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!
789 Best Essay Examples on International Relations
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.
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 [...]
Political nature of the General Assembly and the Security Council hinder the effectiveness of the United Nations in fostering international peace and security.
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 [...]
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.
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 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 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 [...]
Among the positive effects is that an increase in population can lead to the supply of a population that would not have been there in the absence of rapid population growth.
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
Being prepared by the professionals who work at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of London International Programs, and the Political Science Department of the University of Prince Edward Island, it [...]
As a result of the conference, certain decisions were made regarding the division of Africa among the European countries, and the countries' rights to their zones of influence and colonial agreements between them were recognized.
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 [...]
Consequently, the signing of the peace of Westphalia became a hallmark for the development of the principle of international law, which introduced the concept of nation-states and sovereignty in global politics.
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 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 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 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 [...]
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 [...]
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 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 [...]
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 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 [...]
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 [...]
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 1965 to 1971, he served as the director of the international institute for labor studies, a constituent organization of the international labor organization.
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.
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, [...]
In conclusion, today, China is a politically and economically stable nation as a result of several reforms that have been made in Chinese foreign policy which enabled the country to enter the world market.
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.
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
The societal changes in India can be approached from a number of perspectives including Sanskritization, westernization, Little/Great Traditions, and the dialectical concept.
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.
Bello argues that the WTO is only serving the interests of the wealthy countries and not the poor. The article demonstrates the nature of exploitation the wealthy nations exert on the poor nations by adopting [...]
The above-mentioned helps to explain the particulars of the Realist conceptualisation of power in IR, as such that 'comes out of the gun's barrel', on the one hand, and serves as the main indication of [...]
Due to the fact that China is fast rising in terms of economy and the military force, there has been conflict between China and the United States of America.
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.
They had to leverage successful, existing institutions to the hilt; to work to keep the domestic population in overall support of the war effort and take advantage of the enemy's mistakes.
The paper will discuss the backgroundto the formation of the agreement, its terms and the effects that the agreement has impacted in the politics and the economies of three member countries.
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 [...]
With regards to Afghanistan, the UAE has positively and immensely contributed to the international efforts of stabilizing Afghanistan and supporting the efforts to have a peaceful Afghanistan.
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 [...]
Consequently, the island became the center of military tensions in the second half of the 20th century, which explains the interest in its role within the framework of the current discussion.
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.
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.
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 [...]
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.
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.
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 [...]
The author uses the history of military and diplomatic missions that have occurred in the last two centuries to support his view of international politics.
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.
In fact the creation of treaties and their exclusivity to states can be seen in the theory of Realism which specifically mentions that states are the primary actors in international relations and that there is [...]
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 [...]
This paper proposes that the humanitarian intervention in Somalia lacked legitimacy because the media depoliticized the intervention and dehumanized the conflict that ensued after that.
Thus, Kang's confidence in the effectiveness of economic interdependence as a preserver of peace and stability in the region is in opposition to some events in the history of European countries in the last hundred [...]
International terrorism has contributed to the unpopularity of the US in many countries all over the world and the subsequent inclination of terrorists to attack US targets.
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.
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
The citizens of these two countries are engaged in intensive business throughout the world and this is why they are in a good position to control the world economy.
All agreements of the WTO start with negotiations, even the formation of the WTO itself was agreed upon after seven years of negotiations, known as the Uruguay Round, to succeed the General Agreement on Tariffs [...]
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.
From the analysis of the complexities in the administration of the European Union, it is evident that the key area in the genesis of its challenges lies in its quest for harmony in administration.
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 [...]
Because of these challenges, the citizens and the government of Afghanistan together with other countries made a commitment to make the necessary changes in order to rebuild Afghanistan State with the help of US government [...]
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.
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 [...]
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.
What is the influence of UAE foreign policy on South Africa and the 2050 prospects? What is the impact of xenophobia on the South African's relationship with the UAE?
He reviews the failure of the 2014 World Economic Forum held in Switzerland to address the issues affecting Japan and China and fears that this conflict may cause a major world war.
The Arabic Conscience is the song that portrays the spiritual level of Arabs that arouses deep respect for the intentions they have peace and forgiveness.
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 crucial "milestones in early modern Germany history" and the one that influenced the international political arena was the Peace of Westphalia.
The international organizations depend on the efforts of member nations to help affected nations to deal with conflicts, but over the past several decades, the international community has failed in solving conflicts in various nations.
The different views on the impact of the CSDP on the North Atlantic security relationship have ranged from warnings that unnecessary competition will be fostered with NATO from the autonomous EU framework to a division [...]
The person that represents the country in international relations is the President but the Council of Ministers is in charge of "supervising the implementation of judgments rendered by Union Law Courts and of international treaties [...]
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 [...]
The international relations theory and foreign policy is significant as a result of the interconnection that exists between foreign policy on one hand and the classical, realism theory on the other hand.
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 [...]
These people are the ones who are in a better position to accelerate the development of Africa because they have the skills that are required to take African states to another level.
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.
As an effect, the reason as to why Foreign aid has failed is because its main objective has been ignored, and it is not being assessed in light of industrialization and advancement in agricultural.
US concerns on Iran's nuclear programme has been top in the list, defining US -Iran relations because the US under the Bush government consistently accused Iran of enriching its Uranium deposits and insisted that Iran [...]
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 dominance of the United States of America in the global economy and its ability to dictate the rules of international trade has been threatened by the emergence of china as a rising world power.
A rational decision for Russia is to seize the current opportunity to establish its own hegemony to become a strong regional hegemon in Eurasia while it still has the resources and capabilities to do so. [...]
In the urge to mitigate undesirable practices in most sweatshops overseas, the U.S.is still held with the need to demonstrate respect for the Sovereignty of other states across the globe.
The US and Europe have an interest in Ukraine, and considering that the country is divided between those supporting the UN and those supporting Russia, the nation as a whole cannot decide whether to join [...]
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 [...]
Pages: 1
Words: 339
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