International relations and world politics: Security, Economy, Identity

The concept International relations refer to relations among nation. The

term international relations are principally referring to relations among states, as
it is necessary to emphasize that state continue to be the primary actors on the
world stage. Realist who put emphasis on states, power, and balance of power
among states tend to feel comfortable with this use of the term international
relations.
The term world politics is a more inclusive term as it captures much of
today’s reality to include not only states and international organizations, but a
wide range of transnational actors, the phenomenon of globalization, vast social
and economic global inequalities, and emergent global norms. The term does not
necessarily equate to “peaceful.”
There are three key concepts in international relations or world politics,
there are securities, economy, and identify. Security is often viewed in terms of
the basic survival, welfare, and protection of the state existing is an international
system characterized by self-help.
Economy generally revolve around monetary issues (the relative value of
currencies), trade, finance, and aid. Economic issues are particularly important as
they influence a state’s overall power. Economy is a critical aspect of world
politics and raises issues of global disparities and inequalities. Global economic
trends, growth rates, balance-of-payments problems, and exchange rates are
irrelevant abstractions. Indeed, achieving minimum economic subsistence is the
goal of the vast majority of humanity.
Identity is most often associated with the state and nation and the values,
culture, and people who fall within that state’s border. For economic
structuralists, identity is based on class and hence may transcend any state
boundary.
Security, economy and identity therefore provide the principal themes of
the three major parts of this book. The struggle over these three issues and their
interrelation-particularly the security dimensions of economy and identity-define
much of what is important and interesting today about international relation and
world politics.
 In sum, these three themes represents three universal concerns. In this
book we examine the mean by which states, groups, and individuals have
attempted to achieve security, economic welfare, and identity- however define-
and the obstacles to this achievement. In fact, the manner in which these
concerns for security, economic welfare, and identify are specifically defined and
pursued can vary widely. Indeed, they can just as easily divide people as unite
them and be a source of domestic, regional, or global conflict.