Answer to Question #256881 in Political Science for Yogesh Kumar

Question

explain the evolution of international relations as an academic discipline. critically examine the relevance of mainstream IR Theories.

Answer 1

International relations, on a traditional account, can be identified as actual relations between and among states. International Relations as a field of study can be defined as a branch of social sciences which studies the policies, developments and interactions, the effects of which cross national boundaries and affect the lives of people in different countries and in several parts of the world.

Some specialists claim that the International Relations is a different discipline while others counter argue that it is a sub field. If a different discipline is considered as separate field wholly distinct from any other field or study, then International Relations cannot be considered a distinct discipline because it is a well-known fact that International Relations is not a subject that can be learnt, taught or studied by itself because it is closely linked to many other fields such as Political Science, History, Sociology, Law, and Economics.

International relations (IR) theory is difficult to define. It is often taught as a theory that seeks both to explain past state behavior and to predict future state behavior. international relations theory is important because is a diverse set of schools of thought in international relations (IR) that have criticized the theoretical, meta-theoretical and  political status quo, both in IR theory and in international politics more broadly  from positivist as well as post positivist positions.