ABSTRACT
The emergence of a discipline of International Relations (IR) can be traced back to the end of the First World War, when a number of scholars sought to explain the path to war in the hope of contributing to the task of avoiding a similar catastrophe. The term ‘international relations’ can be traced back much earlier, to the time of the British philosopher Jeremy Bentham. This chapter seeks to introduce the reader to the most prominent IR theories which have shaped the discipline as it approaches its centenary. It deals with a discussion of Realism, before turning to Liberalism, Marxism, Constructivism and Critical Theories. For stronger states, the quest for ‘hegemony’, either internationally or regionally, drives foreign policy agendas. In contrast, weaker states fear for their security and habitually devise strategies to balance against the power exerted by other actors. Woodrow Wilson’s vision was favourably received in public, although the British and the French were privately sceptica.
