Lecture

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1st Lecture

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

International Relations

 1 Book available at NOA Book Store,

 2 “International relations” by J. C Pevehouse & Joshua

 3 “Perspectives on Int. Relations” by Henry R. Nau

• The definition and Scope of IR

 Pak-Soviet relations, Pak- Russia relations today.

 Iran-US relations – 1979, Iran-US relations today.

 Pak-US relations, Pak-US relations today.

 Arabs and Israel, Warmth after wars.

 European Union after WWI & WWII.

 Non-state-Actors, organizations with political influence.

 Transnational Organizations, MNCs—McDonalds, IS, Amnesty

 Intergovernmental organizations - UNO, EU,WTO (Govts.

 Individual: Hitler a dictator, Bush aggressive, Mandela

 State: Interests. (economic & security)

 International: Effects of the system (relations with other

Case 1- “Iraq War 2003”

“why India wanted war, and why Pakistan prevented

 IR is relatively a new field of study established in the after math

 IR became an academic discipline in 1919 when university of

 IR is the branch of Political Science & It provides ‘methods’

“Collective interactions of the international community, includes

 IR covers political, economic, & social issues. discuss.!

 Politics, economics, Int. Law, history, diplomacy, security,

 It expands your understanding beyond domestic horizon.

Helps understand the interaction of the states.

 IR enables the one to comprehend the behaviour of the states

 A wide-range subject–dealing in political, economic, security,

 Why do people identify themselves as Pakistanis, Indians,

 What is the concept of sovereignty?

 Are all states equal in the world?

 It is a European thinking, exported to the world.

 Prior to the 1600s, this system did not exist in Europe.

 Europe was ruled by Monarchies with the support of Catholic

 Protestant Reformation movement of Martin Luther 1517-1648.

 In England, Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic

 Protestant Bohemians revolted against Catholic Habsburg

 Protestants & Catholics faced massive human losses.

 Treaty of Westphalia 1648 ended the war.

 Treaty ended the religious authority and established secular state

“sovereign ruler of a state will control nation, state, and religion.”

 Resultantly, England, France, Germany, and Spain became

 Treaty ended conflicts, especially over religion.

 Over the course of time, Westphalian system established

 Europe then exported this NSS to the rest of the world.

 Article: 2 (1) The organization is based on the principle of the

 Article: 2 (4) All members shall refrain in their relations from

1- Secularism; Treaty favoured secularism and made religion

2- Nationalism; In the absence of religion, Nationalism became the

 Each state is independent is deciding what is best for its people.

 Other states have no right to intervene into the affairs of the

 Powerful states cannot exploit the weaker states.

 Explain significance and scope of IR in a changing world.

 Discuss why has nation state been such a successful political

 Treaty of Utrecht 1713,

 Congress of Vienna 1814,

 Treaty of Versailles 1919,

 United Nations Organization 1945.

You might also like