The Division of International Politics encompasses the broad range of research activities in world politics that deal with the pattern of political relations among sovereign states. Every subject, issue or topic that can be studied in world politics has a necessary link to this pattern of relations. Some explanations for these dynamics may lie in the nature of the participants (for example, the balance of power), in their interactions and arrangements with one another (for instance, multilateralism or collective security), or in the overall distribution of power and control in the world as a whole.
The study of the political process, especially when it involves the threat of war, is central to international politics. This is because no other factor has so dominated the history of humankind. Although the Western state system has proved remarkably efficient in preserving the independence of nation-states, this has been achieved at the expense of intermittent war.
This pattern of conflict and cooperation has become increasingly evident in a world that is becoming both more diverse and less structured. The result is a variable geometry of alliances and interests, which will make it difficult for any single nation to assert its will in this era of globalization. Moreover, the growing number of crucial problems that cannot be solved without international cooperation—such as global warming or the spread of weapons of mass destruction—are reminders that no country is invulnerable. Even a superpower such as America can be overwhelmed by forces outside its borders.