International Relations and Politics

How can we better understand 'power' in an age of global terrorism, unprecedented economic shifts, social and humanitarian crises and environmental catastrophes? Many of the most important political issues and debates confronting us today are located in the international arena, and the last decade has been a particularly turbulent time, giving rise to many headlines on issues such as global terrorism, political revolutions, the aftermath of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Western decisions over intervention in Libya and Syria. The International Relations and Conflict Studies degree at Queen's is about more than just armed conflict and insurgency. It also examines such trends as globalisation (and considers the challenge from the rise of China and India and the impact of the American mortgage markets on the political economy of Western Europe), humanitarian issues (such as poverty, development and refugees) and the role of the media in conflict.