International Relations

Polarity and the International Order

In this course, Professor Ayse Zarakol (University of Cambridge) explores the concept of polarity and how it relates to our understanding of the international order in global politics. In the first module, we begin with an introduction to the field of International Relations, before moving on in the second module to consider three key schools of thought in international relations: realism, liberalism, and constructivism. In the third module, we explore how realists see polarity in the international order, focusing in particular on the concepts of multipolarity, bipolarity, and unipolarity, with historical examples given for each. In the fourth module, we turn to discuss how polarity looks in the twenty-first century, covering theories such as Balance of Power Realism and Power Transition Theory as well as accounting for China’s rise and hypothesising as to what this may entail for the future of the international order. In the fifth and final module, we discuss where the international order is headed next, returning once more to realist, liberal, and constructivist perspectives.

International Relations

In this module, Professor Ayse Zarakol introduces us to the field of International Relations, focusing in particular on: (i) the main objectives of International Relations, including why we should look “beyond” the nation; (ii) what polarity is; (iii) what the “international order” is.