Original citation

Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, and having completed the Essential reading and 
activities, you should be able to:
• explain the relevance of key terms in IR
• identify the strengths and weaknesses of IR’s various theoretical 
approaches
• analyse international events from a variety of theoretical viewpoints
• describe the nature of units and social structures within the 
contemporary international system.
The structure of this guide
Chapters in this subject guide follow a standard format. Each begins by 
listing the aims and the learning outcomes that you are meant to achieve 
by the chapter’s end. Read these carefully and keep them in mind as you 
work your way through the course material. International relations (IR), 
like many academic subjects, is too vast to cover in a single course. The 
learning outcomes will help you to focus on the main topics selected for 
that chapter. 
Next, you will find the chapter’s Essential reading. The vast majority of this 
will be from the textbook (see Essential reading below), with a few selected 
journal articles that you will be able to access via the Online Library in 
the Student Portal (see Overview of learning resources below). You will 
be prompted to read these as you work through the subject guide so wait 
until you reach the appropriate section. Along with each reading is a set of 
questions or activities designed to help you to connect with the material. 
Next, you will find a list of Further reading, mainly scholarly articles 
that address specific points raised in the text. These should be read once 
you have worked your way through the entire chapter and will give 

---

Introduction
3
you additional sources from which to draw as you prepare essays and 
examination questions.
Throughout this subject guide, you will find key terms highlighted in bold 
and summarised at the end of each chapter. Note these terms down in 
a glossary. Many terms used by IR scholars are contested. That is to say, 
there is no single agreed-upon definition that you can memorise and use 
every time a word comes up. Keep track of how different thinkers use 
the vocabulary that you are learning. As you will discover, language is a 
powerful tool in IR and it is well-worth investing your time to understand 
its multiple meanings.
Chapters also include several activities that are designed to help you 
to think through important points covered in the subject guide. These 
should be completed as you work your way through the course. Unless