IRT

children: Realism, Liberalism, Constructivism, Marxism

International Relations Theory (IRT) §

Traditional IRTs §

• Realism: the oldest way of describing international relations as anarchic, selfish, power-seeking, and uncooperative.
  • Thomas Hobbes: proposed anarchy and ‘social contracts’ between ruler and the people (state). There is no global sovereign is why there is more war than peace. ¹
  • Hans Morgenthau: politics is about domination not cooperation
• Liberalism: idealistic or optimistic view on IR being cooperative through mutual benefits.
  • Immanuel Kant’s ideas outlined Democratic Peace Theory ¹
  • Woodrow Wilson’s 14 points plan for a ‘postwar world’ and League of Nations ¹

Modernism IRTs §

[!question|right] 💡 How does Realism and Neo-Liberalism view international order differently Whats the alternative

• Neo-Liberalism: taking on basic Realist assumptions, but insisting cooperation is possible through institutions.
• Structural Realism | Neo-Realism:
  • Defensive Realism: states seek power for security and survival by maintaining moderate and reserved policies, it’s unwise to maximize power as others will punish you
  • Offensive Realism: the nature of the international system makes system act in an offensive way to maximize power or gain hegemony for survival.

The Middle Ground IRTs §

• Constructivism: a middle ground between traditional IRTs and Critical Theories
  • It stress importance of values and shared interests between individuals who interact on the global stage in representation of states.
  • It studies the process of change in norms and ideas.
  • Anarchy can be subjectively interpreted or even change over time if everyone accepted a new system. ¹
  • Alexander Wendt
• English School | International Society: a middle ground between Realism and Liberalism: states existing at the international level as an ‘anarchical society’ through shared norms and expected behaviors ¹

Critical Theory Opposing Traditional IRTs §

Economic Exploitation §

• Post-Colonialism: exploitation and racism from past colonial masters on ex-colonies.
• Marxism: economic exploitation on the national level between the rich class (bourgeoisie) and the poor class (proletariat).
  • Karl Marx
• Dependency Theory: economic exploitation between rich (core) states and poor (periphery) states still goes on today.

Gender Oppression §

• Feminism: studies why IR or leaders are all men. How is masculinity imposed on IR?

Questions Fundamental Truths of Traditional Theories §

[!question|right] Where does IPE fit?

• Post-Structuralism: challenges ‘fundamental truths’ held by traditional IRTs such as existance of ‘state’, why the state exists – and who it exists for ¹
• Critical-Constructivism?

graph LR
	Debate["The Four Great Debates"] --> 2
	Debate--> 3
	Debate--> 4
	Debate--> Marxism
	1["International Relations Theory"] --> 2["Realism"]
	1--> 3["Liberalism"]
	1--> 4["Constructivism"]
	1--> Marxism["Marxism"]
	2 --> 5["Classical Realism"]
	2 --> 6["Structural Realism"]
		6 --> 7["Offensive Realism"]
		6 --> 8["Defensive Realism"]
	2 --> 9["Neo-Classical Realism"]
	2 --> 10["Strategic Realism"]

	3 --> 11["Neo-Liberalism"]

All IR-Theory Tags §

File	tags
new.IRTheory	IR-Theory
Structural Realism	IR-Theory, Realism
Structural Marxism	-
Strategic Realism	IR-Theory
Sociological Liberalism	IR-Theory
Socialism	IR-Theory, Socialism
Social Constructivism	IR-Theory
Republican Liberalism	IR-Theory
Realist Institutionalism	-
Realism	-
Rational Choice Theory	Concept, IR-Theory, Realism
Post-Structuralism	-
Post-Modernism	-
Post-Marxism	-
Post-Colonialism	IR-Theory
Peace Studies	-
Offensive Realism	IR-Theory, Realism
Neo-Marxism	IR-Theory, Marxism
Neo-Classical Realism	IR-Theory
Modernism	-
Marxism	IR-Theory, Marxism
Liberalism	IR-Theory, Liberalism
IRT	IR-Theory MOC
IPE	IR-Theory
Interdependence Liberalism	IR-Theory
Institutional Liberalism	IR-Theory
Feminism	IR-Theory
Fascism	IR-Theory, Ideology
English School	IR-Theory
Deterrence	IR-Theory, Concept, Conflict-Management
Dependency Theory	IR-Theory
Defensive Realism	IR-Theory, NEED-RESEARCH, Realism
Critical Security Studies	-
Constructivism	IR-Theory
Conservatism	IR-Theory
Complex Interdependence	IR-Theory
Communism	-
Classical Realism	IR-Theory
Anarchy	-

{ .block-language-dataview}

References §

Footnotes §

1. International Relations Theories | E-International Relations: used to compile this list in the correct heading and sub-headings ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶