Cosmopolitan realism and the inward turn
In: Critical review of international social and political philosophy: CRISPP, S. 1-21
ISSN: 1743-8772
In: Critical review of international social and political philosophy: CRISPP, S. 1-21
ISSN: 1743-8772
In: Političeskie issledovanija: Polis ; naučnyj i kul'turno-prosvetitel'skij žurnal = Political studies, Heft 1, S. 21-35
ISSN: 1684-0070
Since the end of the Cold War, the United States of America has pursued an offensive foreign policy. In the realities of the 2010s and 2020s, marked by mounting resistance to American global dominance, primarily from Russia and China, there are prerequisites for the adjustment of the U.S. foreign policy strategy. The aim of the article is to identify the underlying causes of offensiveness in U.S. foreign policy of the post–bipolar period based on theoretical constructs of offensive realism and liberalism. Research has shown that offensive realism and offensive liberalism can help understand the offensive nature of U.S. foreign policy after 1991 in their own way and make appropriate projections for the future. Based on the tenets of offensive realism, it can be assumed that the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism have created an enabling environment for maximizing the power of the United States, which Washington could not but leverage. Witnessing the dwindling U.S. power potential, as well as the strengthening of China and Russia in the 2010s – 2020s, Washington has not stopped acting in the logic of offensive realism, but under the Trump and Biden administrations it has definitely began to move towards defensive realism. As the rivals to the US continue to strengthen their capacities, this trend can only intensify. Following the tenets of offensive liberalism, it is possible to assume that after the Cold War, the power of the United States has turned out to be so great in comparison with other great and major powers that Washington has begun to offensively build an American liberal hegemony, letting power rivalry falls by the wayside. However, due to the weakening of the U.S. power potential, as well as the simultaneous rise of China and Russia, it has been forced to begin a transition to a strategy based on offensive and defensive realism under the Trump and Biden administrations. If its rivals continue to rise, the U.S. may turn away from offense altogether.
In: Routledge contemporary Japan series
"The second Abe administration, which lasted for seven years and eight months, turned out to be the longest administration in Japan's constitutional history. What factors contributed to its remarkable longevity? What accomplishments and enduring legacies did this administration achieve during its tenure? Originally published in Bungeishunju in Japanese, this book examines policies pursued by the administration and its governance based on over 50 investigative interviews with key figures in the administration, including former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The contributors cover nine major policies, including economic policy, diplomacy and security, work style reform, trade liberalisation, and historical issues, and explore why a specific policy was chosen at that time, who made that decision, and on what grounds. Reviewing such decision-making processes sheds light on the issue of governance. Consequently, this book also analyses the administration's distinctive style of governance, such as strong leadership from the Prime Minister's Office, ability to navigate party politics, and overwhelming victories in national elections. An essential for scholars and students in the fields of public administration, public policy, Japanese studies and Asian Studies"--
In: Routledge studies in nationalism and ethnicity
"A Theory of De Facto States offers a new perspective on the phenomenon of de facto states - political communities that manifest forms of statehood in international politics but lack international legal recognition - zooming in on two prominent examples, Somaliland and Kosovo. Employing a thorough understanding of classical realist theories of international relations, this book provides a fresh critique of the common ways in which existing research tends to identify the ostensible state features of these communities. In contrast to the prevalent portrayals of such features in terms of international legal, discursive, and/or everyday logics, this book argues that de facto states can be most fundamentally characterised as exceptional polities in international relations. Showcasing how the statehood and sovereignty of de facto states is based in international political crises, this book concludes that these entities function as recurring disruptions of any supposed international political order. A Theory of De Facto States will therefore be of interest to researchers of secession, de facto statehood, and International Relations theory alike"--
"This book is a comprehensive introduction to the theories and recent debates on international political economy (IPE). It illustrates the theoretical ideas of the discipline and provides an in-depth understanding of regional and global political economy. The book focusses on the functioning of states and the economy within the perspective of world politics. It explores the theories realism, liberalism, liberal interdependence, hegemonic stability and dependency vis-à-vis the contemporary global economic and political scenario. It provides a historical overview into the developments in the field and study of international political economy, institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and World Trade organization, the effects of globalization, movement of capital and the contested relationship between human development and democracy. The book examines the effects of neoliberal policies on the functioning of states and highlights the challenges and dilemmas of prioritizing development especially for developing countries. The author also looks at regional formations like the EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, SAARC, APEC and BRICS and their contributions in political and economic cooperation and trade. The book will be useful to the students, researchers and faculty working in the field of political economy, international relations, economics, political science and development studies"--
In: Vestnik MGIMO-Universiteta: naučnyj recenziruemyj žurnal = MGIMO review of international relations : scientific peer-reviewed journal, Band 17, Heft 1, S. 7-21
ISSN: 2541-9099
The article explores the conceptual landscape surrounding national interests. It posits that the identification, safeguarding, and advancement of national interests serve as the bedrock upon which state policies in the domain of national security are formulated. The article traces the origins, evolution, and contemporary interpretations of national interests. Special emphasis is accorded to interpretations espoused by proponents of the political realism. The author conducts an in-depth examination of Russian perspectives on national interests during the 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as throughout the Soviet era, presenting an original periodization of conceptual approaches within Soviet Russia and the USSR. In addition to its historical inquiry, the article critically assesses the implications of national interests of contemporary Russia's foreign policy. Through analysis of strategic policy documents, the author discerns instances where policy objectives are conflated with the national interests, diverging from their realization.Given Russia's distinctive geopolitical position and security challenges, the author defines the paramount Russia's national interest – establishing a secure periphery characterized by cooperative relationships with neighboring states and ensuring unimpeded access to global maritime routes.
"When seeking to understand why nations come into conflict, political scientists tend to focus either on threats to national security (realism) and or on moral duty, ideology, and domestic pressures (liberalism). Liberalism has been the major lens for international relations scholars analyzing the United States, due to the country's strong democratic foundations. In this expansive new book, Dale Copeland argues that the realist cast can shed fascinating light on American foreign policy--if one looks beyond security threats to consider economic threats as well. Copeland's "commercial approach to realism" establishes a new understanding of realism in three ways: by building out a new realist theory, by showing how this commercial approach applies to the United States, and by projecting this theory onto different scenarios that may arise in future conflicts between the United States and China."
World Affairs Online
In: African Governance
Cover -- Half Title -- Series Information -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table of Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- Foreword -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction -- Soft Power in a Changing Global Environment -- In Search of an African Perspective On Soft Power -- The Purpose of This Book: Why Nigerian Soft Power? -- The Plan of the Book -- Notes -- References -- 2 Soft Power: Theoretical, Conceptual, and Methodological Perspectives -- Introduction -- Theoretical Approaches to Soft Power -- Liberalism and Soft Power -- Constructivism and Soft Power -- Realism and Soft Power -- Conceptualizations of Soft Power -- Competing Conceptions of Soft Power -- Soft Power as Resources -- Soft Power as Behaviour -- Operationalizing Soft Power: The Problem of Attraction -- Competing Methodological Approaches to Soft Power -- Agent-Centred Approaches to Soft Power -- Subject-Centred Approaches to Soft Power -- Outcomes-Based Approaches to Soft Power -- Contextualizing Soft Power: The Case of Nigeria -- Conclusion -- Note -- References -- 3 Classical Realism and Soft Power -- Introduction -- Realism, Power, and International Relations -- On the Concept of Power -- Bringing Soft Power in -- Conceptualizing Soft Power: A Relational Approach -- What Is Soft Power? -- Attraction and Persuasion as Soft Power Behaviours -- Operationalizing Soft Power: An Analytical Framework -- Context and Relationship -- Operational Categories of Soft Power Resources -- Culture as a Source of Soft Power -- Political Sources of Soft Power -- Military Sources of Soft Power -- Economic Sources of Soft Power -- Power Conversion Process -- Target Perception -- Foreign Policy Outcomes -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 4 The West African Context -- Introduction -- Relational Dynamics of West African States -- West Africa: An Overview.
"This book explores realist theories-also called power politics approaches, formulations of systems theories, and game theory in International Relations (IR). The first section of the book focuses on theories of Early Classical Realism-Thucydides, Machiavelli, and Hobbes, and two Asian exponents-Kautilya and Han Fei Tzu. It covers the rise and fall of different schools of imperial geopolitics including those developed during the Cold-War and postmodern periods. It also discusses theories proposed by three stalwarts of Neoclassical Realism- Niebuhr, Carr, and Morgenthau; the Neorealism of Waltz; Strategic Realism of Schelling; and Offensive Realism of Mearsheimer. The book also examines theoretic formulations of Kaplan, Modelski, Rosecrance, McClelland, Holsti, and Singer, as well as game theory and its relevance and application in international relations. It explores diverse variants of theories of power in international relations through a critical readings of texts and IR literature. This book will be of interest to researchers and students of political science, international relations, history and law"--
In: Frontiers of political economy
"Drawing on phenomenological and realist approaches, this book surveys the theoretical evolution of New Institutional Economics. For all its popularity and explanatory power, New Institutional Economics is not a homogenous field but encompasses a range of different theoretical approaches starting from Coase and the introduction of transaction costs. In particular, the concept of rationality is a rich source of dispute leading to a bifurcation between 'insider' and 'outsider' perspectives. The insider view refers to studying conscious human beings - the economic actor - who seek their self-interest and find themselves in their mundane situation. The self-interest of the economic actor bestows them with logic. It makes the logic of the situation the method of economics, as Karl Popper establishes. Thus, the book argues for the positioning of New Institutional Economics as situational logic: that is, an economic theory which formulates and studies single-exit situations which face the economic actor. Ultimately, this book presents a critical appraisal of New Institutional Economics theories based on a substantiated methodological perspective that effectively navigates the theorist between realism and rigor. This book will be of interest to readers of New Institutional Economics, economic theory and philosophy of economics and social sciences"--
In: Routledge Explorations in Environmental Studies
Ecological Democracy offers an original, thought-provoking, and engaging treatment of why and how democracy should be re-imagined in reaction to today's ecological crisis. The book explains that one need to re-imagine both the view on nature and democratic ideals within the same framework in the Anthropocene, the present geological epoch of human-made instability in the Earth system and its planetary boundaries. This book proposes unique and challenging readings of green political theory and its development of ecological democracy in the last four decades. The book is the first to offer a systematic and detailed interpretation of the role of critical theory vis-à-vis green political theory through an update regarding current non-anthropocentric critical theorists and how they may contribute to the further development of ecological democracy. Ecological Democracy builds further on deep ecology, ecophenomenology, and animism by articulating an ecocentric view on nature which defends an intrinsic moral value of all existence as well as formulating the democratic principle of all ecologically affected parties.
This book provides a sophisticated, convincing, and accessible argument for how to re-imagine ecological democracy as ecocentrism in practice: ecological love. To love ecologically means caring for and encountering all existence on the Earth and in the cosmos. This book is multi-disciplinary and will be of great value to researchers as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students from many disciplines.
In: European journal of political research: official journal of the European Consortium for Political Research
ISSN: 1475-6765
AbstractPolitical scientists have long debated whether citizens meet the expectations of a 'folk theory' of democratic representation, in which voters correctly reward and punish politicians for their actions, make choices primarily on the basis of policy preferences and orient their decisions to the future rather than the past. But how do elected politicians themselves theorize voting behaviour? In this paper, we report results from an original survey of more than 2000 elected local politicians in Canada and the United States which allows us to characterize politicians' own democratic theories. We uncover substantial variation in politicians' theories of democracy, and we find examples of a number of well‐known theoretical traditions (democratic realism, partisan retrospection, folk theory) among politicians themselves. We also show that politicians' theoretical perspectives are related to how they undertake representation when in office. We conclude with an outline of a comparative research agenda on the causes and consequences of politicians' democratic theories.
Introduction / Gilbert Rozman and Gaye Christoffersen -- Tracking Russia's 'Turn to the East' / Gilbert Rozman -- Debating Russia's 'Turn to the East' / Gilbert Rozman -- The illusion that realism is driving Sino-Russian relations / Katie Stallard and Gilbert Rozman -- The Russian Far East and China's Northeast: a decade in the shadow of the belt and road initiative / Gaye Christoffersen -- Central Asia over a decade: the shifting balance between Russia and China / Gaye Christoffersen -- Russian thinking about the Korean Peninsula and the US role there over a decade / Gilbert Rozman -- Russian 'Turns to the East' yet away from Japan / James D.J. Brown -- Mongolia: Russia's best friend in Asia? / Sergey Radchenko and Mendee Jargalsaikhan -- Conceptualization of the Indo-Pacific in Russia's 'Turn to the East' / Gilbert Rozman -- Russian thinking about CSTO Peacekeeping: Central Asia, China, and the Ukraine War / Gaye Christoffersen -- Russian thinking on Sino-Russian relations and the Ukraine War / Gilbert Rozman -- Index.
In: International labor and working class history: ILWCH, S. 1-28
ISSN: 1471-6445
For the cultural history of industrialized nations, particularly in the economies of the Global North, the period between 1890 and 1930 is associated with modernisms, as successive cultural movements that were formally innovative, highly subjective, yet also self-reflexive of their institutional and social functions. These movements proclaimed themselves as avant-garde; as cultural vanguards that visualize, materialize, and sound out abstract ideas in new artistic forms and practices. Many modernisms, from Futurism to social realism, regarded the human body as a performative projection plane for expansive ideas about movement and mobility, often conflating social reform with physical freedom, and mass action with political agency.
In: Small state studies
Part I -- small-state theory: reviewing the state of the art, Communis Opinio, and beyond -- The power (politics) of the weak revisited: realism and the study of small-state foreign policy / Revecca Pedi and Anders Wivel -- A theory of shelter: small-state behaviour in international relations / Baldur Thorhallsson and Sverrir Steinsson -- The graded agency of small states / Iver B. Neumann -- Part II -- agency: the art of being governed by one's own interests -- Forever small? a Longue Durée perspective on Luxembourg's extantism, governance, and security / Thomas Kolnberger -- Security in the Spanish Philippines (1565-1821): shelter-seeking and secularization in an early modern colony / Eberhard Crailsheim -- Negotiating smallness in three regional contexts: Belize within Central America, the Caribbean, and neighbouring Mexico / Edith Kauffer -- What is a small-state security policy? 'Transpolitical propagation' in the case of Luxembourg, Singapore, and Lithuania / Antony Dabila and Thibault Fouillet -- Part III -- security: defining and engaging threats -- Small states in the Pacific: sovereignty, vulnerability, and regionalism / Charles Hawksley and Nichole Georgeou -- Security and secularization in the Pacific Islands: from great-power competition to climate change and back again / George Carter and Jack Corbett -- Cape Verde and the defence and security challenges in the Atlantic corridor: the case of the approach to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) / Odair Barros-Varela -- Let's forget that Slovakia is small: GLOBSEC, status-seeking, and agency in informal elite networks / Alexander Graef -- Part IV -- governance: interactions between domestic and international norms, rules, and action -- The rise of 'democracy' in Luxembourg's second world war government in exile: agency and leadership at a critical juncture of Luxembourg's small-state foreign policy / André Linden -- Between formal and informal democracy: how the domestic politics of small states influences their security policies / Wouter Veenendaal -- African small island developing states (ASIDS) and good international citizenship / Suzanne E. Graham and Marcel F. Nagar -- Conclusion: insecurity of their own making? a comparative policy coherence for sustainable development analysis of small-state governance / Harlan Koff.