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International Relations Theory A New Introduction

International Relations Theory A New Introduction. Chapter 3 The Liberal International Theory Tradition. Introduction. Five characteristics of liberal thought: Strong faith in human reason Belief in possibility of historical progress & reforming international relations

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International Relations Theory A New Introduction

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  1. International Relations TheoryA New Introduction Chapter 3 The Liberal International Theory Tradition

  2. Introduction Five characteristics of liberal thought: • Strong faith in human reason • Belief in possibility of historical progress & reforming international relations • Focus on state-society linkages & the claim of a close connection between domestic institutions & politics/ international politics • Claim: Increasing economic interdependence among states reduces occurrence of conflict & war • Arguments about the positive effect of processes of institutionalizing international relations

  3. Genealogy Early 20th century – key concepts and arguments: • War does not benefit anybody – N. Angell (1913) • International anarchy - G.L. Dickinson (1916) • First major instances of liberal institutionalism  League of Nations • Collective Security Since Second World War • D. Mitrany (1943) A Working Peace System • Regional integration; multilateral institutions; cooperation under anarchy • Theorizing non-material structures thoroughly

  4. Currents of Liberal Thought • Interdependence Liberalism • R. Keohane and J. Nye (1977) Power and Interdependence • Republican Liberalism • I. Kant (1795/ 1983) The Perpetual Peace • Neoliberal Institutionalism • R. Keohane

  5. Kinds of Liberal Theory • Underpinned by normative engagement • American liberals: Behavioural revolution & claim scientific status for their own perspective • In 1980s liberal thinking & game theory • R. Axelrod (1984) The Evolution of Cooperation • R. Keohane (1984) After Hegemony • Rationalist underpinnings • A. Moravcsik´s liberal intergovernmentalism (1998) • Combination of constructivist meta-theory & liberal substantive theory • A. Wendt (1999) Social Theory of International Politics

  6. Democratic Peace Theory Democracies do not fight wars among themselves ( I. Kant - 18th century) F. Fukuyama (1992) : The End of History and the Last Man Transnational Theory Look beyond state-state relations  society-society relations are equally important to world politics K. Kaiser (1969) R. Keohane and J. Nye (1971) J. Rosenau (1980, 1990), K. Deutsch (1957), J. Burton (1972) T. Risse-Kappen (1995) Main Variants of Theories

  7. Theory of Cooperation A. Wendt (1999) Social Theory of International Politics Wendt´s ambition to build a systemic theory  emphasizing social rather than material structures Liberal Intergovernmentalism A. Moravcsik´s (1998) theoretical framework synthesizing theories of domestic preference formation, strategic bargaining & institutional design Main Variants of Theories

  8. Main Intra-Tradition Debates • Neoliberal Institutionalism vs. Liberal Democratic Peace Theory & versions of Commercial Liberalism • Liberalism/ Adherents of Democratic Peace Theory vs. Idealism • Liberal version of Rationalism vs. Constructivism

  9. Research Agenda • International institutions & organizations, see F. Kratochwil, J.Ruggie (1986); R.Keohane (1989) • Multilateralism, see J.Ruggie (1993) • Democratic Peace Theory & democratization processes • International cooperation  international regimes • Merger between transnationalist perspective with studies of globalization/ studies of economic and political processes of globalization

  10. Conclusion • Very rich tradition of thought • The liberal vision to establish a new academic discipline = International Relation • Three major strands • Some liberals = strongly state-centric • Liberalism has its ups and downs

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