International Relations (INTREL)

The study of international relations is an important field of intellectual inquiry. Although the formal analysis of the relationships of people who do not share a common political, economic, social, or cultural heritage is a relatively recent phenomenon, there is little question that these relationships have been supremely important in human history.

Since the end of World War II, public awareness of the importance of these relationships has grown substantially, due largely to the dramatic effects of international relations on daily life. International relations, however, is not a discipline; rather, it is a study of a particular level of human action whose comprehension requires the insight and methods of a number of disciplines. The field is therefore interdisciplinary, relying primarily on the study of economics, geography, history, and politics. (See the course catalogue for course listings.) International Relations 116 is listed and described under Politics 116.