Tourism, Development and International Studies - Tourism and Development: Concepts and Issues - page 420

Tourism and the Interdisciplinarity of International
Studies
In addition to using the overriding theories discussed above to examine
global issues, international studies also incorporates a range of intercon-
nected disciplines to global problems. The Anderson et al. (2013) approach in
international studies incorporates the integrated disciplines of history, geog-
raphy, anthropology, economics and politics. They argue that never before has
the world been so integrated and politics, markets, culture, the media and
information are no longer local but global (Anderson et al. , 2013: 1). In incor-
porating their selected disciplines, Anderson et al. (2013) offer the following
explanations. History is important to understanding global events. Different
memories or interpretations of historical events are at the heart of many
international conflicts. The controversy between the UN and Iran over the
nuclear issue has its roots in 'Iran's resentment of British imperialism and US
interventions in Iran's domestic affairs during the cold war' (Anderson et al. ,
2013: 3). Geographic study is at the heart of many international problems
including 'population density, spread of disease, water shortages, environ-
mental degradation, border conflicts, population flows, use of space and
transportation networks' (Anderson et al. , 2013: 4). Political science examines
power relationships and includes democratic development, international
institutions, international relations and international conflict and conflict
resolutions as they relate to international studies. Political relationships are
becoming more complex as international human rights organisations and the
media can disseminate information through the internet on government
policies; consequently, countries such as China, North Korea and Iran have
tried to regulate the internet. Anthropology examines global cultures, includ-
ing similarities and differences of human environments, languages, ideolo-
gies, economic systems and political systems (Anderson et al. , 2013: 5). There
are global cultural transfers placing pressures on traditional life as well as the
exploration of a 'clash of civilizations' (Hungtington, 1996), or others sug-
gesting that integration is bringing people closer together (Anderson et al. ,
2013). Economists examine production, distribution and consumption of
goods and services while international economic concerns focus on financial
relationships, trade regimes and economic development (Anderson et al. ,
2013). A central economic argument being made is between economic nation-
alists and globalists. The globalists argue for free and open trade between
states for economic growth while economic nationalists argue free trade
lowers wages and generates increased economic disparity within and
between countries (Anderson et al. , 2013). In closing their rationale for advo-
cating the use of their selected disciplines for international studies, Anderson
et al. (2013) use the example of terrorism. A historian may cast this in a
continuum of historical conflicts between the Middle East and Western