This document provides an overview of realism as an international relations theory. It discusses the history of realism from ancient philosophers like Thucydides to modern theorists like Morgenthau. The core assumptions of realism are that states act in their self-interest in an anarchic international system. The document also outlines different types of realism, including classical realism, structural or neo-realism, defensive realism, and offensive realism. It provides examples of key theorists that shaped each approach to realism over time.