International Relations

Flags of all nations outside the UN in New York City
Lancaster city centre students sat on monument in front of building

Introduction

We cannot comprehend the present or contemplate the future without understanding our past. To address the challenges that we face as a global community, we must study the various political, cultural, economic, and environmental factors that have shaped who we are, how we think, and what we feel.

In a world seemingly beset by crises, International Relations provides the tools to understand what is happening and why. We study the way that people, states and organisations behave and how their actions shape life across the world. Our syllabus draws on a wide range of intellectual approaches to International Relations and is combined with regional expertise in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

Our teaching is informed by our research, much of which addresses the key issues of our time, from the environment to cyber security, conflict to peace, political economy to development challenges, meaning that you will be well placed to engage with the challenges facing the world in future years.

Study