Long description

This colour diagram illustrates the core concepts of the theoretical approach of realism. In the centre of the diagram is a grey circle labelled ‘Realism’. Above it are three boxes, each with an arrow pointing to the central circle. The left-hand box is blue and text in the box reads: ‘Statism: states are the key actors in IR and define their interests in terms of their power’. The middle box is purple and text in the box reads: ‘Self-help: the anarchic international system means states have to rely on their own resources’. The right-hand box is orange and text in the box reads: ‘Security: states’ overriding priority is their own survival’. A wide arrow points down from the central circle to a green box, in which the text reads: ‘Cooperation is temporary and unstable; conflict is inevitable. Military and security issues dominate IR