Constructivism in IR Theory Prepared for Junior Int'l Politics class at NENU, Fall 2015 “Introducing the IR Paradigms: 3”

Assumptions of Constructivism Ideas matter in IR as much as or more than material factors (i.e. military power, money). Threats and other fundamental concepts are subjects of construction, perception, and interpretation. Anarchy is an institution which can be changed, has changed, and currently “serves some agents more than others.” States, like people, exist in societies and are influenced by the rules, norms, and practices of their peers. States have “identities,” self-constructed self-images and identity as an ally or enemy drives interstate behavior. There is no single “real world,” no single “reality” in existence, and even if one existed we couldn't KNOW about it. Non-normative study of IR is IMPOSSIBLE (reject the “fact-value distinction” between “is” and “ought”)

More Assumptions, Prescriptions, Precautions Agents and structures (institutions) are “co-constituted” Methodology and goals must be more modest Philosophy of knowledge (epistemology) and existence (ontology) greatly restrict the scientific study of IR Power strongly affects the establishment of “the truth” Language is not neutral. All texts and “facts” are subject to various interpretations.  When we describe “the truth” we also create it.  We should be very cautious about “scientific” theories which reify concepts or create pessimistic “self-fulfilling prophesies”

Examples of Constructivist IR “Critical” IR Theory, Incl. Marxism, Post-Structuralism, Postmodernism Feminist IR Theory 天下 British School's “World Society” (H. Bull) Wallerstein's World-Systems Theory Peace Studies

Social Facts VS. Brute Facts: What Really Exists in the World? John Searle distinguishes between “Social Facts” which depend on human agreement and “Brute Facts” which exist outside of human perception and experience.  Universally accepted “facts” are sometimes proved false.  If people disagree about a fact, it ceases to be a fact and becomes a “disputed fact” Can you think of examples?

So, Does China Exist? How has the concept/construct of China changed over time in the minds of Chinese people? In 汉族 people's imagination? Does everyone agree what China is?  Who disagrees, and does it matter? If there were no humans left on earth, would China still exist?

Laws & Norms “When rules are formal, we typically call them legal rules, legal norms, or laws.” “When rules are informal, we often follow English-speaking sociologists in calling them norms.”  Onuf (2010, pg. 15) Realism and Neoliberalism, despite their empirical, positivist methodologies and assumptions, are fundamentally dependent on a norm which has evolved greatly over the past few centuries...

EXAMPLE: The Norm of Sovereignty over Time The concept began as a way for leaders in Early Modern Europe to separate territories with different religious beliefs (Philpott). In the age of imperialism, there were sovereign states which colonized non-sovereign territories on “civilizing missions” justified as “White- Mans' Burden” Imperialist, sovereign nation-states competed with each other in “Spheres of Interest” until WWI The UN Charter, post-WWII international law codified the norm of sovereignty and bestowed it upon ALL recognized states. Krasner divides the concept into int'l recognition, domestic, and interdependence “faces” Contemporary liberals and “norm-entrepreneurs” want to make an exception for states which fail in their “Responsibility to Protect (R2P)” their people and thereby forfeit sovereignty's protection against interference in domestic affairs.