1. 4.1 THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM. The term international system is a metrical concept that facilitates a clear formulation of the main variables with which studies of IR must contend, this is so because a system exist in an environment that is composed of parts that are in relation to each other through interaction.

2. Lecture 4.2 Furthermore a system has a structure and encompasses processes this, which it is either sustained or changed. This allows the castering of a field many variables in meaningful and fruitful ways with 3 major focuses:

3. 0 DIAGRAM

4. Lecture 4.3 1)it allows to focus up the actions of nations’ components of the system. 2)It allows us to focus upon the structure and functioning of the system with results from the interaction of nations. 3)It allows us to focus upon the environment factor, which conditions both actions of nations and the operation of the system.

5. Lecture 4.4 However there are methodological problems arising from this concept: 1)Should the nations of the world be regarded as a single international system or is it preferable to view them as forming several interaction system- SADC, ECOWAS, EU, G7 Small NATION SYSTEM. If individual groups and officials are considered actors in the international system along with nations then the potential of international of international system becomes very enormous such possibilities show that classification of the system is some what arbitrary and depends upon the purpose of the observer.It is important to distinguish between international system and the many international subsystem.

6. Lecture 4.5 The identification of the units or actors of the international system presents a second methodological problem. A number of units can be considered to be initiators of action that sustain the international system. Individuals whether they function as international officials of private citizens acquire the attributes of international actors whichever they behave in that transcends international boundaries. This is also true of groups, super national organization etc.

7. Lecture 4.6 However there are disadvantages inherent in both individuality and collectivity perspective. On one hand collectivities can be viewed as abstractions and do not engage in the observable actions that individuals may undertake in fulfilling certain social roles. On another hand, individuals act on behalf of governments, which in turn represent states, which are political agencies that supercede all others in decision making for the members.

8. Lecture 4.7 There is a danger of qualifying individual qualities to collective decisions, so actions in international system is ordinarily attributed to states but these states are recognized to be complex of government officials who act on behalf of and in response to their national societies. Developments since WW2 have witnessed the emergence of international organization i.e. UN, EU, OAU and supranational organizations which are not nation states but which initiate actions and control to the international system. However, nation state continues to be dominant source of international actions.

9. Lecture 4.8 1)Another methodological problem arises from the environment and its relation to the international system. The environment is viewed as existing outside the system when applied to systems that comprise all nations of the world. The conception may not seem very useful. However it must be noted that a student of IR is inherited in political phenomenon as that all other phenomenon are investigated to shade light on the political dimension of behavior. To this end the environment of international system comprises of events and conditions both human and non human which are non political in nature and which behavior of nation states and the operation of the international system e.g. climatic change, cultural norms, population trends, new weapons.