Chapter 8: Social Constructivism §

I. Introduction §

Social Constructivism: school of thought assuming the world is constructed by people’s social interactions

Interactions > define Identities > define Interests > define norms

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Interaction: Son to Mother Relation

Interaction: Student to Teacher

• Identity: son
• Interests: protection, money…
• Norm: be respectful

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• Identity: student
• Interests: seek knowledge, guidence
• Norm: pay attention

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• The appropriate norms, actions, and interests are defined by human and can change
• Identity shifts according to your interaction partner
• Social structures: don’t exist. common beliefs in structures → following the norm

Assumptions §

• Reality depends on context. It is subjective rather than objective
• Norm, rules, and languages play important roles in design of international system
• Materialism is part of constructivism but it’s the ideas that determine what those materials mean to each actor. Constructivism=Materialism + Shared Ideas
• International politics is a “world of our making”, determined by our “process of interaction”

Basic Elements §

• Social Construction: are elements and concepts in the world and International Relations is created by the shared ideas, understanding, and in coordination of one another rather than it being developed individually or are inevitable to happen. (Security Dilemma, Alliances, Anarchy…)
• Ideational Creation: Interpretive understanding: different way of describing the world than material way
• Identity/System Change: structures and identities change when common ideas change
• Mutual Constitution: States and structures co-influence each other.

“100 Britain nuclear weapons isn’t as scary as 5 North-Korean nuclear weapon to the United States”

• Alexander Wendt

• Anarchy could be interpreted in multiple ways according states’ interactions

II. Constructivism as a Social Theory §

• Social constructs in Cambodia

  • Norms

  • Cultures

  • Habits

  • Traditions

  • Languages

  • Beliefs

• Social Construction of Reality: the social world is a world of human consciousness

• Intersubjective Beliefs: common beliefs and ideas determine meanings of physical societal entities.

• Material View vs Ideational View: importance of material or ideas

III. Constructivist Theories of International Relations §

“Anarchy is what states make of it” §

by: Alexander Wendt

• Self help isn’t inevitable in Anarchy (disagrees with Neo-Realism)
  • need to study discoursive interactions between states to determine what ‘culture of anarchy’ is developed
• Self help is attractive in anarchy but interactions help determine the adoption
  • Identities and interests are created through interactions and are not predetermined

Interaction:

wars, competitions

Structure:

bipolar + anarchy + self-help + competition

States’ Identities:

communists vs capitalists

Suggested 3 Major Ideal Types of Anarchy §

• Hobbesian
  • States are adversaries and enemies
  • Violent conflicts is a way of survival
  • War of all against all
• Lockean
  • States consider each other as rivals but there are restraints
  • States do not seek to eliminate each other
  • States respect each other’s rights to exist
• Kantian
  • States view each other as friends
  • States settle disputes peacefully
  • States support each other in the case of a threat by a third party

Martha Finnemore §

International Society Norms affect State Behaviors

• They shape states’ identities and interests
• They are transmitted to states through IOs
• They Shape policies and national guidelines

3 Case studies of IOs proposing changes to the international norms and was accepted while not strictly being for national self-gain

• They were mutually beneficial norms that passed (disputing neo-realism’s idea of selfishness)

Peter Katzenstein §

Domestic Environment shapes states behaviors

• Domestic factors shapes foreign policy

Nina Tannenwald §

Four types of ideas

• Normative believes are values and attitudes shared by a group that help distinguish right from wrong and set standards for behaviour
• Causal believes are thinking about consequences of your actions and balencing them accordingly when making decisions to achieve your objective
  • How is this considered shared ideas? isn’t it just pragmatic ruling?
• Policy Prescriptions: that specifies and facilitate states on how to solve particular policy problem.

Why are bureaucracy considered authoritative and powerful social form in modern society