International Relations & Organizations Study Guide

International relations (IR) studies how states, international organisations, and non-state actors interact across national borders. Core IR theories - realism, liberalism, constructivism - offer different explanations for why states cooperate or conflict. International organisations such as the United Nations, NATO, the European Union, the African Union, and the World Trade Organization provide frameworks for diplomacy, collective security, trade, and humanitarian action. Concepts including sovereignty, multilateralism, soft power, and deterrence are central to understanding global politics. This sub-category tests knowledge of how the international system works, the major organisations that govern it, key concepts and theories in international relations, and the landmark moments of diplomacy, conflict, and cooperation that have shaped the modern world order.