Free International Relations Essay Examples & Topics
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The modern world is deeply interconnected. The relationships between nation-states, non-governmental organizations, and multinational corporations are quite complex. International relations (or IR for short) are exactly the study of those relationships. They are concerned with issues such as global politics and foreign policy, as well as many others.
To write an international relations essay, you should learn about different theoretical frameworks. These theories help understand the interactions between states, the purpose of policies, the history of international systems, etc. Some of the main types of international relations theories are as follows:
Realism deals with “real life.” It attempts to emphasize the importance of national and international security. The fields that are studied most within this theory are history, political science, and economics.
Constructivism analyzes constructed state identities. It is involved with cultural studies as well as sociology and social policy.
Finally, Marxism is the theory that mainly concerns itself with inequalities and socioeconomic imbalances. It is most critical of the international capitalist system and attempts to deconstruct class struggle and marginalization.
It is easy to see why international relations are important. With such a broad subject matter, it is also easy to get lost. That’s why our experts have compiled several international relations essay topics here. We have also collected useful advice and samples for you to study.
How to Pick an International Relations Essay Topic
An appropriate topic is a fundamental part of a successful international relations essay. Considering the possible ideas, selecting an area that is outside your expertise can be detrimental. Therefore, we have created a guide to making the right choice for your assignment.
To pick the right topic, try these steps:
Brainstorm ideas.
One of the vital steps in writing any academic work is the first one. Before conducting any research, write down the ideas that are already present in your mind. Maybe you already have a particular area you want to talk about. For example, you can explore feminism or state sovereignty. Rely on what you know best and what interests you most.
Check credible sources.
Once you have a general idea of what you want to focus on, it is time to find sources. Your best bet is to concentrate on works by established authors in the field of IR (e.g., Alexander Wendt). Of course, you may also rely on websites from well-known organizations. Look for reports and articles online. Check that the information you are acquiring is recent and up to date.
Make sure your ideas aren’t too broad…
With IR being such a multidisciplinary field, it is easy to get swarmed by thoughts. Just remember that you still have a word limit to follow! Writing an essay on climate change and international relations may be way too extensive of a subject. Instead, focus on something feasible yet related – like the Green Theory.
…But also not too specific!
At the same time, choosing a topic that is way too narrow could prove a challenge in its own right. You could encounter trouble in trying to find credible sources. You may find yourself at a loss for what to do for your next step. In this case, you might want to change the topic before it’s too late!
Strive to research.
If you have an idea that is interesting to you, this step will not be a problem. You need to be motivated to find enough valuable sources and write a high-quality essay. It helps to look at authors with differing points of view. This way, you’ll create a compelling argument.
These recommendations should help you write your IR essay. If you still have trouble choosing the right idea, let our topic generator do that for you.
13 International Relations Topics for Essay
Now that you know how to select the perfect topic for your essay, we can begin to do just that. Below you will find a list of 13 international relations essay topics. They will prove helpful in your homework or exam writing practice.
You can use these ideas:
Green Theory – environmental action in international relations.
How liberalism in British politics led to Brexit.
Idealism vs. realism in global diplomacy.
Technology as the silent factor in international relations.
Economic reasons for the start of World War II.
The International Monetary Fund in political economy.
The end of the Cold War through the perspective of realist theory.
A brief assessment of the International Law.
Regulation of international non-governmental organizations.
The role of soft and hard power in current international relations.
Modern diplomacy between the governments of Russia and China.
Feminist theories in the study of international relations.
A Marxist critique of globalization.
As it stands, this list could go on forever. We hope that we managed to illustrate just how diverse the ideas for an international relations essay could be.
5 International Relations Essay Questions
Even after reading through this step-by-step guide and all the topics, you may still find yourself hesitating. This isn’t surprising. The ideas that must be swirling in your head right now would overwhelm anyone!
Here you will find 5 international relations essay questions that will help direct your workflow:
1. What is the difference between classical realism and neorealism?
Introduce realist theory and outline its evolution. Explain the main ideas behind classical realism and neorealism. What were the reasons for the shift between theories?
2. What is the impact of Brexit on the European Union’s foreign policy?
Explain the concept of Brexit. Evaluate the relationship of the European Union with the UK before Brexit. Using literature, illustrate the difference between the EU foreign policy before and after Brexit.
3. Do multinational corporations exploit developing countries?
Outline what makes a corporation multinational. What makes a country developing? Evaluate the relative harms and benefits of a multinational corporation settling in a developing country. Refer to Marxist theory for that purpose. What do you think can be done to minimize the harm?
4. How useful is the distinction between absolute and comparative advantage?
Summarize the theory behind the terms. Compare and contrast the concepts of absolute and comparative advantage. In your opinion, how important is the difference between the two notions?
5. Is constructivism a valid theory in international relations?
Illustrate the ideas behind constructivism and the evolution of the theory. Contrast constructivism against other well-known frameworks. Justify whether you think it is useful.
We are not underestimating the importance of an international relations essay. It is an extensive and complicated field of study. Despite that fact, we still hope that you managed to find this guide useful! Now proceed to look through some international relations essay examples below.
Thank you for reading!
1092 Best Essay Examples on International Relations
The Gaza-Israel conflict took a new dimension following the election of the Hamas Party in 2005. The topic "History of the Gaza-Israel Conflict" will focus on the issues surrounding the conflict experienced in Gaza.
The theories look at the philosophies which shape the relationships between nations and the key interests of the nations which participate in international relations.
While realism is taken to portray pessimism in the relations between states in the international system, liberalism depicts optimism and positivism in as far as the relations and goals of states in the international system [...]
The next phase of the conflict ranged from the year 1948 to the year 1967-a phase that was marked by the time the state of Israel was declared and the time the six days war [...]
Political nature of the General Assembly and the Security Council hinder the effectiveness of the United Nations in fostering international peace and security.
Without abolishing the nuclear weapons, the danger that will always be there is that more and more states will seek to obtain these weapons and this will eventually lead to an increase in the number [...]
The development of technologies and the improvement of business, education, and other services have led to the continuous intercourse between people of various cultures and religions. Huntington introduced the theory that the post-Cold War world [...]
The societal changes in India can be approached from a number of perspectives including Sanskritization, westernization, Little/Great Traditions, and the dialectical concept.
In effect, the loss of power to international institutions, decentralization of resources and privatization of powers are political economic factors that have worsened political and economic stability of developing countries making them more vulnerable to [...]
Critics also argue that globalization has led to the spread of sweatshops and exploitation of workers from third world countries. However, critics of globalization argue that it has led to the erosion of national borders [...]
This paper examines the role of science and technology as it has been used to address the challenge of climate change, which is one of the major issues affecting the global societies today.
The rules and policies produced by the United Nations are not centered on a global involvement in de-weaponizing countries, as everyone is full of fear that a group of terrorists will be able to overtake [...]
The need to replace the League of Nations with the United Nations was largely inspired by the failure of the League of Nations to prevent the outbreak of war among nations.
The purpose of this study is to establish the causes and the consequences of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The question which this study seeks to address include what is the relationship between the conflict and [...]
It seeks to understand the driving forces of the economy and the key actors in the world economy. Governments and economic actors are the key elements in the economy, according to liberalism.
By world-system, the theory indicates the inter-regional and transnational divisions of labour that divide the world between the rich and the poor, and the powerful and the weak as Macedo and Gounari confirm4.
This is mainly due to the root cause of the conflict in reference to internal and external factors and the possible consequences of the intervention to the parties involved, citizen and the world as a [...]
The problems associated with the achievement of these goals will also be discussed and solutions to the problems. 1 percent by the end of the year against the target of 50 percent.
He has given numerous examples of today's failing states and has compared them with the stronger and successful states of the world. Unfortunately, all these failures and weaker states are the poorest of the poor [...]
The concept of power balance is enshrined in a political system that defines the behavior of states in the system. The US-led war on Iraq is a historic war of the 21st century because it [...]
Since the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, the concept of a sovereign has become apparent and seems to be accepted as a matter-of-course. The main problem of the sovereignty principle is that it is contradictory [...]
After the end of the cold war between nations, the supremacy of state-centric political and military to dictate the local and international politics have severely diminished over the years.
This essay gives a brief history of the conflict between India and Pakistan, with special coverage on the genesis of the conflict, historical wars and efforts, which have been witnessed in finding a lasting solution [...]
Even the balance of power theory has been found to be inaccurate and the tendency of making self serving adjustments to avoid criticisms has also contributed to the fact that realism in international relation is [...]
Diplomacy can be defined as the process of communication and negotiation between official representatives of a state or territory with representatives of another party with the purpose to minimize conflict and maximize peaceful cooperation such [...]
The winners of the war decided to form the United Nations Organization to prevent similar disasters in the future. The event would change the relationship between the United States of America and the Middle East.
Given this interplay of international relations and nationalism, this paper examines the view that nationalism has been and continues to be the most significant force in international relations.
Following the views of classical liberalism, they believe that the primary task of the foreign policy of the United States of America is to defend the ideals of freedom and democracy throughout the world.
These conflicts were the areas of open confrontation of interests between the U.S.and the Soviet Union, as they backed up different sides and aimed at reducing the influence of opponents in this part of the [...]
The goal of the collective security was to institute peace and stability whereas the system of balance of power helped to maintain the status quo particularly that of the superpowers.
The international system dictates the foreign policy of a state implying that changes in the international system would probably affect the foreign policies of a state.
Chioza et al.say that among the reasons that makes it possible to intertwine the democratic peace theory with the liberal theory is that many countries are in dire need of peace. There is a good [...]
Nevertheless, the example of the Cold War between the USSR and the USA in the second half of the 20th century proves that, despite the absence of an open armed conflict, both superpowers were in [...]
The Third World, which is popularly referred to the countries of the south or developing countries, consists of many states in Africa, Caribbean, South America, Asia, and those in Central America.
Answering the following question will help understand the war is unjust, why is Iraq and Afghanistan the focus regarding attacks on terrorism, are the allegations against the Middle East be substantiated, is there sinister motive [...]
In light of the current energy crisis and the incomplete scientific understanding of the causes and solutions to global climate change, the adopted decision was mandatory for the country to survive.
The title of the essay sums up his topic of interest."The Arrogance of Power" is a title that puts the issues that are addressed by this essay into perspective.
Privatization of land among developing countries is to blame for the consequences of land grabbing by foreign investors. The problem of land grabbing requires world attention in ensuring access to food security, and environmental preservation [...]
It is important to understand that the signing of the Peace Treaty of Westphalia was predetermined by the objective laws of history, concerned with the fact that the course of a continuous social, cultural and [...]
In addition, the effects of HIV/AIDS today are not only confined to the families and individuals infected, but also involve the political, economic, and social factors of the country and people in the country.
In this view, the formulation of a foreign policy tends to consider the long-term effect of the policy and instead of being specific, provides a general guideline to be followed given the involvement of a [...]
According to the UEA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, UAE and New Zealand are united in the common interest and similarity of Emirati Bedouin and M ori culture.
In an attempt to unravel its importance, the writer explores regionalism and discusses a brief history of regionalism and explores that regionalism is important in the study of contemporary international relations because it enhances development, [...]
Today it is rather difficult to discuss the US-China relations from one point of view with accentuating only positive aspects of the countries' relationship which can lead to the effective cooperation or with focusing only [...]
Realism is a theory of international relations that arose slowly out of the work of various theorists who took a distinctive attitude and view in the analysis of international affairs.
Realists argue institutions cannot markedly affect the prospects for international peace and stability not only because they lack independent effect on state behavior, but are basically a reflection of the distribution of power in the [...]
Gladstone argues that the Pakistan's support of unlawful terrorist groups such as the Taliban and the Haqqani have undermined the efforts of the United States of America to restore peace and calm in the Middle [...]
On the other hand, neo-realists say that the system is defined by anarchy and the reaction of states to anarchy is dependent on the power and capability of the state.
The institution was formed to solve the problem of the intelligence failure in the collection of information and because of lack of coordination among the Pakistani forces.
From the war in Iraqi, Oklahoma City bombings the NASA space shuttle upheaval, the September 11 attack, the war in Afghanistan and the current Operation Iraqi Freedom, American government has become the subject of debate [...]
Thus, the concept of citizenship under the new trend of globalization has led to a change in the concept of citizenship. Globalization has led to the decline of citizenship and the authority of the nation-state.
Some of these events include the "The Arab Revolt of 1916", "The Arab Congresses of the 1930s", "The League of Arab States of 1944", and the brief unity between Syria and Egypt.
One of the biggest motivations that triggered the involvement of the United States in the cold war was the need to stop the Soviet Union spreading their communist ideologies into other parts of the world.
The second characteristic of the international system is the existence of different units. The third characteristic of the international system is the unique structure of change systems within each independent unit of influence.
The main research question that my thesis will cover is, 'How does Qatar use soft power to strengthen its global political influence?' This question will provide an opportunity for me to study the various processes [...]
The literatures that were available in the past focused mainly in the conventional weapons and weapons of mass destruction and neglecting the roles that small arms play during the rampant conflicts observed in several countries [...]
The motive of the plot was to discover strategies used by KGB to gather intelligence about U.S.military operations and plans and to arrest Soviet spies operating within the United States.
For instance, while the borders within the EU might seem quite similar to those between the U.S.and Mexico and the U.S.and Canada, there are significant differences in how the purpose of these borders is perceived [...]
The proponents of this theory argue that the war between all is a natural human behavior, which is reflected in the interaction of states on the global scale.
The formation of international relations in the context of the struggle for independence and strengthening international positions is the area of the Turkish development course that deserves particular attention.
One of the most interesting facts from the introduction is the limited nature of sovereignty. The concept of the sovereignty of different countries dates back to the Westphalia Peace Treaty of 1648.
A case study is an explanation of activities, events or problems that contain hypothetical or real situations and comprises the complexities likely to be encountered in the workplace.
In that sense, political issues in the context of international relations is more sensitive, as the image of the international relations is shaped by the political affairs, and military actions which often involves the participation [...]
Patriot Act instituted prohibition against harboring terrorists as a duty to thwart the emergent terrorist networks in America, Canada, and from other parts of the world.
The united nations MDGs were ratified by member states to the United Nations and this signified the beginning of a journey to improve living standards by the end of 2015.
Over and above the shared ideologies, the special relationship has also been shaped by the personal relationship between the British Prime Minister and the president of the United States of the America.
The state is considered to be a country since it has its national government and residents. Furthermore, the state is viewed as a legal institution in its relations with others.
The UAE leaders are disturbed by the possibility of being dislodged from Libya by Turkey, yet they have been on the ground since the beginning of the crisis in 2011.
The Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council as Mediators in Middle Eastern Conflicts" explores the conception of the Arab League and its work through the decades.
The rapid growth and development of the Internet in many countries all over the world stirred concerns over the introduction of a multi-stakeholder Internet governance rather than giving the United States full control over the [...]
Owing to the fact that a close association between America's competitors and those in the Middle East could be a threat to its operations, it is quite obvious that the United States would want to [...]
Secondly, the continued loss of sovereignty by most states in the world, due to globalization, may lead to loss of stability of security in the countries.
A total of 149 nations, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, and China, ratified the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.
The world can be split into two main world regions - the 'periphery' and the ' core.' The core nations essentially own and control the main means of production in the world and monopolize the [...]
The current economic crisis has revealed the perverse impact of the transnational corporations, such that even the economically superpowers like the U.S.and European countries are helpless against the transgressions of the transnational companies and other [...]
For EU, it is important to keep independence in the accounting that it may be regarded as a cornerstone upon which much of the ethics peculiar to the institution is built.
For instance, it presented territorial claims to Turkey and demanded a change in the status of the Black Sea straits, including the right of the USSR to establish a naval base in the Dardanelles.
One of the primary aspects that AMAT, CBHA, and other manuals emphasise as a requirement for humanitarian response participation consists in acquiring the information that will be necessary to the participant.
This research focuses on the effect of cultural imperialism of Arab states particularly the Americanization and its effects on the native Arab culture.
This essay documents the chronology of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict through an overview of the major events that led to the feud. The scope of the essay also examines the justification of the rationales for [...]
The first part of the article investigates the most important issues of the book which are relationship between power and interdependence, explanation of change in international regimes and the ideal type of complex interdependence.
In fact, it can even be seen today based on the substantial growth of China, the Philippines and various other countries in East Asia that dependency theory is no longer applicable to their current situation.
Addressing risks to food and safety Food safety and public health entail core issues to the policies of the WFP in addressing food security across the globe.
Even though Asia is trying to influence the lives of people in the global society, Acharya observes that the world is yet to recognize its contributions.
As a country deeply rooted in Islam as the source of political ideology, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has continued to shape its international relations based on the staunch belief and practice of the Islamic [...]
In this case, the paper will analyze the concept of World Center for New Thinking is deemed to be the major Malta's contribution to EU as well as the entire world.
Maritime Piracy as Security and Economic Threat Among the least understood international security danger is the struggle to contain piracy in the Gulf of Aden, Somalia, and the Indian Ocean.
The levels of analysis include: the system level- in which a particular state is almost defined by the international system, for instance, when the US and USSR were the most powerful states, other state behaviours [...]
The issue of security in the region and maintaining stability in the region has been the cause of Iran's intention to influence the balance of power in the region.
Under the treaty, the countries that had already developed nuclear weapons, "United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom", and other countries that had not developed the weapons signed the treaty to limit mobility [...]
This means that for peace to prevail in a given public setup there has to be calmness initiated by the members of the society or community referred to as peacemakers.
In most cases, globalization means the extensive integration of multiple economies to the point where the significance of national or international networks declines allowing the emergence of national and global networks.
WTO is one of the international organizations that can be considered as a public good because it is formed by governments which are ready and willing to maintain it.
The reform policies of the new nations centred on improving the business cycles of the economy, macroeconomic balance, the development of labour markets and the measure and means of privatization.
The principle responsibility and practice of humanitarian intervention carried out by the international community is to prevent unnecessary deaths, suffering and help in protecting human rights in situations where the sovereign state is either unwilling [...]
As the president of the United States of America, Bill Clinton promised the Americans that he would be "the most ethical administrator ever seen in the history of the nation".
The world is changing rapidly and the changes are likely to lead to a global conflict in the future. The awareness will rekindle the animosities that existed between the civilizations in the past and each [...]
Therefore, the study examines the case study of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and discusses the cause, type of the conflict, effects of the conflict, crisis management process, and offer recommendations.
Both the EU and the U.S.have a deep sense of widely shared values and a strong belief in democracy as a way of governance, adherence to principles of the rule of law, respect for human [...]
Even more recently, the animosity between Russia and Ukraine has already resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people and the moderate to severe injury of thousands more.
From this article, I learned about the complex relationship between NATO and Russia and the strategic importance of Finland's decision to join NATO. Overall, the article emphasizes the influence of NATO's presence and the tension [...]
Among all the countries, the US attracted envy and admiration by being the only country with a system that kept all regions in peace without conquering. The US decided to lead democratic countries and support [...]
However, the primary assumption of these ideas is the existence of a liberal international order, which refers to a system of interconnected, regulated connections founded on political, economic, and international liberalism. To conclude, the idea [...]
Both cooperative and conflictive behaviors of great powers within the international system are discussed in the literature on great-power foreign policy.
However, King Fahd ended extremism in an alternative way, he researched the problem of extremism and then developed a strategy to send extremists to Afghanistan.
On the other hand, liberalists will argue that the US strives to establish a democratic environment in the Middle East and positive economic developments. Similarly, it is reasonable to adopt strategies and theoretical concepts that [...]
For the UAE, the described political and economic tensions suggest that the national security may be jeopardized to a significant extent once the UAE government publicly announces its allegiance to one of the parties involved [...]
Pages: 6
Words: 1763
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