International Affairs defines all the activity that individuals and groups of individuals take across phenomena they refer to as International borders. These borders are not real, just imagined. That is why they are not immutable. They are constantly changing based on the thoughts and feelings of the groups that relate across it. The actions taken by different individuals, seemingly unrelated, within separate borders, do influence the actions of others outside of their borders.
For example, let us say a country like France had a lot of clout prior to WW 2. After the war, though victorious, it had to accede to the demands of decolonization as required by it's subject peoples AND the United States (The new big kid). This was because no one trusted the value of the paper it called Money, and it needed a loan from the USA Marshall plan. Now imagine that the big kid (USA) is engrossed in separating a fight between Shiite and Sunni tribesmen in Iraq, France then decides to retake Syria, one of it's former colonies. Unfortunately for France, the situation in Iraq so frightens the Syrians that they decide they are better of with their dictator than with France. This leads to a "Blow-back", a situation in which the rebels supported by France become frustrated and start attacking innocent French civilians who always thought that the problems across the imaginary border had little to do with them. This of course is not far fetched. It is recent history.
Now you see why understanding International Affairs is not only good for your pocket book, it might also save your life.
For example, let us say a country like France had a lot of clout prior to WW 2. After the war, though victorious, it had to accede to the demands of decolonization as required by it's subject peoples AND the United States (The new big kid). This was because no one trusted the value of the paper it called Money, and it needed a loan from the USA Marshall plan. Now imagine that the big kid (USA) is engrossed in separating a fight between Shiite and Sunni tribesmen in Iraq, France then decides to retake Syria, one of it's former colonies. Unfortunately for France, the situation in Iraq so frightens the Syrians that they decide they are better of with their dictator than with France. This leads to a "Blow-back", a situation in which the rebels supported by France become frustrated and start attacking innocent French civilians who always thought that the problems across the imaginary border had little to do with them. This of course is not far fetched. It is recent history.
Now you see why understanding International Affairs is not only good for your pocket book, it might also save your life.