The discipline of international relations has undergone drastic changes since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War in 1991. The United States of America has emerged as the only superpower in the world, making international politics seemingly unipolar. However, international politics today also signals the possibility of a multipolar world. The rise of China as a major military and economic power, the potential of Russia, India and Germany as tomorrow's big powers, and the success of the European Union and ASEAN as economic and political blocs of considerable substance point towards the feasibility of a multipolar world. Moreover, nation-states have become more interdependent today than ever before because of emerging issues in international relations such as environment, terrorism, and globalization. Therefore, the post–Cold War world order has thrown up many fascinating aspects of international relations: Is the post–Cold War international order unipolar, or indeed a multipolar one? Is globalization eroding the notion of state sovereignty? What would be the impact of energy crises on world politics? Is the world moving towards economic integration? Is China going to pose an effective challenge to the might of the USA? What is the future of regional organizations? What are the major theories in contemporary International Relations? These and many other questions require proper analyses to understand the nature of the discipline today. Although crucial for developing an understanding of the complexities of international relations today, very few books on international relations cover all of these issues. This book, written by a widely known expert in the field, discusses all these issues, making it the most up-to-date textbook on the subject. Meant primarily for students studying International Relations in colleges and universities, this book will also be useful to civil service aspirants, and others interested in the discipline.