Sample coursework 1
International Relations: Final Reflection Paper
Dec 7, 2021
International relations is a very broad field of study that has several topics of discussion that fall under it. It is a study that analyzes the relationship between states economically, politically, or socially and how that influences them. With regard to state relationships, one of the things that have been very influential is the creation of international organizations. International organizations are organizations that are formed in agreement with a certain group of countries with the aim of creating a stage of discussion to solve issues. They provide a table for countries to sit and discuss disputes without ever having to take things violently and go to war. The world has learned its lessons from the world wars that scarred people until this time and day. So it is safe to say that people have understood how much wars should be avoided at all times.
There are several international organizations to this day. Organizations like the world trade organization help create an economically connected market for member countries while the world bank provides loans/aid for countries in need of course with certain requirements. Some organizations like the WHO focus on health and preventing worldwide outbreaks by different means (generally keeping the world safe). The UN is one of the most influential organizations with over 193 member countries around the world. There are 195 countries in the world so with the exception of 2 countries everyone is a member of this organization (Vatican City and Palestine). Vatican City is not a member of the UN by choice while Palestine is because of political issues. Member countries are expected to abide by the rules of the UN and take certain measures according to the standards. These rules include maintaining international peace and order, delivering humanitarian aid, and/or upholding international law.
The UN was formed in 1945 in California, United States. It was formed right after the end of the second world war which is the beginning of the Cold war. The second world war destructions were a sign of the need for a peaceful platform to settle disputes. During this time of the cold war, there was a lot of economic and political rivalry between different countries but no direct bloodshed. One of the other things is the reduction of the use of nuclear weapons during this time. In addition, there was the initiation of things like space exploration and also the invention of missiles. After the second world war ended, the world was split into two groups somehow, under US or Soviet influence. There was still a war that was initiated several times during that period in which the UN was involved in a way in trying to stop it. One example is the attack on the south by North Korea backed up by the Soviet Union. There was a call for action led by President Truman during this action. But in the end, the fall of the Berlin wall and the ending of the Iron Curtain had marked the official end of the cold war time period by beginning the reunification of Germany and European countries.
So, we can see how much international organizations must have had since a long time ago. International organizations try to prevent wars from happening in this case. The world is very connected and tends to take sides whenever needed so having neutral parties that can and will get involved if anything happens is a promising thing. I think one of the most important things in international relations is knowing how to bring countries together and make them agree. Because once war breaks out, neighboring and supporting countries will get involved. A war that started between two countries can increase in magnitude and eventually end up involving half the world. Then millions of people would suffer from the aftermath whether it is because of death or property destruction. Of course, international organizations don’t just deal with political disputes but they also carry out economic, social, and environmental affairs. A few examples are the World Trade Organization (WTO), UNESCO, World Health Organization (WHO), and so on.
International relations has helped me understand the above issues much more clearly. The importance of international organizations and the details of world wars are only a few examples. But of course, these two are essential ones as they have had a huge impact on the world generally. Getting to start countries to join such entities must have been a huge work since we all know the time it all began. Everyone had allies but they were all watching for potential attacks that might come. The first IO was the League of nations which was started in the 19th century. It was created so another world war like the first world war wouldn’t happen but it failed within two decades of its start. It failed because of the absence of major powers during that time. In conclusion, peace is a huge factor that everyone looks to achieve. Without it, everything is in chaos, so it is important to maintain it. This is why the world today tries to find ways to achieve that goal in different ways possible, by creating country relationships and bringing each other together.
Reference
Scott, Len, “International History 1900-99”, in Baylis et al, The Globalization of World Politics (2020)
Blanton & Kegley, World Politics (2020), “The Cold War”
Martin, Lisa, “Interests, Power and Multilateralism”, in International Organization, 46 (1992)