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.
I look forward to seeing you dig into the theories themselves, and into our readings later in the semester, when we get into more empirical data!