International Relations and Security

Traditionally, the field of International Relations (IR) and International Security (IS) was primarily focused on understanding war, peace, and the international system. The security and survival of states, and the power dynamics between them took centre-stage. Today, the agenda of the IR-IS terrain has broadened and deepened significantly to include a wider range of issues and actors. Climate change, migration, poverty, health, privatisation, organised crime, and international terrorism are on the agenda next to long-standing concerns about the use of force, nuclear proliferation, military strategy, intelligence, and the distribution of resources.

The breadth of the field is reflected in the IRS Research Cluster at PAIS. It is one of the largest and strongest IR-IS groupings in Europe and enjoys a global reputation for the quality of its research, teaching, and impact.