IR 501 Lecture Notes (1)
A Retrospective of IR &
Theories
Dr. Bezen Balamir Coşkun
bezencoskun@zirve.edu.tr
International
Relations
How do you define International
Relations as an academic
discipline?
International
Relations
“The starting
point of international
relations is the existence of states,
or independent political
communities, each of which
possesses a government and
asserts sovereignty in relation to a
particular portion of the earth’s
surface and a particular segment of
the human society” (Hedley Bull
1977:8)
International Society
“A society of states (or international society)
exists when a group of states , conscious of
common interests and common values, form a
society in the sense that they conceive
themselves to be bound by a common set of
rules, and share in the working of common
institutions.” (Hedley Bull 1977:13)
Pluralist & liberal political arrangement
International Society
an association of member states
who not only interact across
international borders but also share
common purposes, organizations,
and standards of conduct
Political independence is the core
value of international society
Chronology of
International Society
500 - 100 BC Ancient Greek
1300 - 1500 Renaissance Italian
1500 - 1650 Early Modern
European
1650 - 1950 European (Western)
1950 - Global
International Society
The forerunners of international society were
Ancient Greece & Renaissance Italy
Greek international society was based on the
citi-states and Hellenic culture
Italian international society was based on the
state and strong urban identities and rivalries
of Renaissance Italians
Westphalian
International Society
•
1. Principle: the king is emperor in his own
realm. Every king is independent and equal to
every other king
•
2. Principle: The ruler determines the religion.
Outsiders have no right to intervene in a
sovereign jurisdiction
•
3. Principle: The Balance of power which was
intended to prevent any hegemon from arising
and dominating everybody else.
Westphalian
The Peace of Westphalia was the first explicit
International
Society
expression of a European society of states,
which served as a precedent for all
subsequent developments of international
society
It was the external aspect of the development
of modern secular states that had to find an
orderly and legitimate way to conduct mutual
relations
It was the first completely explicit international
society, with formal institutions, law and
practices of statecraft including balance of
power
Global International
Society
Global social framework of shared norms
&values based on state sovereignty
UN Charter is a reflection of that social
framework
Those shared norms & values have provoked
problems and predicaments
Current debates about the future of state
sovereignty and contemporary global
international society
Problems of Global
International Society
based on western norms & values
representation problems
inequalities
regional diversity
problematic boundaries
doctrine of non-intervention
The Study of IR
•
The study of International relations as a an academic
discipline traced back to E.H. Carr's The 20 Years Crisis
(1939) and to Hans Morgenthau's Politics among
Nations (1948). International relations as a discipline is
believed to have emerged after the First World War.
Early international relations scholarship in the Interwar
years focused on the balance of power system which to
be replaced with a system of collective security. These
thinkers were later described as "Idealists". The leading
critique of this school of thinking was the “realist”
analysis of Carr.
Theories of
International
Relations
International relations theories provides conceptual
frameworks for analyzing international relations.
International relations theories are divided as
positivist/rationalist theories which focus on state-level
analysis, and post positivist/reflectivist theories which
incorporate levels other than the state ranging from
class, to gender, etc.
There exists conflicting ways of thinking among IR
theories. Ole Holsti describes international relations
theories act as a pair of colored sunglasses, allowing
the wearer to see only the salient events relevant to the
theory.
Food for thought
Why do we need theories of international
relations?
To what extend these theories help us to explain
international events?
Robert Cox argues that the purpose of theory in IR, is not a
search to find the 'truth' but it is a tool to understand the world as it is,
and to change it through the power of critique. According to Robert Cox,
theory has two purposes: one of them is the problem-solving purpose
that is synchronic which deals with the givens and tries to manage the
smooth functioning of the system. the other kind of theory was the
critical theory, and the purpose is to become aware of the situations not
chosen by one, and to establish an emancipatory perspective. Discuss