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Explores the application of constructivist theory to international relations. The text examines the relevance of constructivism for empirical research, focusing on some of the key issues of contemporary international politics: ethnic and national identity; gender; and political economy

Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- List of Tables and Figures -- Introduction -- Part I. Frameworks -- 1. Foreign Policy, International Politics, and Constructivism -- 2. Foreign Policy Is What States Make of It: Social Construction and International Relations Theory -- 3. A Constructivist Primer -- 4. Speaking of Policy -- Part II. Constructivists at Work -- 5. Soviet "New Thinking" and the End of the Cold War: Five Explanations -- 6. Thus Spoke Franco: The Place of History in the Making of Foreign Policy

Vendulka Kubalkova provides her own autobiographical experience of leaving Prague in the late 60's as a backdrop for her comments on the Czech IR discipline. She takes a linguistic constructivist reading of Czech IR, which describes the world based on universal experience. Such a reading broadens the notion of what counts as IR. She describes Czech IR as taking off in the 2000's by means of 'westernizing,' leaving the question of what comes next for speculation. On the one hand, she advocates returning to Czech roots, and on the other, cautions against national disciplines of IR. She resolves this seeming contradiction by encouraging Czech contribution to knowledge rooted in their historic experience of resistance to marginalization, while stating that the Czech IR discipline should pursue issues broader than those designated as IR. Adapted from the source document.

The chapter discusses the soft & rule-oriented modes of constructivism as they have been brought to bear on Gorbachev-espoused Soviet "new thinking," the collapse of the USSR, & international relations in the post-Cold War era. The fall of the USSR was met by multiple & competing political narratives constructed by interested agents. The West's narrative, guided by the topoi of soft constructivism & largely anti-Marxist, has dominated the mainstream & refocused international relations analysis on neorealism, neoliberalism, & globalism. But other constructivisms, however marginalized, remain imperative for understanding Gorbachev's "new thinking" & its failure. 2 Tables, 77 References. K. Coddon

The chapter offers a model, or "primer," for a rule-oriented constructivist approach to international relations. This approach is defined specifically against the fashionable "soft constructivism" espoused by Wendt, proposing instead a more rigorous mode of examining structure, agency, & rationality. This flexible & interdisciplinary framework, illustrated by tables, entails four steps: (1) seeing in a constructivist way; (2) grasping constructivist categories of thinking; (3) adopting existing modes of scholarship to constructivist ones; & (4) cultivating constructivist modes of scholarly inquiry. 3 Tables, 2 Figures, 10 References. K. Coddon

The chapter defines & distinguishes foreign policy analysis & international politics, & discusses their origins & development as subfields. Next, the impact of constructivism on the areas, while not always acknowledged as such, is examined. Constructivism contributes to theoretical dimensions of structure, agency, rationality, institutions, & identity. Tables illustrate the application of key concepts. The chapter also summarizes important literature & debates concerning constructivism & international relations. 1 Table, 3 Figures, 50 References. K. Coddon

The introductory chapter outlines the problems arising from separating international politics & foreign policy analysis as subfields of international relations, & introduces students to key terminology, concepts, frameworks, & ranges of inquiry for the constructivist approach. Theoretical assumptions about structure, rationality, & agency are elucidated, followed by examples of constructivism in practice (even when not acknowledged as such by the particular researcher). The contents of the volume include sections on concepts, applications, & theoretical implications of the project. 1 Figure, 13 References. K. Coddon

An increasing visibility of religion on all levels of social activity including IR calls into question the stubbornness of Western social sciences unwilling (& unable) to treat religions as important social factors on their own terms, on par with secular discourses. To correct this situation this article uses Nicholas Onuf's post-positivist rule-oriented constructivist ontological framework as a foundation of "International Political Theology" (IPT). IPT is another extension of IR, just as IPE once was. IPT refers to the systematic study of discourses & relations among them concerning world affairs that search for -- or claim to have found -- a response, transcendental or secular, to the human need for meaning. Central to the argument is Charles Pierce's concept of abductive reasoning, not inferior, in fact much more widespread worldwide than the modern understanding of what does or does not constitute "rational" or a form of a judgment. The article shows how IPT can relate religious & secular discourses, so far regarded as "incommensurable". 3 Tables. Adapted from the source document.