Definition and Scope of IR:
Introduction to IR
Till date, unfortunately, no universally accepted definition of international relations have been coined because of its continuous changing nature.
However, Goldstein and Pevehouse in his book “International Relations” write, “The field of international relations concerns the relationships among the world’s government. But these relationships cannot be understood in isolation. They are closely connected with other actors (such as intergovernmental org., multinational corporations, and individuals); with other social structures (including economics, culture, and domestic politics); and with geographical and historical influences. These elements together power the central trends in IR today-globalization.”
The discipline of international relations deals with the war, military alliance, diplomacy, trade, cooperation & peace.
People always confuse themselves among the terms ‘International Relations’, ‘International Politics’ and ‘Global Politics’. Sometimes, these term used interchangeably.
According to Hans Morgenthau – “the core of international relations is international politics”. However, he says, International Relations is much wider in scope than International Politics. Politics among nations is ‘struggle for power’ whereas international relations includes political, economic and cultural relations among nations.
International relations and international politics also differ in their aim. The ultimate aim of International Relations is the establishment of ‘International peace’ through cooperation & agreement among different nations promoting mutual interests. In comparison to it, International politics is ‘struggle for power’ through conflicts, wars, political maneuvers among different nations.
Trevor Taylor (1979) defines International Relations as "a discipline, which tries to explain political activities across state boundaries".
According to Ola, Joseph (1999), "International relations are the study of all forms of interactions
that exist between members of separate entities or nations within the international system".
Seymon Brown (1988) thus defines international relations as "the investigating and study of patterns of action and “reactions among sovereign states as represented by their governing elites.”
Jeremy Bentham was the first person to use the word ‘international’, in later 18th century, with regard to defining the relations between nation-states.
From broader view, IR may refer to all interactions between members of separate societies whether government sponsored or not.
Study of IR includes analysis of foreign policies or political process between nations and also focus on international trade and civil society interactions.
The way in which two or more nations interact with and regard each other, especially in the context of political, economic and cultural relationships is called IR.
Some scholars see power as the key to International politics. Thus, they define International relations as the subject that deals with those relations among nations, which involve power status.
As Stanley Hoffman writes “the discipline of international relations is concerned with the
factors and the activities which affect the external policies and power of the basic units into which the world is divided.”
Thus, international relations is concerned with all the exchange transactions, contacts, flow of information and the resulting behavioral responses between and among separate organized societies.
International relations could encompass many different activities social, economic, religious and so forth in so far as they have implications for international political relations.
In the words of Karl Wolfgang Deutsch (1968), “An introduction to the study of international relations in our time is an introduction to the art and science of the survival of mankind. If civilization is killed in the nearest future, it will not be killed by famine or plague, but by foreign policy and international relations.”
The point expressed here is that we can cope with hunger and pestilence, but we cannot deal with the power of our own weapons and our own behavior as nation states.
It is important to note that since the end of World War 1, nation states have possessed unprecedented instruments for national action in the form of ideologies and weapons, and they have become even more
dangerous vehicles of international conflict, carrying the potential for its escalation to mutual destruction and ultimate annihilation.
It is thus decisively important for the student of international relations to understand that the world of today is marked by two factors. One fact has to do with the nature of power in the age of the atom; the other concerns the interdependence of mankind in an age of the individual.


Nature of IR:
There are many factors which affects nature of international relations such as evolution of new nations, technological development, nuclear research, rise of multipolar world, emergence of new order, non-state organizations, global problems, so and so forth.
Following important points explaining the nature of international relations.
NO SINGLE DEFINITION. International relations has no single definition. Unfortunately, till date, no universally accepted definition of international relations have been coined because of its continuous changing nature.
OPERATES IN ANARCHICAL SYSTEM. International relations operates in an anarchical system. There is no single organization to regulate relations among states. Michael Nicholson writes “international relation is study of aspects of anarchy, though an anarchy which is not necessarily chaotic.
INTER-DISCIPLINARY SUBJECT.International relations is inter-disciplinary subject. In 1998, UNESCO mentioned international relations as a sub-field of political science because scholars of international relations analyse political relations, economic relations, social relations and cultural relations, etc. politically .
CONCERNS WITH GLOBAL ISSUES.International relations deals with key issues which concerns public global interest. Goldstein and Pevehouse in his book, “International Relations” write, International relations revolves around one key problem: how to balance interest of international states with the global interest?
For example – every country has an interest in stopping global warming, a goal that can be achieved only by many countries acting together. Yet each country also has an individual interest in burning fossil fuels to keep its economy going.


Scope of IR:
International relations compose our largest society. Since the Age of Colonization in the eighteenth century, international relations have encompassed the globe. The scope of international relations is not yet well settle. It is continuously expending & becoming very complex due to many factors such as LPG (globalization, privatization, & liberalization), advancement in technology (communication, transportation, & media), global issues (Terrorism, poverty, global warming, etc.), so on & so forth. Now, world has become a global village.
Michael Nicholson writes in his book “international relations a concise introduction” – that – scholars of international relations study, peace and war; imperialism and nationalism; the wealth of some societies and the poverty of others; nuclear weapons and the possibility of extinction; the environment and global warming; human rights across the world; the merging of states and the splitting up of states; the European Union; international organizations; religions and their political impact; trade and the development of the multinational corporation; race and gender around the globe; globalization and the information revolution.
The scope of international relations can be discussed.
Establishment of League of Nations. In modern time the field. of the study was widened with the establishment of the League of Nations in 1920, after the First World War due to the sincere efforts of Woodrow Wilson of USA. The establishment of the League of Nations contributed to the study of international relations. Therefore, the study of international organizations and international institutions was also included in its preview.
Emergence of USA and USSR as a Super Powers. Emergence of USA and USSR as superpowers further widened the scope of international relations. After the second World War the world transformed into bipolarity from multi-polarity with USA and USSR flourishing in international affairs. Both the superpowers conducted international relations according to their own interests.
Establishment of United Nations. After the end of World War II various international conferences were held. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin met at Tehran and Yalta. They agreed in principle to form a worldwide international organization for peace loving states. Therefore, an acceptable charter was signed on 26th June 1945. United Nations is a global organization of independent and sovereign states and its main aim is "to maintain international peace and security." The establishment of the UN also contributed to the study of international relations to great extent.
Emergence of USA as a Superpower (New World Order). l'he end of USSR as a superpower in Dec, 1990 changed the whole world and USA emerged as a superpower that adopted international politics in such a way that majority of the nations of the world visualized themselves as the subjected mission of the single power. The Gulf War of 1991 paved the way for USA to emerge as a superpower that resulted in the USA's N.W.O under that USA became the master of the world politics. Emergence of USA as a superpower also extended the scope of international relations.
Technological Development. Technology exercises profound influence on the power base of a state as well as the course of international relations. Technology at least in three spheres, industrial, communication and military, has greatly influenced the power of the state. Due to technological development the world has become a global village. Technological development also extended the scope and value of international relations.
Globalization. Due to certain reasons the scattered world is going towards integration. The world is now a single village and states are incomplete with one another. This situation increased the scope of international relations.