Kaplan’s System Theory and Its Relevance in Explaining Contemporary International Relations The study of international relations (IR) has consistently grappled with the tension between theoretical abstraction and empirical complexity. Among the pioneering efforts to render the international system into a scientifically analyzable model, Morton A. Kaplan’s System and Process in International Politics (1957) occupies a … Continue reading Assess the extent to which Kaplan’s system theory can explain emerging phenomena such as multipolarity, globalization, and transnational challenges. Debate whether Kaplan’s system theory should be viewed as a foundational framework in international relations or as an outdated attempt at scientific modelling.