A bachelor’s degree in international relations can open doors to a range of career options. You’ll gain expertise in the relationships between nations and how they connect in the world, focusing on politics, economics, governance and law. You’ll also develop an understanding of how culture, history and language affect international relations and globalisation. You’ll be able to apply this knowledge to work in a variety of sectors including government, business and charity.
The practice of communication and negotiation between states, often involving the use of other tools such as sanctions, force or changing trade regulations. Diplomacy is considered one of the main tools of international relations, though many other activities could also be seen as part of it (such as ‘naming and shaming’).
An idea that states should act to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing or crimes against humanity by intervening in their internal affairs, even if this means overriding their sovereignty. This approach contrasts with the principle of non-interference that has governed international relations since the end of the second world war.
The belief that a group of people has a right to form their own political community, regardless of whether it conforms to existing borders. This is a fundamental principle of human rights and forms the basis of some humanitarian theories, such as the dominance of democratic peace theory and dependency theory.