The Liberal International Theory Tradition in Europe (Trends in European IR Theory)

This book examines how the liberal international theory tradition evolved in Europe. It includes nine chapters focusing on both historical and contemporary branches of liberal IR theorizing. The combined portrait of the prominent IR theory orientation shows a long and rich theoretical tradition but also a tradition that the scholarly community rarely fully recognize. It is currently somewhat challenged and therefore in need of further advances. Concerning the historical branches, the authors present a truly European tradition that thus was not only present in a few countries. The contributors introduce examples of liberal theorizing that IR scholars tend to dismiss and they trace the boundaries between the liberal and other theoretical traditions. Given the prominence of the tradition, the book is surprisingly among the first to present a transnational perspective on the development of the liberal international theory tradition in Europe. Knud Erik Jørgensen is Professor of International Relations at Aarhus University, Denmark. He has held previous appointments as a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy and with Yaşar University in Izmir, Turkey. Preface Contents Notes on Contributors Chapter 1: Introduction: The Liberal International Theory Tradition in Context Settings Origins and Beginnings Liberal Theory During Years of Cold War and Decolonization Liberal Theory After the Cold War References Chapter 2: Liberal IR Theorizing During the Early Twentieth Century: 1900–1939 Introduction The Development of Liberal Internationalism An International Law Perspective to Liberal Internationalism Conclusion References Chapter 3: Liberalism and Domestic Politics Approaches in IR Introduction Liberal Theory During the Cold War Contemporary Liberalism and Domestic Politics Approaches in IR Interests, Institutions and Ideas The Societal Approach to Governmental Preference Formation Conclusion References Chapter 4: Republicanism and Liberal International Theory Introduction What Is Republicanism? A Liberal Republican Democratic Peace Europe as a Republic Conclusion References Chapter 5: Liberal European Peace Theories and Their Critics Introduction: European Liberal Peace Theories Between Reflexivity and External Critique From Peace Through National Liberation to Peace Through Modernization Peace Through Democratization Peace Through Law, or: ‘The Self-Assertion and Self-Destruction of Peace as Rule of Law’ Conclusion: ‘Knowing War—Thinking Peace’ References Chapter 6: Liberal Security Theories International Federalism International Functionalism International Regimes Theorising European Security Integration Conclusion References Chapter 7: When Liberalism Meets the English School Introduction Basic Arguments Liberal Internationalism and International Society Humanitarian Intervention and the Cosmopolitan Ethics Inside-Out Democracy Conclusion References Chapter 8: Classical Liberalism and IR Theory Characteristics of Classical Liberalism Classical Liberal IR Theory Classical Liberalism and IR Theory Way Forward References Chapter 9: Conclusion and Perspectives References Index This book examines how the liberal international theory tradition evolved in Europe. It includes nine chapters focusing on both historical and contemporary branches of liberal IR theorizing. The combined portrait of the prominent IR theory orientation shows a long and rich theoretical tradition but also a tradition that the scholarly community rarely fully recognize. It is currently somewhat challenged and therefore in need of further advances. Concerning the historical branches, the authors present a truly European tradition that thus was not only present in a few countries. The contributors introduce examples of liberal theorizing that IR scholars tend to dismiss and they trace the boundaries between the liberal and other theoretical traditions. Given the prominence of the tradition, the book is surprisingly among the first to present a transnational perspective on the development of the liberal international theory tradition in Europe. Knud Erik Jørgensen is Professor of International Relations at Aarhus University, Denmark. He has held previous appointments as a Jean Monnet Fellow at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy and with Yaşar University in Izmir, Turkey.