International Political Economy--

Alternative Perspective on IPE

Professor Yu Xunda

2013. 05

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Barnara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild. Global Woman: Nannies, Min

ds and Sex Workers in the New Economy. New York: Henry Holt, 2002

Cynthia Enloe. Globalization and Militarism: Feminists Make the Link, MD: Row

man and Littlefield, 2007.

Garnet. “Bibliography—Gender in International Political Economy.”

Gender Action. http://www.genderaction.org/

Margaret Keck and Kathryn Sikkink. Activist without Borders: Norms and Identit

y in World Politics. New York: Columbia University Press, 1998.

Nina Tannenward. The Nuclear Taboo: The United States and the Non-Use of

Nuclear Weapons since 1945.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Alexander Wendt. “Anarchy Is What States Make of It: The Social Constitution o

f Power Politics,” International Organization, 46(Spring 1992), pp. 391-425.

WIDE.Globalising Gender Equality and Social Justice.

Suggested Readings

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Content

5.2 Actors Spread New Norms and ‘Socialize’ States

5.3 Tools and Concepts of Analysis

5.4 Women Matter; Gender matters

5.6 Feminist Critiques of Mercantilist Perspectives

5.1 Views of Conflict and Cooperation

5.5 Liberal Feminisms

5.7 Structuralist Feminism

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Two alternative Perspectives

Two alternatives or complements to the 3 mai

nstream IPE theories:

Constructivism Feminist theory

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Constructivism

Focuses:

the role of ideas, norms, and discourse in shaping outcomes

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5.1 Constructivism-- Views of Conflict and Cooperation

The state of international society: Anarchy is what state make of it.

Conflict or cooperation is a product of actors’ different values, beliefs, and interests.

A. States’ behaviors do not simply reflect the material distribution of power.

　 E.g. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

B. States, sometimes, do not seem to reflect a cost-benefit calculation or some other kind of rational self-interest.

　 E.g. Powerful states in Somalia./ Nuclear taboo

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5.2 Constructivism-- Actors Spread New Norms and ‘Socialize’ States

Social forces: TANs, epistemic communities, and IOs.

Function: can generate and spread values, norms, and ideas that change the way the world work.

TANs Definition: ”those actors working internationally on an issue, who are bound together by

shared values, a common discourse, and dense exchanges of information and services.”

Function: using testimonies, symbolism, and name-and -shame campaigns to create a shared belief among political elites and social actors.

E.g : the International Campaign to Ban Landmines

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5.2 Constructivism-- Actors Spread New Norms and ‘Socialize’ States

Epistemic Communities Definition: ”professional with recognized expertise and competence in a particular domai

n and authoritative claim to policy-relevant knowledge within that domain or issue area.”

Function: providing political elites with advice, technical explanations and policy options.

E.g : Peter Haas and the ban of CFCs, Chicago Boys

IOs Function: they have a role in shaping what a state is (its identity), wants (its interests), an

d does (its policies). E,g: ICRC, WB, UN

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5.3 Constructivism--Tools and Concepts of Analysis

4 basic assumptions of constructivism applied to IPE:

　　 1. Ideas, values, norms, and identities of individuals, groups, and states are socially constructed.

　　 2. Ideas and values are social forces that are as important as military or economic factors.

　　 3. Conflict and cooperation are products of values and beliefs.

4. Change can be explained by examining changes in the values and beliefs of actors over time.

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5.3 Constructivism--Tools and Concepts of Analysis

4 concepts/tools of constructivism to explain outcomes in IPE:

　 Framing -- E.g. Blood Diamond

Problematization --E.g. the money-laundering

problem talked by OECD

Discourse analysis --E.g. the clash of civilization

Tracing the life cycle of ideas --E.g. the life cycle of ideas about preservation

of the environment and natural resources.

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Feminist Contributions to IPE

Feminists argue that every area of IPE—from the structure of s

tate power to the allocation of political and economic resources —is i

mpacted by gendered processes.

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5.4 Women Matter, Gender matters

Gender analysis takes into account not just sex but

gender as the socially constructed norms.

The neglect to women in policy design, not only ha

s a negative impact on women, but also always wor

ks to the detriment of the policy’s overall objectives

as well.

Gender-influenced things, including the roles assig

ned to men and women, our gendered resources a

nd obligations, the thing we buy, where we work......

shape markets and affect the distribution of power

and resources in society.

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5.5 Liberal Feminisms

Classical liberal feminists (libertari

an feminists)

most concerned with individual freedoms, freedom from coe

rcion, and “self-ownership”for men and women, especially, t

he de jure inequality.

Other liberal feminists

tend to support individual rights and free markets, but argue

that men hold a disproportionate share of power in society.

----liberal feminists stress than the level

of political rights that women enjoy in a c

ountry, along with their overall treatment,

have important impacts on a country’s ov

erall economic health.

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Questioning the assumptions in the mercantilist and realist traditions.

Traditionally, the study of IPE has privileged macro-level structures. Feminism begin their analysis at household or community level.

Economically, they pointed out that state-centric IPE scholars have over-looked the informal and non-wage-based economy in which women work.

Politically, they have redefined the concept of security, showing the way in which the international relations are gendered and making women’s often invisible roles more apparent.

5.6 Feminist Critiques of Mercantilist Perspectives

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5.7 Structuralist Feminism

Marxist feminists challenge the idea that capitalism benefits women in almost any instance.

Gender is a source of oppression that is facilitated by the capitalist system.

There is a link between the power mechanisms that determine international relations and those that determine race, class, and gender relations.

The fact that women and people of color make up a disproportionate number of the poor in most countries, is a result of systematic exploitation in capitalist economy.

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The two alternative perspectives direct our focus to actors and forces that have been overlooked in the liberal, mercantilist, and structuralist perspectives.

They suggest that states and markets are not the only shapers in the world; other actors like individuals, women, and social movements profoundly influence global policies and struggles.

They also remind us that the study of IPE cannot be divorced from moral and ethical questions.

Conclusion

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Do you think constructivism should get more attention as a social science theory? Why or Why not.?

How might structuralists feminists respond to companies that outsource labor to sweatshops in poor countries.

Why do feminists argue that the debates about national security need to consider gender? Do you see?

What criticisms can made of constructivist? Do constructivists underestimate the importance of material power in affecting global issue?

What tools do we have to measure the briefs of norms actually an actors outlook and actions.

Discussion Questions

Thank You !