Realism
Neo-Realism
Assumptions
Pessimistic view of human nature, self-interested
IR is conflictual, war is endemic
National security and state survival are the key
Power is the center of political activity, IR power politics
Key concepts: Rivalry, conflict, war, power
State is the unit of analysis
State protects the territory, population
World politics ……International Anarchy
No world government
Foreign policy- security oriented, state interests
International hierarchy of power among states
No int. obligations in moral sense
No progressive change in world politics
No escape from the “Security Dilemma”
No permanent or guaranteed peace btw sovereign states
Military power, arm
Moral principles cannot be applied to the actions of state
Politics cannot be reduced to economics or to morals (different
from private morality)
“Balance of power”
Political and military uses of armed forces
Critiques
From liberals, International Society
Common issues with Classical Realism:
Independent states exist and operate in a system of
international anarchy
Focuses on state
Fundamental concern of states is security and survival
Central feature of anarchical state system: Power politics
Ignore norms and values
Ignore ethical dimension
Classical realism (normative, core political values of national
interests and state survival) but neo realism(scientific, product
of the behaviouralist revolution, international system or
Key Persons
Thucydides, Machievelli, Hobbes,
Morgethau
One dimensional IR Theory, too
narrowly focused
Ignores the cooperative features in
human nature
States are not always in conflict, but
they share common interests
Ignores international law
International politics is also progressive
National interests are not the only value
in int.politics
International organizations? “Scraps of
paper”
Non progressive view of history. It is just
historical change.
Kenneth Waltz
structure)
Classical realism: States guided by leaders. Neo-realism: States
respond to the dictates of the int.system.
Focuses on the structure of the system not on human beings as
who create the system
Actors are less important but structures determine actions
Basic feature of IR is the decentralized structure of anarchy btw
states
States differ acc. to their capabilities, unequal capabilities of
states
System: relative distribution of power
The structure of a system changes with the distribution of
capabilities
Int change occurs by rise and fall of great powers
War is always a possibility in an anarchical system
Balance of power
Great powers manage the int.system
Bipolar systems are more stable than multi-power systems
Int.org. exist on the bases of BoP, security dilemma, national
interests, power struggle
Ignore the normative aspect of realism
Ignores ethics of statecraft
No account of human nature
Liberalism
Positive view of human nature
IR is cooperative rather than conflictual
Belief in progress-process of modernization
Interdependence; economic ties
Institutions; organized cooperation between states
Liberal democratic values for peaceful and cooperative
relations
From Realist:
Can liberal world escape perils of
anarchy?
Persistence of anarchy and insecurity
No escape from the security dilemma
Misunderstand politics bcs it
misestimate human nature
Robert Keohane
Immanuel Kant
Joseph Nye
Karl Deutsch
Perpetual peace
Utopian/Idealist Liberalism of 1920s
Sociological Liberalism: IR is not only about state relations but
transnational relations. Relns btwn groups, societies. Emphasis
on society, communication and transaction between societies.
Peaceful relns, security community (K.Deutsch), minimize risk of
conflict
Interdependence Liberalism: level of interdep btw states
Economic production linked to modernization, intern economy
increases interdepend, reduces violent conflict. Different actors
than state leaders. Complex interdependence
Power resources other than military; negotiation skills
Low politics of welfare rather than the high politics of national
security. Transnational actors are imp. More cooperative world
of IR
Institutional Liberalism: International Organizations, promote
cooperation, alleviate states’ fear, lack of trust
Republican Liberalism: lib democracies are more peaceful,
common moral values (freedom of expression, free
communication), consolidated democracies, economic
cooperation and interdependence btw con democ. Peaceful
conflict resolution
Basic structure of the state system
remains the same.
Economic interdependence is nothing
new
Int organizations are a power play
ground
Lib dem can turn into authoritarian
regimes
International
Society/ English
School
Assumptions
Critiques
Key Persons
Middle way btw classical realism and classical liberalism
Principal actors state actors
Focus on human beings and their political values
States are considered as human organizations
IR is basically a human activity concerned with fundamental
values
International order and international justice (right of selfdetermination, non-intervention)
Ideas and ideologies shape the world politics
IR is a branch of human relations, basic values independence,
security, order and justice
World politics is an anarchical society
IR is a society of sovereign states
IR theory is not a value neutral science
Traditional side, it reject the positivist science methodologies.
Rejects the pessimistic view of states as self regarding political
organizations
Int organizations, NGOs, multinational corporations are
important asctors of IR as well
IR is a study of war and peace
No world government
Key: Common interests, rules, institutions
Worldwide social order of independent states
Realism:
Question the existence of international
norms?
States are bounded by national interests
not common set of rules
Hedley Bull
Martin Wight
System of states=realist concept
Society of states=liberal concept
BoP remains as the responsibility of great powers and it sustain
int order
Liberalism: ignore domestic politics
IPE: International economic relations?
Economy has little role?
Statecraft and responsibility: states people are responsible for
the well being of their citizens, national interest
International responsibility: International obligation, states are
responsible to each other and to international society
Humanitarian responsibility: fundamental obligation to respect
human rights
Constructivism
Human in world affairs
Social aspect of IR rather than material aspect (military power,
econ capability)
Key concepts: Ideas, beliefs
The international system is constituted by ideas, not material
forces
System of norms, set of ideas
Wende:“Anarchy is what states made of it”
Change is possible, create new norms
1980s rise after Cold war
Social world is not given, it is constructed by human thoughts,
ideas
Neo-Realism
Norms exist but they disregarded by
powerful states
States being friends due to their social
interaction is not possible
Social interaction is not always secure,
uncertainty in the system, security
dilemma still exist
discourses of signs, signals, understandings
Focus on inter-subjective beliefs
Interpretive understanding
Identities, interests are not given but constructed, created
States interests are formed by ideas and social interaction
State behaviour is defined by identity and interests
Post-Modernism
Challenge to the traditional ideologies
Not a theory
Scientism about Enlightenment ideologies in terms of they are
too homogenous, no universalism
Does not offer what should be done
about modernist processes
No guidance to action
Alexander Wendt
Modernism: reason, progress, confidence
Post-modernism questions this confidence
Challenge to the state, rather than peace&war it focuses on the
new issues; ethnicity, gender, religion (plurality of issues)
More pluralistic world, less sure of itself, more open to change
Has an oppositional nature
Feminism:
Woman is supressed, subject to oppression
3 strands:
• Liberal Feminism: Woman ought to have the same
liberal rights as men, equality in education, politics and
work. Equalize male and female pay and working
conditions. Representation of women interests.
Regard the state as the only legitimate authority for
enforcing justice in woman rights. State’s role is
limited to public sphere, private sphere remains
personal choice
• Socialist Feminism: Focus on economic equality. Same
working conditions, payment and social rights.
• Radical Feminism: 1960s. Not just a matter of
inequality. It claims not only equality but liberation in
all levels of society (public realm, family rel). State
should regulate both public and private sphere,
otherwise state contributes to the gender based
oppression. It is criticized in terms of having
totalitarian tendencies. Image of woman helpless,
victim
Environmentalism:
1970s, Concern for natural environment
Existence of severe env problems and their transnational
impacts: air pollution, use of pesticides in agriculture, extinction
of plants and animals, ozone depletion, climate change
 Reformists: Advocate sustainable development.
Economic growth and env.protection can exist
together. Ecological modernization (growth can be
sustainable, use of renewable energy, wind, solar,
energy conservation.
 Radicals: Radical Greens; there should be a limit to
growth. Advocate decentralized small scale self
sufficient anarchist type communities, loose authority
structures. Eliminate large scale industrial production.
Enable people to be closer to nature
Multiculturalism
1960s, challenge to nationalism, states based on ethnicity
Advocates pluralistic states based on many different religious,
cultural and ethnic identities
Policy of integration versus policy of assimilation
It is regarded as challenge to social unity by some scholars
There is little evidence that mult leads to social conflict. Indeed,
solution to cultural diversity in modern societies.
Religious Fundamentalism
Becomes ideological if it seeks to organize political principles
along religious lines
16th and 17th century Catholics and Protestants
Lockean principle separated church from the state. Secular
regimes, constitution. Religion becomes a private pursuit
Use of force and violence
Anti-democrat and morally conservative
Fundamentalism occurs in all religion