IR chapter 1

• International relations are based on fundamental values including peace, progressive change, order, justice, and population's socioeconomic welfare.

• Liberal theories of IR assume a world of cooperating states maintaining peace and pursuing progressive change.

• Order and justice are upheld through international law, diplomacy, and international organizations.

• Pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept) is a principle at the core of international law.

• States are expected to uphold human rights, with an extensive international legal framework for civil, political, social, and economic rights.

• International Society theories of IR assume a world of socially responsible actors preserving international order and justice.

• Economic interdependence is a significant feature of the contemporary state system, increasing overall freedom and wealth for some but promoting inequality for others.

• Wealth and welfare, as well as security, freedom, order, and justice, are crucial values in international relations.

• People become aware of these values when they are threatened or disrupted, such as during wars, depressions, pandemics, or economic crises.

• Significant moments of heightened awareness of these values include the challenges faced during the twentieth century.

• The First World War demonstrated the devastating consequences of great-power war and the need for legal institutions to prevent it.

• The League of Nations, established after the First World War, was an early attempt to create effective legal institutions for international relations.

• The Second World War underscored the importance of preventing great power domination and the dangers of appeasement.

• The Great Depression highlighted the interconnectedness of economies and the potential for global economic instability.

• The oil crises of the 1970s and 2008-2009 underscored the impact of global economic events on individual livelihoods and national economies.

• The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the interconnectedness of global health and the potential for widespread disruption.

• Climate change poses a major threat to international relations and global stability.

• The assumption that life inside properly organized and well-managed states is better than outside or without states holds when core values are maintained.

• Traditional IR theories tend to view the state system as a valuable core institution of modern life.

• When states fail to uphold basic values, the international system can foster human suffering and raise questions about its legitimacy.

• IR encompasses various theories, including Realism, Liberalism, International Society, IPE, Social Constructivism, and Post-positivism.

• Studying IR is important to understand the various ways international relations can impact quality of life around the world.

Explore the foundational concepts and perspectives in the study of international relations, focusing on the global state system and its territorial nature. Gain insights into the scholarly perspectives that shape our understanding of the world of states.