The study of international politics encompasses a variety of topics, including world history and cultures, globalization and economic development, international law and diplomacy, foreign policy making, and national security studies. International politics also deals with the relationships of nations and the nature of power in a multi-national environment.
In this era of globalization, many of these issues have become global problems that require cooperation among all nations. The United States is a leading example of this phenomenon. The country is far more powerful than any other, but even it cannot solve all of the world’s problems by itself. In fact, some problems—such as reducing global warming and protecting the nation from terrorist attacks—are impossible to solve by a single nation alone.
International politics focuses on the ways that the major actors in world affairs—the states—address and resolve their problems. It examines the goals of these actors, the claims they make, and the bases for their influence. While the actors, goals, and claims of international politics are artificial constructs, they are useful in producing an analytical model with some resemblance to the real world.
One of the most important aspects of the state is its capacity to wage war and project military strength onto the international stage. This military power is often used to pressurize other states into complying with the political demands of the state actor. Other methods of influencing other states are diplomacy and negotiation. All of these methods involve bargaining and a willingness to give as well as to take.
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