THE CONCEPT OF NATIONAL INTEREST AND DIPLOMACY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: AN ENDLESS DEBATE

Abstract

The concept of national interest has been so deeply established in the literature on international relations and the language of diplomacy that it is unlikely to be erased from the language of the literature merely because some academics deem it to be meaningless. Nevertheless, some scholars have proposed abandoning the idea and replacing it with another concept. How has the argument between the notions of national interest and diplomacy in international relations continued to rage on interminably? This essay aims to discuss the ongoing argument between the notions of national interest and diplomacy in International Relations. Secondary data were utilised in the study. Eight randomly selected nations' national interests(Nigeria, China, Russia, United States, Brazil, Australia were carefully examined in relation to the globe's six continents. The realist perspective on international relations serves as the theoretical foundation for this study. The study came to the conclusion that a country's national interests and diplomacy are influenced by its type and personality, and interest of the leader, domestic politics, superpower influences, geopolitics, economy, and system of government. However, national interests as a concept shall continue to permeate the fabric of international relations in the future, hence, it is not pointless.