ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the history of the international system from the beginnings of the Westphalian order through the present day. The chapter introduces key terms and concepts of global affairs, including the balance of power, sovereignty, globalization, security, arms races, and the state, among others. Additionally, this chapter is intended to provide students with an overview of the development of the international system since 1648 and how the Westphalian order is changing. Scholars have traditionally ignored or underemphasized the role of the East in international relations, and in particular have minimized or glossed over the importance of India, China and other Eastern powers in global affairs. As the international system is changing and wealth and power flow to the East, it is necessary to review the origins and influence of a Eurocentric dominant perspective in global affairs and how the changing world order is challenging this traditional view. In this chapter, students will learn about the creation of the nation-state system, the changing notion of sovereignty, the development of the balance of power and how the international system has evolved over the past 400 years. Students will read about important eras and events in global affairs, including the rise of the nation-state, the Napoleonic Wars and subsequent Concert of Europe system, imperialism and the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of the United States as a great power, the World Wars, the Cold War, globalization, ethnic conflict and the challenges and features of the post-9/11 world.
