Suchergebnisse

On one level, history is used by all parts of the International Relations (IR) discipline. But lurking beneath the surface of IR's approach to history lies a well-entrenched binary. Whereas mainstream positions use history as a means to fill in their theoretical frames (seeing history as a kind of 'scripture' of abstract lessons), many post-positivists reduce history to a pick-and-mix of contingent hiccups (a 'butterfly' of what-ifs and maybes). Interestingly enough, this binary is one reproduced throughout the social sciences. As such, there is a bigger story to the apparently 'eternal divide' between history and social science than first meets the eye. This article uses the various ways in which history is used — and abused — in IR to probe more deeply into the relationship between history and social science as a whole. This exploration reveals four frameworks, two drawn from history (context and narrative) and two drawn from social science (eventfulness and ideal-typification) which illustrate the necessary co-implication of the two enterprises. The article employs these tools as a means of re-imagining the relationship between history and social science (including IR), conceiving this as a single intellectual journey in which both are permanently in view.

"Feminist approaches to international law have been mischaracterised by the mainstream of the discipline as being a niche field that pertains only to women's lived experiences and their participation in decision-making processes. Exemplifying how feminist approaches can be used to analyse all areas of international law, this book applies posthuman feminist theory to examine the regulation of new and emerging military technologies, international environmental law and the conceptualisation of the sovereign state and other modes of legal personality in international law. Noting that most posthuman scholarship to date is primarily theoretical, this book also contributes to the field of posthumanism through its application of posthuman feminism to international law, working to bridge the theory and practice divide by using posthuman feminism to design and call for legal change. This interdisciplinary book draws on an array of fields, including philosophy, queer and feminist theories, postcolonial and critical race theories, computer science, critical disability studies, science and technology studies, marine biology, cultural and media studies, Indigenous onto-epistemologies, critical legal theory, political science and beyond to provide a holistic analysis of international law and its inclusions and exclusions. This interdisciplinary book will appeal to students and scholars with interests in legal, feminist, and posthuman theory, as well as those concerned with the contemporary challenges faced by international law"--

A review essay on books by (1) Michael Cox (Ed), E. H. Carr: A Critical Appraisal (Houndmills: Palgrave, 2000); & (2) Jack Donnelly, Realism and International Relations (Cambridge: Cambridge U Press, 2000). Since Realists can no longer assume that the boundaries of the discipline coincide with their paradigm, & since the terms of the first debate are no longer self-evident to structure theoretical discussion, Realism needs to openly redefine & demarcate itself. The article deals with the present stage of this redefinition. It shows that a coherent redefinition is not yet of available. Either such an attempt does not achieve scientific respectability, which was so essential for Realist credentials, or Realist theorizing simply becomes ambivalent, if not indistinguishable from other approaches; a tendency exacerbated when so-called Realist classics, such as E. H. Carr, are carefully studied. Adapted from the source document.

The author looks at the current state of international relations in the Asia-Pacific, noting two fundamental changes: (1) The international system is now a unipolar power structure with the US as the dominant force. (2) Regional community-building efforts have intensified with the emergence of organizations like the EU & APEC. Zhao then examines approaches to dealing with security issues in international relations. Political & diplomatic issues in international relations are also examined. Of particular concern in the diplomatic area is dealing with countries with asymmetric power, the role of history & culture in the decision-making process, & human rights concerns. It is stated that the ultimate question for the future of Asia-Pacific international relations is whether a new cold war will emerge between the US & the People's Republic of China. Another scenario would be a post-11 Sept 2001 framework that would include a constructive atmosphere. It is concluded that a broad awareness of East Asian international relations is significant given the rising status of the region in world affairs as well as the continuing change in power relations. J. Backman

A review essay on books by (1) Richard Ned Lebow, The Tragic Vision of Politics: Ethics, Interests and Orders (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge U Press, 2003); (2) Jonathan Haslam, No Virtue Like Necessity: Realist Thought in International Relations since Machiavelli (New Haven, CT: Yale U Press, 2002); (3) Campbell Craig, Glimmer of a New Leviathan: Total War in the Realism of Niebuhr, Morgenthau, and Waltz (New York: Columbia U Press, 2003); & (4) John J. Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (New York: W. W. Norton, 2001). 8 References.