Difference between International Relations and International Politics PDF

Preview

Summary

Difference between International Relations and International Politics: International Relations encompasses a broad area in that it examines the entire international system. Think of International Politics, then, as a component within that broad spectrum. Therefore, it is a much narrower subject area...

Description

Difference between International

Relations and International Politics: International Relations encompasses a broad area in that it examines the entire international system. Think of International Politics, then, as a component within that broad spectrum. Therefore, it is a much narrower subject area. The term International Politics is used synonymously with the terms ‘world politics’ or ‘global politics’. The definitions for each of these terms are often not helpful and tend to confuse a person even more. International Politics deals with the practical realities of a state’s interaction with another state or several other states. On the academic front, it entails utilising the theories of International Relations and applying them analytically to the contemporary issues in the international system. Thus, issues in the international system also play a large role in International Politics. More importantly, the concept of power is key to understanding International Politics. Students of International Politics are well aware that power can be both a means and an end. Furthermore, power can be either hard power or soft power. Hard power means military and economic power while soft power is more indirect such as cultural power. International Politics essentially studies how and why states use these types of power to achieve their goals. Some differences we find, here: 





International Relations encompasses a broad spectrum of the international arena while International Politics is only a component of International Relations and, therefore, much narrower. International Relations concerns the relations or foreign affairs of nations. International Politics deals only with the political relations of states and focuses on how states collectively respond to the emerging global issues. International Relations is the branch in which we shed lights on relations among states. Those relations between nations could be political relations, economic relations, cultural relations, military-technical cooperation, and more. Thus, IR includes every aspect of relations between states. Whereas International Politics which also refers as Global Politics is just one of the aspect we discuss in IR.. it deals with the practical approach of a nations interaction with another by using the theories of IR and applying them in the international system.



International Politics is a subset, at best, of International Relations. Just as your political relations with others in your town might deal primarily with political issues and partisan elections, but you must also deal with people in a great many other ways. You may interact with others in a church, for example, where, hopefully, politics is not present. You surely have to interact with others every day in the course of normal business. If you think shopping at a supermarket is a political experience, you might be unusual. So International Politics deals realistically with political relations and alliances with other nations. Intentional Relations are far broader, and nations which disagree on political matters must still deal with each other on matters of trade and economics, among many other issues....