The Analysis of Politics and Foreign Affairs
The analysis of politics and foreign affairs offers a starting point for understanding and contextualizing what is going on in various areas of the world. The principles of politics and international relations, in particular, predispose us to be able to explain and rationalize global politics and their consequences for global relationships. The study of international politics and relations is needed for a prospective scholar of international relations and diplomacy in order to deliver functions effectively. In this paper, the focus will be on multiple aspects of the module and its implication on personal views on the various issues in international relations. Further, the paper details the take away from the module, especially how such will be essential in my after-school life, both personal and professional.
The Study of Politics and International Relations
The study of politics and international relations covered an array of concepts. Through the study of politics, I learnt about the status of peace and conflicts in different parts of the globe. At any particular time, some parts of the world will be experiencing either peace or conflict. As indicated by Boyd (2014, p. 184), the study of politics focuses on look at the policies implemented by different countries to mitigate the apparent conflicts. Additionally, the study explores the reasons why some of the identified policies may not be effective in bring to a halt the issues. Through this, the study of politics in different parts of the globe helps one understand the causes of the issues, which is critical for the formulation of viable policies. Politics also concerns itself with the democratic and electoral structures in different countries of the world. Young (1998, p. 78) asserts that the electoral systems in different parts of the world define structures of governments and political process in the western world and developed nations but in the developing world.
International Relations and its Interesting Aspects
In international relations, the most interesting aspects revolve around international laws, security as well as conflict resolution and mediation. The study of these concepts explains how countries relate with one another in terms of trade and diplomacy. For a future scholar in the international matters, it is authentic that the concepts covered in the module are critical for effective comprehension and the capacity to explain how the relationships and why some countries may fail the test of trust from some nations. Through the study of international relations, I recognize that robust international relations between different countries or regions of the world influence trade directions and as well as security matters (Pekkanen, Ravenhill & Foot, 2014, p. 4). Further, one can explain why some countries may not have good relationships based on the existing security and trade policies. As apparent, trade and security plays a vital role in the development of a country. The policies of a country influence whether it can trade with other parts of the globe, as well as whether it will export of import more.
My Topic of Interest: International Conflict Resolution
My topic of interest is international conflict resolution. Today, across the globe, there some regions that are in conflicts that need to be addressed. For instance, Syria is under a crisis, whose solution remains elusive for the global leaders. Hundreds of civilians have died in Syria under the constant confrontation between the states and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (Al Jazeera, 2017). Another issue that draws my attention is the issue of North Korea, which is threatening to test its nuclear bombs. Many other conflicts are apparent in Africa, for instance, Congo and South Sudan and North Sudan. The last two have been in conflict since their separation. The status of conflicts in the different regions of the world calls for a vibrant resolution framework to ensure a harmonious world absence of confrontations, which adversely affect the human life, as well as the destruction of properties. My interest in conflict resolution emanates from the desire to see a world that is safe and free of instances compromises of human rights. With a functioning conflict resolution framework, it is possible to reduce the adverse impacts of the various conflicts across the globe.
Can Adversities Associated with Conflicts be Reduced through Structured Negotiations?
The whole issue surrounding the different conflicts across the globe raises one fundamental question. Can the adversities associated with the conflicts be reduced through the adoption of structured negotiations between the parties involved? My view emanates from the disastrous implications of the conflicts, especially if they escalate to war. For instance, what will happen if the current stalemate between the United States and North Korea escalate to war? The implications will be disastrous not only to the citizens of the two countries, but it may spill over to other regions of the world as well. The most obvious effect will be the widespread death of people and displacement of people (Chetail and Bauloz, 2014, p. 634). I perceive the stalemate as something that can be resolved amicably through the utilization of robust conflict resolution approaches, and formation peace treaties are critical to finding solutions to the problems faced in different parts of the globe.
Negotiation as a Viable Approach towards Conflict Resolution
From a personal experience, I have always perceived negotiation as a viable approach towards finding common ground in times of conflict. In the cases I am privy to, where the parties involved have agreed to negotiate a reach a common ground that caters to the interest of both factions, the outcomes have been positive. It is from this experience that I developed a positive perception towards international conflict solution initiatives as essential in mitigating cases of conflicts before they escalate to confrontations, which may have adverse impacts on the general populace. Bellamy (2014, p. 17) explains how this grandstanding often affects the outcome of negotiations. For instance, in 2006, Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), refused to sign an agreement with Congo's government unless he was acquitted of the crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Such instances disadvantage the masses, calling for the adoption of comprehensive negotiation approaches that guarantee the incorporation of the interests of all the affected persons.
Insights on Conflict Resolution in the International Context
In the module, multiple insights regarding approaches to conflict resolution in the international context were elaborated. The concept of negotiation has been comprehensively elaborated as an efficient approach to the management of conflicts that affect different countries, or in instances where the international community is called upon to help reach a common ground. According to Lewicki, Weiss, and Lewin (2001, p. 60), negation in addition to mediation constitutes non-coercive approaches in addressing conflicts between different parties. The concept of negotiation is contributory to my understanding of conflict resolution in the international context, as it enables one to analyse a situation and come up with facts about a given situation. Negotiation works well when implemented alongside mediation so that there is a third party to oversee the writing of an agreement.
Closing Remarks
Despite the concept of conflict resolution being comprehensively tackled in the module, additional insights ought to have been given on how the negotiating parties should reflect the needs of the general populace who may not be in touch with the negotiation and mediation team. At times, negotiating parties fail to reach a compromise, and the masses end up suffering. The module could have provided a framework through which the masses can be spared of the atrocities that often befall them in crises. Being a student on politics and international relations, I see crisis as an interplay of failures of political players and lack of robust international policies to guarantee peace in when political factions exhibit divergent perspectives on a particular subject. The relationship between country politics and its impacts on international relations was not adequately explored in the module. However, this gives me an opportunity to further research on how international policies are affected by internal politics and how countries can harmonize such to accomplish optimisation internally leading to robust international relations with the neighbours other parts of the world.
References
Al Jazeera (2017). Syrian ‘civilians killed’ in ISIL attack in Deir Az Zor. [online] Aljazeera.com. Available at: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/syrian-civilians-killed-isil-attack-deir-az-zor-171117162421568.html [Accessed 21 Nov. 2017].
Bellamy, A. J. (2015). The responsibility to protect: A defense. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Boyd, R. (2014). The search for lasting peace: Critical perspectives on gender-responsive human security. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2014.
Chetail, V., & Bauloz, C. (2014). Research handbook on international law and migration. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Lewicki, R.J., Weiss, S.E. and Lewin, D., (1992). Models of conflict, negotiation and third party intervention: A review and synthesis. Journal of organizational behavior, 13(3), pp.209-252.
Pekkanen, S. M., Ravenhill, J., & Foot, R. (2014). Oxford handbook of the international relations of Asia. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Young, C. (1998). Ethnic Diversity and Public Policy: A Comparative Inquiry. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK.
