Critical international relations theory
Encyclopedia
Critical international relations theory is a diverse set of schools of thought in International Relations
(IR) that have criticized the theoretical, meta-theoretical and/or political status quo
, both in IR theory and in international politics more broadly — from positivist as well as postpositivist positions. Positivist critiques include Marxist and Neo-Marxist
approaches and certain ("conventional") strands of social constructivism
. Postpositivist critiques include poststructuralist, postcolonial
, "critical" constructivist, Critical Theory
(in the strict sense used by the Frankfurt School
), neo-Gramscian
, most feminist
and some English School approaches, which differ from both realism and liberalism in their epistemological and ontological
premises.
Such theories are now widely recognized and taught and researched in many universities, but are as yet less common in the United States. They are taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in many major universities outside the US, where a major concern is that "a myopic discipline of IR might contribute to the continued development of a civil society in the U.S. that thinks, reflects and analyzes complex international events through a very narrow set of theoretical lenses"
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
(IR) that have criticized the theoretical, meta-theoretical and/or political status quo
Status quo
Statu quo, a commonly used form of the original Latin "statu quo" – literally "the state in which" – is a Latin term meaning the current or existing state of affairs. To maintain the status quo is to keep the things the way they presently are...
, both in IR theory and in international politics more broadly — from positivist as well as postpositivist positions. Positivist critiques include Marxist and Neo-Marxist
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
approaches and certain ("conventional") strands of social constructivism
Constructivism in international relations
In the discipline of international relations, constructivism is the claim that significant aspects of international relations are historically and socially contingent, rather than inevitable consequences of human nature or other essential characteristics of world politics.-Development:Nicholas Onuf...
. Postpositivist critiques include poststructuralist, postcolonial
Postcolonialism
Post-colonialism is a specifically post-modern intellectual discourse that consists of reactions to, and analysis of, the cultural legacy of colonialism...
, "critical" constructivist, Critical Theory
Critical theory
Critical theory is an examination and critique of society and culture, drawing from knowledge across the social sciences and humanities. The term has two different meanings with different origins and histories: one originating in sociology and the other in literary criticism...
(in the strict sense used by the Frankfurt School
Frankfurt School
The Frankfurt School refers to a school of neo-Marxist interdisciplinary social theory, particularly associated with the Institute for Social Research at the University of Frankfurt am Main...
), neo-Gramscian
Neo-Gramscianism
Neo-Gramscianism applies a critical theory approach to the study of International Relations and the Global Political Economy that explores the interface of ideas, institutions and material capabilities as they shape the specific contours of the state formation...
, most feminist
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
and some English School approaches, which differ from both realism and liberalism in their epistemological and ontological
Ontology
Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, existence or reality as such, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations...
premises.
Such theories are now widely recognized and taught and researched in many universities, but are as yet less common in the United States. They are taught at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in many major universities outside the US, where a major concern is that "a myopic discipline of IR might contribute to the continued development of a civil society in the U.S. that thinks, reflects and analyzes complex international events through a very narrow set of theoretical lenses"
See also
- Constructivism in international relationsConstructivism in international relationsIn the discipline of international relations, constructivism is the claim that significant aspects of international relations are historically and socially contingent, rather than inevitable consequences of human nature or other essential characteristics of world politics.-Development:Nicholas Onuf...
- Feminism in international relationsFeminism in international relationsFeminism in international relations is a broad term given to works of those scholars who have sought to bring gender concerns into the academic study of international politics....
- Marxist international relations theoryMarxist international relations theoryMarxist and Neo-Marxist international relations theories are paradigms which reject the realist/liberal view of state conflict or cooperation, instead focusing on the economic and material aspects. It purports to reveal how the economic trumps other concerns, which allows for the elevation of...
- Postcolonialism and international relations theoryPostcolonialism and international relations theoryPostcolonial International relations scholarship posits a critical theory approach to International relations , and is a non-mainstream area of international relations scholarship. According to Baylis postcolonial international relations scholarship has been largely ignored by mainstream...
- Post-modernism and international relations theoryPost-modernism and international relations theoryPost-modern International relations approaches have been part of international relations scholarship since the 1980s. Although there are various strands of thinking a key element to postmodernist theories is a distrust of any account of human life which claims to have direct access to the "truth"...