Antinomies of Postmodernism in International Studies

In: Journal of peace research, Band 33, Heft 4, S. 385-390

Abstract

Postmodernists have begun to question established knowledge in the field of international relations. Superficially, this shift can be detected in trendy new terminology, eg, the politics of "discourse," the world as "text," description as "narrative," narrative as "construction of meaning," & meaning as "construction of reality." More substantively, the shift can be seen in the new postmodern consciousness that has pervaded international relations theory, methodology, & research strategies. The underlying problem is that this postmodern consciousness allows scholars to neglect the basic norms of science & professional scholarship, particularly in relation to conceptual preciseness, systematic search for evidence, methodological explicitness, careful argumentation, & criteria for intersubjectivity. 18 References. M. Maguire