The International Studies (previously International Relations) Major at Kent State University: A Journey to Reimagining The World
The International Studies major is housed in the School of Multidisciplinary Social Sciences and Humanities, where we ask complex questions in pursuit of courageous answers. For students studying international studies, this means examining some of the global community's most challenging issues and exploring comprehensive and meaningful routes for addressing those issues.
Our major is designed to support to critical components of our students' success: a multidisciplinary approach and the personal and professional agency of our graduates. The major is designed to ensure that students can understand and analyze global issues with the perspectives of multiple disciplines. For instance, how do economics, anthropology, geography, and political science together help us understand a global issue like human trafficking? And our course work is designed to ensure that students can see how their individual interests, talents, and skills can be deployed through professional development to live as change agents.
What issues interest you?
- Sustainability? Do you wonder about how the global trade in trash impacts the environment? Or why China stopped importing our plastic waste? Or what happens to it now?
- Violence? Do you wonder how the global arms market intersects with the non-state violent of militias, rebels, and terrorist organizations? And how this market and these organizations challenge or support human security?
- Wealth and poverty? Do you wonder why wealthy people get to store money in off shore accounts? and how this impacts inequity? poverty? marginalization?
- The advancement of human rights? Do you wonder about how international networks restrict or promote rights around the globe? Why U.S. groups are working with foreign governments to limit LGBTQ+ rights? Why and how groups fighting for Black Lives in the U.S. align with groups fighting for Palestinian Lives? And how social media facilitates these networks?
where do you want to MAKE change?
- Research? Do you want to work for, for instance, the Center for Strategic and International Studies conducting research that then informs U.S. policies?
- Advocacy? Do you want to work for a non-profit, an NGO, or a lobby organization to advance a specific change?
- Policy? Do you want to work on corporate or public policies that distribute resources? Ensure access to public goods?
- Transnational networks? Are you interested in working as part of an international team working across borders towards a shared, global goal?