What were the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline? Provide an analysis of the major historical events and intellectual developments that contributed to its evolution and formal recognition in the world.
The key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline can be traced to the early 20th century, emerging in response to the geopolitical upheavals of the modern era.
The devastation of global conflicts, shifts in global power structures, and the growing complexity of state interactions necessitated a systematic study of international affairs. Over time, key historical events, evolving intellectual traditions, and institutional developments played a central role in the formalization of IR as a recognized field of academic inquiry.
1. Aftermath of World War I: The Foundational Moment
The First World War (1914–1918) was one of the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline. It was a transformative event in global history that highlighted the catastrophic consequences of unchecked nationalism, militarism, secret alliances, and power politics.
The immense human and economic toll of the war—over 16 million deaths and widespread destruction across Europe—exposed the urgent need for a new approach to international peace and conflict resolution.
League of Nations (1919):
In response to WWI, the League of Nations was founded in 1919 under the Treaty of Versailles. It was the first international organization established with the primary aim of preventing war through collective security, arbitration of disputes, and disarmament.
Although ultimately unsuccessful due to the absence of key powers like the United States and its inability to prevent aggression in the 1930s, the League represented a significant step toward institutionalizing diplomacy and international cooperation—core themes later studied within IR.
First Academic Chair in International Politics (1919):
That same year, the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, established the world’s first academic chair in International Politics, funded by a donation from philanthropist David Davies.
The chair was intended to honor the fallen of WWI and to promote the scientific study of peace. This marked the formal birth of International Relations as an academic discipline, with an emphasis on understanding the causes of war and fostering peaceful state relations.
2. The Idealist Tradition: Faith in Peace and Cooperation
In the immediate post-war period, one of the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline was a wave of liberal optimism, which influenced the early study of IR—often referred to as idealism or utopian liberalism. Idealist thinkers believed that war could be prevented through moral diplomacy, international law, and global institutions.
Woodrow Wilson and the Fourteen Points (1918):
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson was a key figure in shaping this idealist outlook. His Fourteen Points speech called for principles such as:
Self-determination of nations
Open diplomacy
Freedom of the seas
A general association of nations (which led to the League of Nations)
Wilson’s ideas inspired both the creation of global institutions and the early theoretical direction of IR, focusing on peace through cooperation and international norms.
3. Realist Turn: The Response to World War II
The outbreak of the Second World War (1939–1945) was among the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline in a more pragmatic form.
The failure of the League of Nations, the rise of fascism, and the inability of diplomatic efforts to prevent global conflict led to a paradigm shift in IR.
Rise of Realism:
Prominent scholars such as E.H. Carr (author of The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 1939) and Hans Morgenthau (Politics Among Nations, 1948) advanced the realist approach. Realism argued that:
International politics is governed by anarchy (absence of a central authority).
States are the primary actors and act in pursuit of their national interest.
Power, especially military power, is the main currency in international affairs.
Realism provided a more pragmatic framework for understanding state behavior, diplomacy, and conflict, establishing itself as a dominant theoretical tradition in IR for decades.
4. The Cold War Era: Institutionalization and Scientific Rigor
The Cold War (1947–1991) between the United States and the Soviet Union was one of the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline, as it intensified the need for academic insight into strategic behavior, ideological conflict, and superpower competition. This period saw a rapid expansion of IR programs and research institutions globally.
Strategic Studies and Nuclear Deterrence:
IR scholars analyzed concepts like mutually assured destruction (MAD), containment, and brinkmanship to understand and prevent nuclear war. The study of game theory, rational choice models, and security dilemmas became central to Cold War-era IR.
Behavioral Revolution in IR:
During the 1950s and 60s, influenced by the broader trends in social sciences, the behavioralist approach sought to make IR more empirical and scientific.
Scholars emphasized data collection, hypothesis testing, and quantifiable methods to explain international phenomena, shifting the field from normative theory to analytical rigor.
5. Post-Cold War Era: Theoretical Pluralism and Global Challenges
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked the end of the Cold War and became one of the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline in a more diverse and inclusive form.
No longer bound by bipolar power dynamics, the discipline began to explore a wider range of issues and perspectives.
Constructivism:
Pioneered by scholars like Alexander Wendt, constructivism argued that international relations are shaped not just by material power but by social constructs, identity, and norms. This opened the door for alternative explanations of global politics beyond realism and liberalism.
Critical Theories:
Feminist IR, post-colonial studies, and Marxist theories gained prominence, challenging Eurocentric and state-centric models. These schools addressed gender, race, inequality, and the legacy of imperialism in global relations.
6. Globalization and the Expanding Scope of IR
The rapid transformation in global connectivity in the 21st century represents one of the key driving forces behind the establishment of International Relations as an academic discipline in its modern, multidisciplinary form, as new challenges increasingly transcend borders and require integrated analysis.
Globalization and Interdependence:
Issues like climate change, cybersecurity, pandemics (e.g., COVID-19), migration, and terrorism have expanded the scope of IR to include non-state actors, international organizations (e.g., UN, IMF, WTO), and global civil society.
Rise of International Institutions and Regimes:
IR increasingly focuses on the role of international norms, global governance, and regime theory—how rules and institutions shape state behavior in areas like trade, human rights, and environmental policy.
Conclusion: Key Driving Forces Behind the Establishment of International Relations as an Academic Discipline
The evolution of International Relations as an academic discipline reflects the changing dynamics of global politics.
From its idealist beginnings in the wake of World War I to the dominance of realism during the Cold War, and eventually to the pluralism of today’s theoretical landscape, IR has matured through its response to historical developments and intellectual inquiry.
As global challenges grow more interconnected and complex, IR continues to play a crucial role in equipping scholars, diplomats, and policymakers with the tools to understand and manage international affairs effectively.