Our international relations essays span a range of topics, offering analysis and debate, together with discussion on different perceptions on foreign policy and consequential impact. They are a valuable resource for IR students looking for inspiration when preparing their own research and writing on this topic. Find more International Relations essays here.
Is the UN with its peacekeeping operations, established half a century ago, an effective forum and tool in the contemporary world to face challenges of politicised nature in order to ensure international peace and security? A common way to conceptualise peace operations is to identify their characteristics and functions. Former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali introduced “An … Read more
Why do states go to war when they do? The tenets of neorealism may be able to give us some semblance of an answer. We live in an anarchic world society marked by brutality and strength. Conflict is inherent in the International Relations system because states must constantly be securing themselves against threats and posturing … Read more
Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation has shifted their long-standing links with the People’s Republic (PRC) of China. With their geographical proximity in Asia in question, it beggars thoughts of whether the creation of a superpower axis which would be economically, militarily and politically strong enough to challenge the West. Given … Read more
‘To save future generations from the suffering caused by wars’ was the main purpose behind the formation of the United Nations. After suffering from the devastations caused by the two World Wars, United States of America, United Kingdom, Soviet Union and China (all founders of the UN) finally replaced the inefficient League of Nations by … Read more
Since the end of the Second World War, many people have described the international state of affairs as the Pax Americana. This title seemed fitting as it illustrated a global hegemony and resulting world order dominated by the political, economic and militaristic supremacy of the United States. However, as the adage says, ‘all things must … Read more
INTRODUCTION If someone asks us who has to be considered as poor in our country, suddenly we will reply that those who are getting income less than a prescribed amount will be considered as poor. We will not try to think beyond that point of view. But the truth is poverty is not merely the … Read more
Birrell defines voluntourism as being “more about the self-fulfilment of westerners than the needs of developing nations” (2010), often taken on by privileged young people with few participation requirements, other than flexibility. It is defined as unskilled, temporally shallow volunteering and is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the tourism industry (Conran, 2011). Many voluntourism … Read more
As a communication medium, the world expositions of the past can easily be compared to the present-day world wide web. These gigantic expositions/fairs are considered an arena for showcasing nation-state splendor by communicating messages such as those about nationality, culture, future, innovation and creativity by member nations in the host country. Since its inception in … Read more
1. Explain what is meant by the term, ‘free trade’? Free trade is a term that you can to use to describe the transaction of goods and/or services between different countries without either nation having the ability to put any trade barriers transactions. Some examples of trade barriers are tariffs, quotas and embargos. A … Read more
Dean Acheson’s frame of the position of the UK in the international system in 1962 was that, ‘Great Britain has lost an Empire and not yet found a role’ . This oft-quoted statement has remained a characteristic view of the UK’s diminished role in the global sphere, especially as this area of study has remained … Read more
As part of the 2001 International Year of Volunteers, the United Nations General Assembly published a report called ‘in Support of Volunteering’, which presented a basic criteria of three points which can identify or distinguish international volunteering from other forms of action. The three points are; that it is not done for financial gain, that … Read more
Transnational organizations, or Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), have taken a leading aspect in a modern countries role in the geopolitical stage. Extending not only the reach and power or country, in the political sense, but also extending a member-states economic stance in the increasingly global economy. These benefits are not automatically gained however, most intergovernmental organizations … Read more
The root cause of the destruction that storms upon Myanmar begins with the persecution of the Rohingya; an oppressed group of Muslims faced discrimination from their native country as well as their neighboring state. Buddhist nationalist groups such as the Mabatha regularly boycott Muslim shops, ban Muslims from Myanmar, and strike against Muslim communities. After … Read more
The study of international relations was developed as an attempt to understand the complex realm of world politics. Experts of the discipline have focused on various aspects of global politics, including the origins of conflict, the nature and exercise of power in the international system, and the changing role of different actors within that system. … Read more
While much of the technological world focuses on the advancement of artificial intelligence, another frontier is that of space based technology. Ever since the beginning of the second space age, characterized by the fall of the Soviet Union, China has began to increase its extraterrestrial presence through its expanding space and counterspace programs. It is … Read more
