Realism is One of the Theories in Contemporary International Relations

Realism is One of the Theories in Contemporary International Relations
With the rapid rate of globalization, the world has gradually become a small village. People can now access the farthest reaches on the planet without much ado, and information technology has made this even easier. Regarding politics, nations are now engaging in geopolitics to great extents. International relations in the current age continues evolving and embracing the dynamics of the world (Steans et al. 2010). Social relations continue being advanced while others get formulated in the process. I have had quite an exciting experience in the module, learning several issues that I have always wanted to understand better concerning social issues from a global perspective.
Realism is one of the theories in contemporary international relations. It is based on the notion that human nature is both competitive and conflicting, so rules and regulations have to be made with such aspects in mind. According to realism, human beings can be malleable at times and be quite rigid in other instances. That is simply human nature. There is a need to conceptualize laws that are not only reasonable but also applicable. This theory is almost entirely based on the ability to obtain facts and prove them to a great extent, so that every facet of society is considered when it comes to implementation. Realism greatly defines statesmanship, as one is often pushed to assessing a given policy concerning the prevailing local and international conditions (Morgenthau, 1993). International politics is often dictated by the individual interests of the players in question, and these interests are defined by realism.
Looking at the realistic theory of international relations, there are pertinent issues it raises. For example, there is a clash between which side to stand on when addressing the peace issue and states' independence. From a political scientist's perspective, it is rather difficult to agree with Morgenthau's argument that international relations are hugely dependent on the maintenance of peace and stability amongst nations. However, from the perspective of a policy maker, this notion is quite difficult to agree with (Waltz, 1986). There will always be revolutionary states that change the entire international landscape.
The other theory discussed in the module was Marxism. It is a radical approach that tries to work around all the humanistic challenges affecting the international system. The international system of politics, war and the never-ending fight against poverty is what defines international relations (Leander, 2003). Marxism, on the other hand, is geared towards eliminating such an approach and providing a new approach to it. This is quite a daunting task of creating a new perspective. According to the theory, the issues initially mentioned are material conditions and can therefore be changed through specific actions by human beings flanked by natural events. It is particularly against capitalism as a socioeconomic paradigm due to its spillover effects on society, such as the super-rich employers and the extremely poor workers who help create the wealth. The theory has however had its own set of shortcomings and criticisms. For example, it perceives history as predetermin...