International Relations on International Security

Introduction

In the areas related to the convergence between the diplomatic historians and political scientists who mainly focused on the international relations considered some signs of changing. In the collaborative effort and analytical thinking of the political scientists combined with its theories, the international security and the study of its principles began. International security provided the historians and political scientists with common interests and creation of ideas which regards to the international history and politics (Holsti, 2005).

Objectives

For international security, there are two main objectives that emphasized in the study. First is to bring together an analysis for the various traditional and modern approaches, as well as the studies of security, in order to create a deeper understanding on the political purpose and the concept of security itself. And second is to critically assess the boundaries of understanding of the security.

Research Questions

International security links to the center of question that is related to threats, since it is also common to the security in international relations.

· What kind of threats or problems that deserves government attention?

· What are the specified security issues?

· How to measure the effectiveness or weakness of an international security?

Literature Review

The need for the international security has developed alongside the global economic order that characterizes international relations at present (Kherbi, 2007). International security has been at the heart of the International Relations and its study. It began with the center field of issues that regards with the security – war and its causes such as an individual, leader, state, and international system levels. International security acknowledges the relationship between the use of case studies for the development of the traditional theories and the use of the theories to design a case study. An interesting debate between the realism as it defends the representation of reality and being social while the other is constructivism that emphasizes the understanding on the interpretation and social construction of reality (Sprinz and Wolinsky, 2002; Burke, 2005).

Limitations

International security must be based on the mutual trust among the countries involved and work to counter security threats and ignoring the dangers of leaving developing countries to fend their own. It allows the countries to act in unified front against the global security issues but challenges and limiting powers is for the developing countries for they will represent a reality tackling the new security system and have to address the issues involved (Kherbi, 2007; Burke, 2005).

Hypotheses

The result of the work is based on the approach on theories related to the international relations; more specifically in international security is the underpinning concept of security. Basically, a security issue is always a result of political and social discourse therefore, two theories were recognized – the security and realism approach. Security theory became the conscience in the social world and has become the concept in international relations. Meanwhile, the concept of realism sustained the securing theory in a realistic view (Sheehan, 2005). It remains a powerful construction of thinking with regards to the security and its interpretation. Realism has been the dominant model of international relations in understanding the value of security (Sheehan, 2005; Holsti, 2005).

Methodology

The applied methods to research on international security include the strategic studies and peace research as well as examining the advantages and challenges on international security. The comparative method can help the research through gathering the small case studies and allows the developing present study to control, construct, and focus mainly on analysis. In addition, the comparative method has an advantage to be more interpretative.

Related Case Study

The related material in the study is the creation of Arie Kacowicz entitled Case Study Methods in International Security Studies. Kacowicz’s work was complied in the Cases, Numbers, Models: International Relations Research Methods of Sprinz and Wolinsky. And the other related work came from Michael Sheehan entitled International Security: An Analytical Survey.

References:

Burke, R., 2005. International Terrorism and Threats to Security, Implications for Organizations and Management. Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 14, No. 5

Holsti, O., 2005. Theories of International Relations [Online] Available at: http://www.duke.edu/~pfeaver/holsti.pdf. [Accessed 21 Jan 2010].

Kherbi, A., 2007. Development’s Security: A New Perspective on International Security. Harvard International Review, Vol. 29, No. 3.

Sheehan, M., 2005. International Security: An Analytical Survey, Lynne Rienner Publishers. [Online] Available at: http://www.rienner.com/uploads/47deacfde7a6d.pdf. [Accessed 21 Jan 2010].

Sprinz, D., & Wolinsky, Y., 2002. Case Study Methods in International Security Studies. Cases, Numbers, Models: International Relations Research Methods [Online] Available at: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/polisci/faculty/trachtenberg/syllabi,lists/harvard/moravcsik%20%28sprinz%20wolinsky%29.pdf. [Accessed 21 Jan 2010].