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!
785 Best Essay Examples on International Relations
The theories look at the philosophies which shape the relationships between nations and the key interests of the nations which participate in 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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Feminist international relations approaches in the past used to be part of the major debate that ensued between the post-positivists and their counterparts, the positivists.
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.
This has given it a dominant position in the world political arena and it has also influenced how it deals with other nations."The diplomatic affairs of this country are always under the guidance of the [...]
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 [...]
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.
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.
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 greatest of the new policy's contents was the reduction of the interest rates to 5%. The UAE, in their quest to attain economic leadership, ended up creating one of the biggest rifts between the [...]
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 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.
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.
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 [...]
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.
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 [...]
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 societal changes in India can be approached from a number of perspectives including Sanskritization, westernization, Little/Great Traditions, and the dialectical concept.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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.
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.
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 [...]
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 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.
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.
In the 1990s, civil wars were very common in the sub-Sahara region, especially in the central African region such as Congo, mainly because of the presence of warlords and the effects of the Cold War.
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.
He draws a conclusion that the refugee status could be granted solely to persons whose government does not protect their basic needs, who have no other way but to seek international restitution of such needs, [...]
This is why it is very important to understand and investigate the validity of the claim by the realist that the rise of China will inevitably lead to international conflict and order.
On November 1, 1995, Eisenhower's action to give military training to the government of South Vietnam marked the official start of the U.S.involvement in the Vietnamese conflict.
One of the crucial "milestones in early modern Germany history" and the one that influenced the international political arena was the Peace of Westphalia.
Although the territories of the Asian states are determined several decades ago, the problem of sovereignty over the Paracels and the Spratlys in the South China Sea remains to be current and constantly developing, and [...]
The paper will introduce the example of Britain and India to justify that Europe and the USA owe reparations and refute a leading counterargument to prove this point of view.
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.
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 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.
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.
However, in the discussion of the role that the UN plays in international relations through the worldwide system, it is important to identify the differences between the international system and international society.
The overall objective of the control is to enhance and promote the culture of the neocolonialist state among the citizens of the targeted countries so as to get access to markets, labor and raw materials [...]
The intense desire to re-establish the Jewish nation by the Jewish population was sparked by the underlying beliefs of the Jewish religion with of them being repatriation to Zion.
This paper explores the factors, which triggered the demonstrations, the nature of the riots, the aftermath of the events, and some of the lessons that the world has learnt from the uprisings.
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.
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 [...]
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.
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 objectives for the research proposal will be to assess US foreign policies with particular focus on the Middle East, to discuss US foreign policy development and the people in charge of formulating foreign policies [...]
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 [...]
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 purpose of this memo is to address the challenges to the UAE's national security deriving from the rise of Russia's influence in the Middle East and recommend a foreign policy to adopt in the [...]
The Cuban missile crisis is regarded as one of the most significant global events in international politics because it was the closest the world ever came to a full-blown nuclear war.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the United Arab Emirates' national and international response to the pandemic and propose a list of recovery measures aimed to deal with its consequences.
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 [...]
Foreign aid of any kind is offered for the benefit of the receiving country but the donor country may equally benefit indirectly or directly in the event that it wishes to attain any of the [...]
Foreign policy of a country is the essential component for the sound governance of the country as well as keeping good terms with the nations of the world and let the international transaction with full [...]
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.
Nevertheless, as the Baltic States, Trans-Caucasus, and Ukraine decided to choose independent path of development, Russia's plan for the further expansion and decreasing the role of the United States and the European Union in the [...]
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.
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.
In 1965 to 1971, he served as the director of the international institute for labor studies, a constituent organization of the international labor organization.
The fact that the South China Sea is a resource is the main source of conflict as all the countries want to gain the sovereignty of the area to enjoy the benefits.
The Liaoning Normal University in China is one of the institutions of high learning cooperating with the Oakland city to strengthen cultural ties between the Oakland city and Dalian city.
This gives credence to the idea that a major hallmark of the U.S.foreign policy in the Balkans during the cold war was to discredit communism and prevent its spread.
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 [...]
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 [...]
The essay examines as to whether or not the founding of the United Nations represent a radical departure from the system of international law and/or international society prior to 1945.
The west views the nuclear program of Iraq as a means of developing the capacity to mass-destroy people in a bid to seek the power to control the world.
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 [...]
Recent advances in neurosciences have offered a wealth of information on the workings of the brain and the interactive processes between the body and mind.
On being sworn in as the president of the United States, Rist notes, Truman introduced the term, underdevelopment, as a new concept of regarding the impoverished regions of the world.
In regards to the CIA, the policy empowered the CIA in doing the spying mission of nations or leaders allied to communism. On the U.S.economy, the policy aimed to protect the economy from the adverse [...]
The Israel and Palestinian conflict is mainly a misunderstanding between the Jews referring to themselves as "Israelis" due to their background, and the Arab population of Palestine, popularly "Palestinians" following the remaining by the Roman [...]
The dropping of the nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima by the United States directly contributed to the initiation of the Cold War. The utilization of the bombs led the Soviet Union to see the [...]
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 author's main findings are in establishing the connection between the United States' economic decline in the global crisis of 2008, and the loss of its dominating positions in the world.
The number of funds that were being used for the payments was proposed to be used in developing the countryside through the establishment of a budget for rural development.
The culture of martyrdom is a threat to the peace process within the Middle East. The presence of organizations and institutions that encourage and tutor suicide bombing activities presents one of the obstacles to the [...]
The essence of this article is contained in the two hypotheses that the author describes at the onset of this discussion in which he lays the foundation that the rest of the theories are based [...]
America has vast interests in the stability of the region for the simple fact that the Middle East is at a very strategic and focal position to meet some of the interests of the American [...]
Roosevelt, the transformation of public opinion in the 1930s, and the extensive rise of military influence exacerbated by the threats of Communism and Fascism.
Two-way trade constituted the core of the relations between India and the Emirates for centuries, but the new twist in the interstate relationship began with the establishment of the UAE Embassy in the Indian capital [...]
This research focuses on the effect of cultural imperialism of Arab states particularly the Americanization and its effects on the native Arab culture.
The system with the core and periphery characteristics was developed by Immanuel Wallerstein and is called World Systems Theory, and it includes the third group of states recognized as semi-peripheral that possess the qualities of [...]
In another dimension, the United States principles that they lead reduction in nuclear weapons and not to be in a position to compromise on their first task of North Korean nuclear problem.
The main statement of the doctrine was that, any further attempts by the European nations to either colonize or interfere in any manner with the Northern or Southern American states would be perceived as an [...]
It further sought to maintain and expand its territorial control over Poland in disregard to the Yalta Accord which granted it control over Eastern Poland and left the North and West to the Polish government [...]
Despite many criticisms and negative arguments about its study, International relations as a discipline cannot be scrapped all together in school curriculums due to the numerous advantages that it poses on the students.
Conflicts and issues affecting other states are not of any importance to powerful states in the international system. In the international system, scholars of foreign policy perceive foreign aid to be a tool that is [...]
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 [...]
Both cooperative and conflictive behaviors of great powers within the international system are discussed in the literature on great-power foreign policy.
The main historical event with which the literary work begins is the heyday of the Ottoman Empire and ends with the events that affected the beginning of the First World War.
While they are optimistic about the advantages that will come along with the expansion of trade and the mechanisms that sustain it, they are conservative in the view that they deny the universal applicability, or [...]
However, the signs of the impending catastrophe were visible long before the outlaw recognition of the so-called "LNR and DNR" and even before the launch of this Donbas issue and unacceptable Crimea annexation.
The political discourses on the Middle East have remained an interesting subject among scholars due to the uniqueness of the geopolitical relations among the Arab nations and with Israel and the West.
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate one small state of interest Qatar, in relation to the Gulf Crisis and its ongoing diplomatic and economic blockade by the neighboring states.
The model was developed in the middle of the twentieth century when the American government needed to evaluate the potential conduct of and choices made by Soviet leaders and political elites.
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 [...]
To begin with, a multilateral approach to international relations is contingent on the principle of indivisibility, and states applying it are supposed to place emphasis on the public good.
In the beginning, Cros looks at the traditional image of Canada before the end of the Cold War, which was rooted in the culture of the country's population and the world.
Pages: 2
Words: 299
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