Learning Center


Everything about International Relations
Learning Center

The CIRIS Learning Center is a place where you can find online resources for International Relations and International Security. Our goal is to provide you with easy access to the plethora of different sources that are out there in the field. The Learning Center is constantly being supplemented with new resources and tools. If you wish to interact with others you can use the forums.

Please note that this resource page is being updated constantly, so visit frequently to keep track of the changes.

Theory


International Relations Theory

Alliances

An alliance is a formal agreement between two or more states or organizations to cooperate in achieving common goals or to defend against a common

Asymmetric Warfare

Asymmetric warfare, a pivotal aspect of modern military engagements, encompasses conflicts between belligerents with disparate military capabilities and strategies. Unlike traditional, symmetrical warfare between nation-states

Balance of Power

Balance of power is a concept in International Relations that refers to the distribution of power and resources among states in the international system. The

Civil War

A civil war is a conflict between two or more groups within a single country, often resulting in significant loss of life and property, as

Cold War

The Cold War was a state of political and military tension between the Western bloc, led by the United States, and the Eastern bloc, led

Colonialism

Colonialism refers to the historical process by which one country establishes and maintains political and economic control over another country, usually through military conquest and

Communication

Communication is the process of exchanging information, ideas, and feelings between individuals or groups. It can take place through various means, including verbal and nonverbal

Conflict

Conflict in International Relations refers to disputes, disagreements, or confrontations between states or other actors in the international system. This can involve military conflict, economic

Constructivism

Constructivism is a theoretical perspective in International Relations that argues that International Relations is not solely based on material interests and power, but on ideas

Containment

Containment in International Relations refers to a foreign policy strategy aimed at preventing the spread of an adversary's influence or ideology. This strategy was most

Democracy

Democracy is a form of government in which power is held by the people, either directly or through elected representatives. It is based on the

Democratic peace theory

Democratic Peace Theory: The theory that states that democracies rarely if ever go to war with one another and that the spread of democratic values

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is the practice of negotiating and managing relationships between states and other actors in the international system. It involves the use of communication, negotiation,

Fallacy

A fallacy is an error in reasoning that can occur in arguments and can lead to false or mistaken conclusions. Fallacies can take many forms,

Force

Force refers to the use of physical, economic, or political power to achieve an objective. In the context of International Relations, force can refer to

Fragile State Index (FSI)

The Fragile State Index (FSI) published annually by the Fund for Peace is a report that monitors a country's vulnerability and potential for conflict or

Freedom

Freedom in International Relations refers to the idea that individuals, states, and other actors in the international system should be able to act and make

Geopolitics

Geopolitics is the study of the relationships between geography, politics, and power. It examines how the physical and human geography of the world influences the

Gerasimov Doctrine

The use of non-military actions to enhance strategic goals has been around for thousands of years. This is commonly called hybrid warfare. Only recently has

Global governance

Global governance refers to the processes and institutions that regulate the relationships between actors in the international system. It encompasses a wide range of actors,

Globalization

Globalization refers to the process of increasing interconnectedness and interdependence among nations through the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture. It encompasses the growth of

Hamas

Hamas (an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya, meaning Islamic Resistance Movement) is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist militant and political organization. Founded in 1987 during what is

Hard Power, Soft Power, and Smart Power

Hard Power Hard power is a concept within international relations that is ascribed to the use of tangible resources (military or economic) to influence the

Hegemony

Hegemony is the dominance or control that one country or group has over others in a political, economic, or cultural sense. This dominance is exercised

HUMINT

Human Intelligence (HUMINT) is a type of intelligence gathering that involves the collection and analysis of information from human sources. This can include information gathered

Hybrid war

Hybrid war refers to a type of conflict that encompasses both conventional military operations and unconventional tactics such as cyberattacks, propaganda, and political subversion. It

Independence

Independence in International Relations refers to the political, economic, and military autonomy of a state from external influence or control. This can encompass a variety

Interdependence

Interdependence refers to the interconnectedness and mutual dependence of states, organizations, and individuals in the international system. Interdependence can take many forms, including economic interdependence,

International Law

International law is a set of rules and principles that govern the relationships between states and other actors in the international system. International law provides

League of Nations

The League of Nations was an international organization founded in 1920 as part of the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I. The League's

Liberalism

Liberalism is a perspective in International Relations that emphasizes the role of international institutions, cooperation, and interdependence in shaping state behavior. Unlike realism, which views

Mercantilism

Mercantilism is an economic theory, dominant in Europe from the 16th to the 18th century, that holds that a nation's wealth and power are best

Multilateralism

Multilateralism is the practice of multiple nations working together on a particular issue or policy. It involves cooperation among multiple states to achieve common goals

National Interest

National interest encompasses the core goals, values, and objectives that a sovereign state endeavors to advance and safeguard through its foreign policy initiatives. Rooted in

Neo-colonialism

Neo-colonialism is a term used to describe the continued economic, political, and cultural domination of former colonies by their former colonial powers or other developed

Non-governmental organizations

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are independent organizations that are not affiliated with or controlled by a government. They are typically created to address specific social, political,

Non-State Actor

Non-state actors are individuals or organizations that are not formally affiliated with or recognized by a state or government. In the context of International Relations,

Offensive vs Defensive Realism

Both Offensive and Defensive Realism are offshoots of Realism, and to a more narrow extent, Structural Realism, also known as Neorealism. The two competing theories

OSINT

Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) refers to the collection and analysis of publicly available information from a variety of sources, including the Internet, media, academic journals, and

Polity

Polity refers to the form of political organization, government, or state. A polity can refer to a specific system of government, such as a democracy,

Power transition theory

Power Transition Theory is a significant framework in international relations that seeks to explain the dynamics of war and peace among nations, particularly during periods

Realism

Realism is a perspective in International Relations that emphasizes the role of power, national interest, and self-help in shaping state behavior. Realists view the international

Shuttle Diplomacy

A form of diplomacy where a mutually acceptable third party mediator travels between opposing parties who are either unable or unwilling to meet. This form

SIGINT

Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) is a type of intelligence that involves the collection and analysis of signals, such as electronic communications, radar signals, and other transmissions.

Soft power

Soft power is a term in International Relations that refers to a state's ability to influence the behavior of other states through attraction and persuasion,

Sovereignty

Sovereignty is a political concept that refers to the supreme authority and control exercised by a state within its own territory. It encompasses the power

Strategy

Strategy refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal or set of goals. In the context of International Relations, strategy can

Thucydides

Thucydides, an ancient Greek historian, is best known for his work, "The History of the Peloponnesian War," which recounts the 5th-century BC war between Sparta

Thucydides Trap

Introduction In the realm of International Relations, the concept of the Thucydides Trap has garnered significant attention, particularly in discussions on power shifts and the

Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism is a political system in which the state holds total control over every aspect of citizens' lives and seeks to stamp out all opposition.

Transnational corporations

Transnational corporations (TNCs) are companies that operate across national borders and engage in business activities in multiple countries. TNCs play an important role in the

Treaty

A treaty is an agreement between two or more states or international organizations that is legally binding under international law. Treaties can cover a wide

War

War is a large-scale and organized use of force, typically between states or between a state and a non-state actor, with the aim of achieving