SAITA OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY

EYAH
MAY
WwEATHER
College of Management and Social Sciences
Faculty of Social Sciences
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCES

POL I03 - Introduction to International Relations

HARMATTAN SEMESTER 2015/2016
PROFESSOR OLATUNDE JB. OJO
Course Outline

Course Description
The course exanines "the meaning and scope of International Relations, sources
of international law, forms of interaction between nation states, foreign policy as wll as
distinction between international relations, international system and international
politics."
This is a lecture- discussion course. The lecturer outlines the concepts and issues
with exaumples and students discuss these in the light of their personal experiences and
classes
understanding of the assigned readings. It is in the students' interest to attend
regularly and tostudy the text consistently.
excerpts from Foundation
Our basic text for the course will be edited and updated Ofoegbu, Global
Course in International Relations for African Universities by Ray Ojo, Orwa and Utete.
Politics by Minix and HawBey & African International Relations by
These constitute the substance of lecture materials.

The course requirennents are:

regular attendance (15% of thecourse assessiment);
and unannounced
participation in class and performance in announced
quizzes (15%); and
a final exam (70%).

Outline
International Politics
The nature of International Relations &
International System: Three
Actors & Forms of Interaction in the Contemporary
Perspectives on actors
sources fur the nation-state
Power in Interational Politics: lts natureand its
power balancec and its
Realist and Idealist perspectives on Power; the idea of
many variations

Forcign lPolicy: Goals and Objcctives

 ForeignPolicy goals and objectives: the case of Nigeria &other selected
Countries

Instruments of lnternational Politics and Foreign Policy: Diplomacy &

Propaganda
Instruments of International Poliics and Forcign Policy: Eeonomie mcasures and
the use of force

The sources and role of international law

THEME 1

NATURE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS(TR)

What is IR?
a world of many
One world of "hany worlds": Our world is in many respects
masses called continents. Each
worlds. It is divided into 6 main geographical land
nation-states, though one
continent is composed of sovereign and independent
territories.
still finds in some of the continents dependent
citizenship to its people. has
Each independerit and sovereign nation-state grants
political system and government, pursues its oWn economicgoals and
its own has determined that this one
brand of ideology. Nature also
propagates its own these
linguistic groups. All
world be inhabited by racial types and ethnicandnation-states, the political systems,
nake our one world truly *many worlds
- the
idcologies, the economic systems, etc. (0jo, Orwa and Utete, African
the
International Re<ations chp. l)
of division of the world. Of all the
2 The Nation-State as the most basic unit fundamental is the
basicand the most
various divisions of the world, the most
than the nation-state -
nation-state. Individuals may belong togroups smaller
groups. even ethnic groups
family, neighbourhoods, village, and associational
time,efforts, etc. than the nation.
that makemore demands ontheir loyalty,
nation- reiigious groups.
Individuals may alsobelong to grvupslarger than the when
groups, elhnic groups. ete. which are probably the most divisive. But
racial
chips are down, in the most crucial tests, loyalty to the vation-state wins out.
the
nation are political,. territorial,
+This is because the ties that bind the people of a
psychologicalale
conomic, military. cullural, Iinguistic, religious. ideological,

2
 193 Contie that ore Menber 6tats fhe UN ond 2 Cantses that ace
Nen- Men ber cbserver Stotes tly See ond Palestne)
historical. They formthe core nationalis1m - a strong feeling of personal
identification witlh thc collcction of pcople. places, patlems of behavior - and are
the ways of life that make up a nation. [Biafra Nigeria rose up in arnms vs.
Kwara - opposition to being integrated with the Western Region] (Organski,
World Politics Alfred Knopl' chp. 2)
Today there are about 193 basic units sovcreign and independent nation-states
in the world, 54of these are in Africa, 49 in Asia, all members of the UN except
Palestine which is an observer. Interactions among these constitute international
relations. [NOT: Adependent stale does not exercise the full range of power
over external affairs that an independent state possesses under International
Law: The controlling or protecting state (the colonial power or the metropolitam
power as we call them) may also regulate sone of the internal affuirs of the
dependent state. Formal treaties and the conditions under which the status of
dependency has been recognized by other states govern the balance of sovereign
powers exercised by the protecting state and thedependent state. Various terms
have been used to describe different types of dependent states. such s
COndominium, mandate, protectorate, and vassal state. Since 1945 there has been
strong international pressure to eliminate forms of dependency associated wilh
colonialism. Still, they exis. Examples are:--in Asia: Hong Kong & Macao in
China; Australia: Cocos Islands and Christmas Islands: and British Indian
Ocean Territory; In Africa: Reunion clained to be overseas department of
Crux us cap#als; Marote
France; Canary Islands with Las Palmas amd Santa
(France) and Melilla (Spanish among others).

International Relatios. Neither

2"( The interaction of thenation-states constitutes
connplete isolationof each other2 he
he continents no the nation-states exist in on some of
have lo carry
nation-states which are the main units ofacontinent
They, therefore, come intocontact with
their activities in the world environment.
thejr own continent. And they interact with other nation-states on
cach otlher on International
interaction is what is called
otlher continents. Thisworld wicde wit u t i e l nshi
Rclations. ilitil eliunship

Relativns defined. IR, then are allthose Telations that take place
International which the vorld is divided.
national political units into
across the Irontiers of the
IR,
relations
1955 p8): IR are the period
Wright (7The Study of of
According to Quincy of the world at any
importance in the life
betweeu groups of major
territorially organized nation-states wldch today are
of
history, inparticular thoseStanley Hoffinan. Theory and Couitemporary
of' such importance." For
Concemcd with he lactors und the activities which
wod
hternationalPolitics, IR is power of the basic units into which the
and the
llee the external policies
 is divided," These lactors andactivities
ecoñomic cultural, psychological. legal, "cncompass military. diplomatie, social.
technical andother interactions
(including the sending of letters to recipients in
those who are engaged in them inlluence or are another country) provided that
other actors" (Raynond Hopkinsand Richard influenced by the behaviour of
in lhternational Politics, I1arper and Row: p9). Mansbach, Structre and Process

" Categorization of the various types of relations. The various

ICrOss the frontiers of the basic units can be types of transactions
categorized into four:
|" International Political Relations - official, legal, diplomatic and military
relations sometimes also referred to as public international relations. They
are the result of the coming into contact of the external
policies, goals and
values of two or more actors in the international system. Their coming into
contact may be as aresult of action, reaction, association or linkage giving
rise to competition, ncgotiations and conflicts about who gets what. on
what terms and under what generally acceptable rules in the international
system, in which case we use the term 'international politics' to describe
the. We have, therefore, international politics when actors interact, react
or assocjate in ways which lead to binding allocation of values in the
international system. These actors may develop policies and project them
towards others, and yet there is no international politics. But, once the
Tepresentatives of the actors meet or exchange notes or þy some other
processes discuss, debate, argue, negotiate or seek accommodations and
compromises with a view to achieving binding agreements or settlements,
then we have international politics.
2. International economic relations These involve international trade and
commerce, the transfer of capital and technology,commodity and
payment arrangements, and, of course,the entire critical problem of aid
and techical assistance relationship between the poor and the rich. debT
S" International cultural relations - These are cultural social, and intellectual
relations that link many states and actors. They are mostly unofficial but
sometimes supervisedor even conducted by governments VOA, Radio
Moscow. BBC, USIS, Goethe Institute, sporting activities such as the
OlympieGames. Comnonwealth Games or the All-Africa Games: or
cultural festivals such as the WorldBlack and African Festival of Arts and
Culture(ESTAC77): or the very many meetings of intellectual
associations at worldlevel (meetings which bring together scholars in
various disciplines to share their findings and reflect on new trends and
developments in knowlcdge).
International social relations also called Priarle interational relutions.
4 activitics of private and public organizations representing groups wiin
 nations or governments in various aspects of human interest -
communication, transportation, commerce, finance. labour. health. sports,
science, philosophy, education, disarmament, peace. etc. This has given
birth to the concept of "world interinationalisnm" to suggest both the fact of
the increase of international relations of all kinds and the interest of manv
people in such an increase. These relationships are not mediated in any
way by the various states except in so far as these states issue passports,
visas, stamps or foreign exchange. zut teeh hes mde t delken
Mundtteo

" Distinction between International Relations and International Politics. Many

texts use the words International Relations and International Politics
interchangeably.But it is clear that no one discipline can encompass IR as we
have defined it. The focus of study is generally much narrower than our
definition.

IR relate nations, states, governments, peoples, regions, alliances.

confederations, international organizations, even industrial organizations, cultural
organizations, religious organization,etc.(Quincy Wright,op. cit). The focus of
Net theIR discipline, however, is largely but not exclusively on relations between the
and
governmentsof the individual national units of the world, i.e. with official
therefore political/diplomatic relations between govenments.
countries are of
Relations, between peoples and groups living in different
their governments.
interest only tothe extent that they affect interaction between
demand/response or influence
*The chief concerh of the discipline is with
makes demand on Government
relationships among governments. Government A
another demand on A.
Bwhich in turn mnay respond with
general but International
In other words the focus of study is not IR in
major gfoups in the
Politics, "the art of influencing. imanipulating or controlling
opposition of others")
against the
world so as to advance the purpose of some
collaboration are key areas of focus since
(Quincy Wright)Clearly,conflict and
of cooperative and
international politics like all politics *involves interplay through
and that interplay is "regulated the use of threats,
competitive behaviour,"
and Mansbach,. op cit p. 3).
promises, rewards and punishments" (Hopkins
boundary-crossing interactions of
Note Tosummarize: IR is the totality of all(P. A. Reynolds, ntroduction to
whatever kindamong whatever units International Politics. onthe other hand.
Iternational Relations,1971, p.I93). autononous, territorially -
among relatively
focuseson the dominant conipetition

5
 based political organizations, amely the nation-states (Willian D. Coplin.
ltroduction to lnternational Politics, 1971. p.331).
¥ Generally, therefore, we find that whercas international relations include all
international politics, the term international polities does not cover all
intefnational relations.

Difficulty in fixing the boundary of International Politics. It is clear from what

has been said, sol far, that the distinction between IP and domestic politics is
particularly diffi¢ult to discern. Analytically onecan make the distinction. In
practice it is not that easy. IP and donmestic politics are linked. The link usually is
the nation's foreign policy. Hence we sometimes hear of "linkage politics."
Thediffiçulty of making the distinction between IP and domestic politics
can beillustrated by the following examples:
Igbo'sattempt to secede from Nigeria - domestic broadening to
international

The Nigeria's war against Boko Haram - donmestic broadening to

international

President Jonathan's 2014 signing of anti same sex marriage law -

using the international (human rights issue) for domestic end
(change electoral fortune)

The lsraeli tail wagging the American dog [the international

(American commitment to support Israel) making Israeli leaders do
things that shape American electoral politics and other domestic
policies.

(8)Foreign Policy (FP) scholars:9Joseph Frankel (The

What is FP, how is it executed and by whom? Leading detines FP as those
OUP, 1963)
Making of ForeignPoliey: Analysis of Decision-Making between one state
which involve toan appreciable extent relations
decisions and actions
inter-play between the external and
and others. Prof. FSNorthedge deseribes FP as an
Policies of the Powers London,
the internal environmental factors (The Foreign
the inter-section of the domestic
1968:15), while Howard H. Lenther believes FP lies at
international aspects of acountry's life (Foreign Policy Analysis, 1974:3). Clearly. ts
and
is onlyentirely foreign in its title. It is
our Ambassador Olu Adeniji rightly observes, FP trans-national arena andthe
national inlerest into the
in fact aprojcction of the country's
Nigerian Foreig Policy
consequent interaction of one with the other." (ssays on
Goveie und bternational Security, Ibadan, 2000:4). It is the process whereby a state
designs apragmatic adjustment of its actions vis-à-vis other states to minimize the
adverse actions and maximize the tavourable actionsof other states. Put differently. it is a
way in which acountry not only responds to the world beyond its own boundaries, but
also astrategy with which acountry secks to manipulate the international environnment in
orderto achieve certain national objectives.Foreign policy comprises twoelements,
lcCording to Cecil Crabb: (i) national objectives to be achieved and (ii ) the means for
achieving them,the two clements showing the interaction between national goals and the
resources for attaining thenm.

Study or thought questions

Given your understanding of the definition of International Relations under 4
above, which of the following would you legitimately classify as international
relations:
Dokun
Letters & e-mails between Sina Samuel (Okuku) and his friend
Oyedele (Accra)
intelligence
communicaions among workers on oil rigs off Bayelsa sharing
off the Nigerian
reports, communication signals and manifests with ships
Coast:
Nigeria's Ministry of Trade & and that
(ii) economic transactions among between
of Britain:
sellers at the Wednesday
economic transactions between garri and meat
narket, Okuku;
Cotonou Housing Ltd
economic tr¡nsactions between Dangote Cement &
Chadian tourists, migrant cow herders in Nigeria
Osogbo festival
American tourists and cultural exchange visitors for Osun
APC and the PDP
relaions among political parties such the
NATOand the defunct Warsaw Pact,
military relations among actors such as organisations such as those
relations between internationa! and supranational
and OPEC:
between the UN and the AU, the Arab League
transactions at Idi Iroko;
small-time smuggling and business

international relations? Is it the same as or different from internationa

What is
dilferences?
politics? If diffdrent, what are the