international relations: knowledge witHout boundaries
Ramsha Qaiser is a gradu- ate of international Rela- tions from Quaid-e-Azam University Pakistan. She is passionate about peaceful solutions concerning the world.
by Ramsha Qaisar
The tree of social sciences has many branches or stems, and the field of International Rela - tions (IR) is one of the biggest and most sig- nificant. The discipline of IR came into focus in the post WWII era, but it had existed long before. The study of International Relations revolves around the relations (conflictual or peaceful) between different states or regions. Wars were like the bread and butter in IR, and they still are, though the trends and dynamics of wars have evolved with the evolving age. The discipline of IR explores questions like: why is a war fought, how is war fought, and how can it be stopped in the long term? This discipline also answers how cooperation be- tween international states or regions can be maintained in the contemporary age with the help of certain phenomena and theories. But International Relations is not merely limited to certain phenomena and theories; rather, it is a combination of many variables, including politics, foreign languages, foreign
cultures, ethics, jurisprudence along with the inclusion thinking through disciplines like an- thropology, sociology, political science, geog- raphy, public administration, history, law, econ- omy, philosophy, and religious studies as well. Academically, IR is driven by an Interdiscipli- nary Approach (IDA) or Interdisciplinary Re- search (IDR). The term was coined back in 1920 in the United States, and it is also reflected in the works of great philosophers like Plato, Ar- istotle and Karl Marx. Quoting the words of Jacobson & Lipman, “The beginner in any social science soon realizes that there are no walls between sciences and that even most minute researcher in one may contribute importantly to the advancement of all.” Although the term was coined around 100 years ago, but its ap- plication is more significant and visible in the today’s age as the 21st century is the age of glo- balization and information.
ing factor or variable of human life ranging from an individual to the international sys- tem. In addition, our problems are much more complex today, and therefore they require a comprehensive interdisciplinary approach. It is of utmost importance for every individual to have at least the basis of social sciences generally and International Relations specifi - cally, with a strong background in the arts and humanities, because it is now a matter of sur- vival. Humans are called “social animals,” and as its name suggests, the social sciences and the arts and humanities are significant to un - derstand the very basic meaning of humans’ life. Learning broadly about the ways in which humans interact on international scales can expand your understanding of how humans are living and how they could be living. The field of International Relations makes one think critically, out of the box, behind the cur- tains and under the carpet. Whether you want
to become a political scientist or analyst, fundraising manager, research analyst, ac- ademic, public relations specialist, or dip- lomat, going into International Relations is both lucrative and meaningful.
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Knowledge is power and it doesn’t have any boundaries.
This globalized age has brought connectivity and inter-connectedness between every exist-
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