Politicians and pundits alike have proclaimed September 11 a turning point in international relations. The contemporary world, in this view, bears little resemblance to the past: terrorism, the threat of weapons of mass destruction, and the United States’ position as the world’s only superpower combine to make current international relations unique and uncertain.

But how different are international relations in the post-9/11 world? Are the determinants of state behavior all that different than what they have been in the past? To answer these questions, this course provides an overview of international relations theory and history. The course concludes with a discussion of contemporary issues in international relations.