World Politics, also called world political economy, refers to both the field which studies the socio-political patterns of the world together with the economic and cultural patterns. At the center of this complex field are the many processes of socio-political globalization as well as the questions of political authority. As such, this field has played a crucial role not only in the shaping of world society, but also in the maintenance of world peace. The study of world politics as a whole is often intertwined with the history of world literature which has been shaped by this intricate relationship.
Basically, the study of world politics is about the relationships among the major political systems of the world as a whole. It thus foregrounds national politics of individual states as well as global politics between nations. This is followed by the study of global politics which is concerned with the international cooperation among the political systems of the world. Ultimately, it studies all the related topics like the relationships among the different political systems, the political systems of the states, and finally the global political economies.
In the study of world politics and its various-ness, there are two important areas which are very closely related with each other. These are the Thematic Foci and the Political System. The thematic fascia is that of human societies as a whole and thus it constitutes all the dimensions of world politics. Meanwhile, the political system pertains to the arrangements within which political power is exercised by the state in its relations with other political power.
Comparative social sciences deal with the many complex patterns and relationships in world politics. Thus, it studies the various approaches and theories of international relations, including international law, diplomacy, and the interaction of states. Comparative social sciences have made major contributions towards understanding world politics. Examples include cases studies, which are the most useful tools for understanding comparative studies. Case studies are chosen, as they allow the comparison of two specific situations to shed light on specific aspects of those situations.
International relations is one of the most widely discussed subjects in comparative politics. It covers a number of topics like international security, peace and security, international economic cooperation, and the international political economy. A number of journals dealing with international relations have been published to help students understand the various issues involved in international relations. A number of popular books on world politics have also been published to help students learn the basic concepts of world politics. Some famous works on world politics have been written by famous intellectuals like Machiavellian idealists like Leo Tolstoy, Sir Maximiliansius, and Jean M. Auel.
The field of world politics is very vast and thus it requires specialization in a number of fields. Thus, it is necessary for those planning to pursue a career in international relations to prepare a thorough study of all the possible areas of specialization in world politics. The preparation for a future career in international relations needs to be thorough and detailed. For this, many prospective students opt for an advanced degree program in world politics.