Three perspectives on international politics.ppt

Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Hans Peter Schmitz Three perspectives on international politics IR theories: Constructivism Constructing global affairs Constructivism- two parts Sociological Institutionalism (structure) Role of international norms Norms, institutions, organizations Norm creation and enforcement Transnationalism (agency) Principled non-state actors Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Hans Peter Schmitz Two research agendas Sociological institutionalism (focus on structure) how does the social environment of states shape their identities and interests? Transnationalism (focus on agency) What is the role of non-state actors and transnational relations in global affairs? Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Hans Peter Schmitz Contesting the Prisoners’ Dilemma: Identity and Norms Neither anarchy nor interdependence….. Identity Beliefs Norms Strategies: socialization and persuasion (not the threat/use of force and economic cooperation). Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Hans Peter Schmitz A View of the World Not a theory of international relations, but a set of assumptions about how to study it. Realist power politics is one possible scenario of world politics, but not the only one. Reality is a social, not an objective fact. The Soviet Union disappeared, because people stopped believing in it. Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Hans Peter Schmitz Re-envisioning security Before 1989, the United States felt threatened by the Soviet military. Today, this threat is perceived to be much lower. Why? Realism: Russia is objectively weaker. Institutionalism: Economic ties mitigate conflict. Constructivism: Nuclear weapons have not disappeared, but the threat perception (ideas) about them. Ideas help construct a social environment, not just brute material forces. Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Hans Peter Schmitz Constructed reality Anarchy is neither destiny (realism), nor a disincentive t