The Study of International Relations: Object, Method and Perspectives

Abstract

There is a very general tendency to approach the study of International Relations as an autonomous discipline. This is explained by the increasingly clear awareness that researchers have of the existence of a set of specific phenomena, which deserve to be the object of a particular study. This set of phenomena is fairly easy to categorize. Everything that refers to the relations of a state with another state, or of several states among themselves in the political, economic, social, demographic, cultural or psychological level, can be placed there; and even more generally, everything that deals with the relationships between different groups on both sides of national borders can be seen from this discipline. If it is about the relations between states, we can call it "foreign policy". On the other hand, if what is at issue is relations between groups, we can speak of “international life”. All of these phenomena constitute the "International Relations".

Scientifically studying the set of phenomena that make up International Relations is, a priori, possible. The only criterion for the value of such a study is the achievement of appreciable results.

After admitting the existence of this set of special phenomena that constitute "International Relations", the purpose of this article is to examine what they consist of and through which method they should be addressed.