By reading only the introductions of both books, I understood 2 things about myself. The first thing I realized is that although I’ve thought extensively about humanity, war, diplomacy, history, and a number of philosophical concepts over the course of my extremely eventful life, I still have much to learn. There are still many thought processes that I have yet to have that are required for the completion (or near completion) of my understanding of these concepts. The second thing I’ve learned about myself is that due to my extensive thought over a long period of time, I have become in some ways biased in it. Due to my apparent lack of knowledge and/ or understanding, I must re-open my mind, so to speak, so that I can intake all of the new information and have the thought processes that I now realize I have lacked. I am excited about this class.

Both of our textbooks seem to be great learning tools. They both give a very good introduction to the topic of IR from 2 necessary perspectives. International Relations, so far, seems to be written and mean to teach us International Relations from a historical perspective, while International Relations Theory seems to be written and teach us from and analytical; theoretical perspective, allowing us to open our minds and see the history from the perspectives of different schools of thought. I personally appreciate the approach, as it propels the acquisition of the philosophy of IR for the reader; which is my primary aim in this class.

I appreciate the concise nature of the writing in both books. It allows for ease in our learning process, which in turn allows us to think more critically and with a more level-headed mind (being unburdened by a storm of seemingly endless information). In particular, I appreciate the supportive nature of International Relations Theory. The author has seemingly chosen to take a personal, compassionate approach to teaching the reader, offering advice in numerous areas.

I am excited to continue reading both books, and I will continue to read with an open and analytical mindset.