The academic study of international relations can be considered a debate about realism. Realism provides a foil against which many other schools of thought define themselves and their contributions. Take realism out of the picture and the identities of these other schools as well as the significance of their arguments become much less clear. The study of international politics thus is in an important sense inexplicable without a grounding in realism. Gaining such a grounding, however, is harder than it seems. Precisely because realism is so influential, it is also systematically misunderstood. Whether favourably or unfavourably disposed toward realist ideas and theories, scholars face powerful incentives to make realism into something it is not. As a result, many of the most popular criticisms of realism miss the mark. This article attempts to set the record straight. It argues that the notion that realism can and should be reduced to a single, internally consistent, and logically coherent theory is the taproot of the greatest misunderstanding.
'Roots of Realism' edited by Benjamin Frankel and 'Realism: Restatements and Renewal' edited by Benjamin Frankel are reviewed. A review is presented of two books edited by Benjamin Frankel: 1. Roots of Realism and 2. Realism: Restatements and Renewal.
Considers the idea that Barack Obama and his administration may be realists, or if not, then possibly pragmatists. Debates the different possibilities as to what to properly label the new president with special regard towards his foreign policy. Obama has rejected the work of George W. Bush as misguided whereas he saw the presidency of his father as being praiseworthy. Considers also Obama's downplaying of human rights for sake of economic and diplomatic relations. Examines the realist philosophy and agenda beginning in the 1970's to offer a full spectrum in today's context. Adapted from the source document.
The author deals with neoclassical realism, the approach which emerged within the realist school of thought about international relations during the nineties of the last century. The goal of the paper is to consider the establishment and development of the approach during this decade and later in the 21st century, in order to show that it improved the realist school of thought and thus responded to the challenge that the end of the Cold War posed to it. This improvement consists of an integration of systemic level of analysis, on which neorealism insists, with unit level, from which classical realism and other IR schools of thought start. The author illustrates the application of neoclassical realism on the research of the topics relevant for the 21st century through the examples of several significant titles within the approach, but also citing his own application of the approach.
Kenneth Waltz's Theory of International Politics is a modern classic, and deserves to be read the way classic texts ought to be read, i.e. in context and in its own terms. Recovering the context in this case is difficult because of the changes in the discourse since 1979, but one difference between the contemporary and the current reception of the text does seem clear — Waltzian structural realism (or neorealism) is now, but was not then, seen as breaking with the traditions of classical realism. How is this discontinuity to be understood? Part of the answer lies in the rhetoric employed by participants in this debate, but, more substantively, there is a genuine disagreement between neorealism and classical realism over the role played by human nature in international relations. Waltzian neorealism appears, contrary to the tradition, to reject any major role for human nature, describing theories that emphasise this notion as `reductionist'; however, on closer examination, the picture is less clear-cut. Waltz's account of human nature can be related quite closely to the major strands in the realist genealogy, but at a tangent to them. Interestingly, and perhaps unexpectedly, it is also compatible with at least some of the findings of contemporary evolutionary psychology.
Preface -- 1. Introduction -- 2. The Semantics of Realism -- 3. The Metaphysics of Realism -- 4. The Anthropology of Realism -- 5. The Psychology of Realism -- 6. The Epistemology of Realism -- 7. The Applications of Realism -- Glossary -- Further Reading -- Index.