Evolving Scope of International Relations: From City States to Global Governance
- Evolution of IR: From ancient conflicts and limited state interaction to formal diplomacy, highlighted by key events like the Treaty of Westphalia and the establishment of the United Nations.
- Theories of IR: Realism and Liberalism shaped the understanding of global power dynamics, conflict, and cooperation during the Cold War and beyond.
- Contemporary Focus: Modern IR addresses global challenges like terrorism, climate change, and cybersecurity, with an emphasis on cooperation, innovation, and the role of non-state actors in shaping international politics.
Centuries ago, while the Greek city-states were fighting each other, a young boy stood in front of his ruined village, staring at soldiers wreaking havoc on the land. Looking at all the destruction, he wondered why states fought with each other and what led to their constant bloodshed. These questions in the ongoing war formed the basis of the art of diplomacy that we call International Relations (IR).
In medieval times, state systems, such as the Greek city-state, were rare. States interacted with each other through wars, slavery, or conquest rather than through diplomacy or trade. Frequent wars between the kingdoms toppled them and replaced them with kingdoms. Many ancient philosophers of the time, such as Aristotle and Thucydides, focused more on the nature of war and peace than on diplomacy and trade due to the political realities of their time. The Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 laid the foundation for the modern state system after the Thirty Years’ War. A series of peace treaties between European states not only ended the Thirty Years’ War but also marked a turning point that established a conceptual framework to begin to codify rules for sovereignty and relations between states.
The destruction of the world wars during the 20th century evolved IR into a formal academic discipline. The massive loss of life in World War I stimulated the creation of a peace mechanism, the League of Nations, an early effort at global governance that aimed to reduce future conflicts. But it failed due to the breakout of World War II. After the brutal war, the United Nations, the successor of the League of Nations, emerged as a strong institution of international cooperation. At that time, two central theories, realism and liberalism, were rising in IR. Realism highlighted the pursuit of power and the unavoidability of conflict in an anarchic world. In contrast, liberalism emphasizes the quality, peace, and cooperation that promote social and economic progress in the world.
The cold war between two superpowers at that time, the United States and the Soviet Union, further deepened the IR by introducing the concept of bipolarity in the world. This era of proxy wars marked the era of nuclear deterrence and ideological battles between alliances of both powers. At the same time, countries such as Yugoslavia and the Indian Subcontinent are fighting for independence from the two main blocs. After the end of the Cold War, the United States rose as a dominant power in the world, leading to the emergence of a polar world. But it also distinguished the rise of globalization, where everything is interconnected and the nature of global interaction has broadened far beyond traditional state-to-state diplomacy. These changes brought new parameters to IR, emphasizing trade, development, and human rights.
The former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, views that: “In our age, the interconnectedness of nations means that the challenges of one region are the challenges of all.”
Non-state actors, including multinational corporations, NGOs, and terrorist organizations, now play critical roles in shaping global politics. Transnational issues such as climate change, cybersecurity, and pandemics require collective action, highlighting the limitations of state-centric approaches.
In the 21st century, IR has shifted from a narrow focus on war and peace to a multidisciplinary field addressing global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, and cyber security. The world order has changed now due to the return of multipolarity. Superpowers such as China, Russia, and the European Union are now challenging the dominance of the United States in the world. Non-state actors such as national government organizations, transnational corporations, and terrorist organizations play a crucial role in shaping international politics. Technological advancements in the modern world, like artificial intelligence, are reshaping global interactions. All these advancements in the world promote cooperation over conflict. So, the future of IR addresses global challenges through cooperation and innovation.
Today, international relations not only address complex global issues such as terrorism, climate change, humanitarian crises, and technology but also function according to the laws and norms set by different organizations of peace mechanisms, such as the United Nations. As the field of IR continues to evolve, this world needs to adapt to all these realities and must learn lessons from history that guide us toward a more peaceful and collaborative world.
The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Spine Times.
Kinza Sajjad Abbasi
The author is recently graduated in Political Science from the International Islamic University, Islamabad.
