Social Theory of International Politics (Cambridge Studies in International Relations, Series Number 67)

A theory intends to explain reality and make a truth claim. In this book, the theory presented does not apply to any form of social reality, and its truth claim can neither be verified, neither falsified. The author presents, somewhere from the dimness of deep metaphysical outerspace, a series of half baked philosophical assertions about IR theory that are at best incoherent and erroneous. In essence it is a pot of opportunistic eclecticism that nowhere achieves a synthesis that smells of coherence. Although he wants to explain all IR questions, he achieves to provide an understanding for none of them. What pretends to be a theory is nothing but a wolkenkuckucksheim that demonstrates the limits of a 'science' based on opportunism rather than truth, and its devoted students would probably continue joyfully to sing its praise even if it had been shown to anyones satisfaction that its presumptions were outlandish; because nothing whatsoever would count as a falsification of their beliefs. Do not buy this book if you sincerely intend to learn something about international politics, because there are much better choices around. Although the author might still be regarded as a fashion icon in his field, all he does is celebrate - under the label of positivism - the ambiguous and dubious as positive in itself. (...) Cambridge Studies in International Relations......Page 4 Contents......Page 10 Analytical Table of Contents......Page 11 Acknowledgements......Page 14 1 Four sociologies of international politics......Page 18 The states systemic project......Page 24 State-centrism......Page 25 Systems theory......Page 27 Neorealism and its critics......Page 32 A map of structural theorizing......Page 39 Four sociologies......Page 40 Locating international theories......Page 46 Three interpretations......Page 50 Epistemology and the via media......Page 55 Plan of the book......Page 57 Part I Social theory......Page 62 2 Scientific realism and social kinds......Page 64 1 Scientific realism and theories of reference......Page 68 World independence......Page 69 Mature theories refer to the world......Page 70 Theories provide knowledge of unobservables......Page 77 2 The ultimate argument for realism......Page 81 3 The problem of social kinds......Page 84 4 On causation and constitution......Page 94 Causal theorizing......Page 96 Constitutive theorizing......Page 100 Toward a sociology of questions in international theory......Page 105 Conclusion......Page 107 3 "Ideas all the way down?'': on the constitution of power and interest......Page 109 The constitution of power by interest......Page 113 Waltz's explicit model: anarchy and the distribution of power......Page 115 Waltz's implicit model: the distribution of interests......Page 120 Toward a rump materialism I......Page 126 The constitution of interests by ideas......Page 130 The rationalist model of man......Page 133 Beyond the rationalist model......Page 136 Toward a rump materialism II......Page 147 Conclusion......Page 152 4 Structure, agency, and culture......Page 156 Two levels of structure......Page 162 Micro-structure......Page 164 Macro-structure......Page 167 Culture as common and collective knowledge......Page 174 Two effects of structure......Page 182 Causal effects......Page 184 Constitutive effects......Page 188 Toward a synthetic view......Page 195 Culture as a self-fulfilling prophecy......Page 201 Conclusion......Page 206 Part II International politics......Page 208 5 The state and the problem of corporate agency......Page 210 The essential state......Page 215 The state as referent object......Page 216 Defining the state......Page 218 On the ontological status of the state......Page 232 The structure of state agency......Page 235 Why anthropomorphizing the state is still problematic......Page 238 Identities and interests......Page 241 The national interest......Page 250 Are states "Realists''? A note on self-interest......Page 255 Conclusion......Page 260 6 Three cultures of anarchy......Page 263 Structure and roles under anarchy......Page 268 The Hobbesian culture......Page 276 Enmity......Page 277 The logic of Hobbesian anarchy......Page 281 Three degrees of internalization......Page 283 Rivalry......Page 296 The logic of Lockean anarchy......Page 300 Internalization and the Foucault effect......Page 302 The Kantian culture......Page 314 Friendship......Page 315 The logic of Kantian anarchy......Page 316 Internalization......Page 319 Beyond the anarchy problematique?......Page 324 Conclusion......Page 325 7 Process and structural change......Page 330 Two logics of identity formation......Page 335 Natural selection......Page 338 Cultural selection......Page 341 Collective identity and structural change......Page 353 Master variables......Page 360 Interdependence......Page 361 Common fate......Page 366 Homogeneity......Page 370 Self-restraint......Page 374 Discussion......Page 380 Conclusion......Page 383 Conclusion......Page 387 Bibliography......Page 396 Index......Page 437 Cambridge Studies in International Relations......Page 447 "Drawing upon philosophy and social theory, Social Theory of International Politics develops a theory of the international system as a social construction. Alexander Wendt clarifies the central claims of the constructivist approach, presenting a structural and idealist worldview which contrasts with the individualism and materialism which underpins much mainstream international relations theory. He builds a cultural theory of international politics, which takes whether states view each other as enemies, rivals or friends as a fundamental determinant. Wendt characterises these roles as 'cultures of anarchy', described as Hobbesian, Lockean and Kantian respectively. These cultures are shared ideas which help shape state interests and capabilities, and generate tendencies in the international system. The book describes four factors which can drive structural change from one culture to another - interdependence, common fate, homogenization, and self-restraint - and examines the effects of capitalism and democracy in the emergence of a Kantian culture in the West."--Page 4 de la couverture Drawing upon philosophy and social theory, Social Theory of International Politics develops a theory of the international system as a social construction. Alexander Wendt clarifies the central claims of the constructivist approach, presenting a structural and idealist worldview which contrasts with the individualism and materialism which underpins much mainstream international relations theory. He builds a cultural theory of international politics, which takes whether states view each other as enemies, rivals or friends as a fundamental determinant. Wendt characterises these roles as 'cultures of anarchy', described as Hobbesian, Lockean and Kantian respectively. These cultures are shared ideas which help shape state interests and capabilities, and generate tendencies in the international system. The book describes four factors which can drive structural change from one culture to another - interdependence, common fate, homogenization, and self-restraint - and examines the effects of capitalism and democracy in the emergence of a Kantian culture in the West. -- Publisher description Drawing on philosophy and social theory, Social Theory of International Politics develops a cultural theory of international politics that contrasts with the realist mainstream. Wendt argues that states can view each other as enemies, rivals, or friends. He characterizes these roles as "cultures of anarchy," which are shared ideas that help shape states' interests and capabilities. These cultures can change over time as ideas change. Wendt thus argues that the nature of international politics is not fixed, and that the international system is not condemned to conflict and war.