Introduction to International Rela-tions

Jaechun Kim

Social Construc-tivism

(SOCIAL) CONSTRUCTIVISM 

Relatively a new approach in the field of IR despite its preeminence in psychology and sociology…

But social constructivism has become one of the major theories (or paradigms) of IR in recent years…

Constructivism is not Liberalism… !

Alexander Wendt and Constructivism A. Wendt, “Anarchy is What States Make of It” 1992Why did he write this article?

Neo-Neo Debate… Wendt thought that liberalists were losing the game…Why?

 

Because NL uses realist assumptions… ra-tionalist assumptions… NL assumes that states’ preferences are exogenous…

Wendt abandons rationalist assumption – assumption that states’ identities are given (exogenous; fixed)

Either by human nature (classical realism – first level realism) or international system (neorealism – third level realism)..

 

State identities and interests are not given (ex-ogenously), rather they are constructed so-cially (social interaction)… hence social con-structivism..

Self-regarding identities other-regarding identities…

 Neoliberalists institutions affect behavior of states, but they do not change states’ identities or interests… they only constrain behaviour in strategic sense, but they do not constitute it!

Constructivists – institutions not only con-strain behaviour but also constitute it… they can change identities and prefer-ences…

Two important claims of Constructivists(1) interests and identities do change… and they are socially constructed! They are not givens! They are not exogenous!

 Ideational structure of International Relations

(2) Anarchy (as defined by Neorealists) is not the most important structural characteristic of intl sys-tem…Neo’s conception of structures is too limited! They only focus on material forces…

 The key structures of the int’l system are in-tersubjective or social (rather than mate-rial)! The way we interact (and think) consti-tute an important structure as well!

 

Neorealists and Neoliberals’ conception of structure is too limited

they only focus on material factors!

Structure is a malleable entity… agents can shape the structure!

Self-help and Security Dilemma and Power Politics are not essential feature of anarchy… They are the result of our interaction based on self-help and power politics! Our practices made that way!!

(Physical) structure has no causal power apart from pro-cesses and interaction…

They – self-help and power politics – are social institutions (our intersubjective understanding or norms) created by our action…

Self-help and power politics are the result of our interac-tion (or practices) based on power politics and self help!

 If states’ practices change then so will the struc-ture...so will our understanding of structure…!!!

Therefore “Anarchy (as structure) is what states make of it!”

 How anarchy is understood among the agents (s-tates) is very important!

Institutions can not only constrain states’ behaviors but also constitute them!

To sum up..

Neos tend to focus on material factors; con-structivist emphasizes the impact of ideas…(or social interaction… processes…practices… )

Instead of taking the states’ preferences for granted and assuming that states simply seek to survive or maximize their interests, construc-tivists regard the interests and identities of states as a highly malleable product of specific historical processes (and discourses)…

Positivists vs. Post-Positivists (Or Rationalists vs. Reflectivists)

PositivistsSearch for positive theories… Scientific (positivisitic) epistemology…Objective truth about social life…Find explanations… causal mechanism

 

Post-PositivistsDenounce positivistic epistemology…

No objective truth about social life..

All the social theories are value-laden Normative theories…

Post-modernism

Feminist theory of IR

Critical theory

Social constructivism as a bridge be-tween positivism and post-positivism?

MARXISM3 laws

Law of disproportionality – Labor creates surplus values, K doesn’t

Law of diminishing return – As K accumulates, the rate of return will decline

Capitalist states need to expand so survive

TenetsClass is the most important actor (State is simply an agent of K class) Economics determines politics (cf. realism)

 

Lenin on ImperialismModern world system is imperialistic

Valdimir Lenin, Imperialism, the Highest State of Capitalism (1916)

Modern capitalism is the highest stage of capitalism – key characteristic of it is imperialism! But this

is transitory in nature. Because it will col-lapse!

4stepsK will build up, return for K diminishes. Undercon-sumption at home forces K to expand abroad…

K need to expand to export surplus of K abroad.

Flag follows money and soldiers follow the flag!K states carve out peripheries..

K states will confront each other over shrinking peripheries. e.g. Iraq.

Marxism after Marx Dependency theory and Modern World Systems Theory

two progenies

Essay Questions for Next Week

1. What are the defining elements of international re-gime? How do they differ from international organ-ization? Does neoliberal institutionalists’ approach provide an adequate explanation for the role of in-ternational regimes? If so, why? If not, do you think constructivist theory of regime can be an alternat-ive?

 2. Would it be possible for international organizations

(both IGOs and NGOs) to exercise independent in-fluence in world politics? Discuss avenues through which IOs can affect states’ behaviour and identit-ies (or preferences).