International Relations

International Relations in an academic sense is the study of an international system composed of territorial states which acknowledge no superior authority over matters which they consider of vital interest.

It analyses the nature of this system -- the rules and forces governing the behaviour of states, the factors that lead to military conflict or peaceful co-operation, and the current trends towards both a more integrated and a more fragmented world.

At DSF, the relations between states is often the centre of discussion, not just to do with potential conflict, but also economic relations, co-operation and development.