IR Social Constructivist IR Social Constructivist theories theories

Ideas and intersubjectivityIdeas and intersubjectivity

What are IR social constructivist What are IR social constructivist theories?theories?

IdealistIdealist Ideas shape realityIdeas shape reality Social reality is not objective or Social reality is not objective or

external to the observerexternal to the observer Social world is recreated through Social world is recreated through

intersubjectivity intersubjectivity See e.g. Jackson and Sorenson, See e.g. Jackson and Sorenson,

Introduction to IRIntroduction to IR, OUP., OUP.

What is the international system for What is the international system for IR constructivists?IR constructivists?

- a human invention- a human invention

- constituted by ideas not by material forces- constituted by ideas not by material forces

- a set of ideas, body of thought, system of - a set of ideas, body of thought, system of normsnorms

- created by particular people in particular - created by particular people in particular placeplace

- intersubjective creation - intersubjective creation - a system which can be changed by new ideasa system which can be changed by new ideas- Alexander Wendt: ‘anarchy is what states Alexander Wendt: ‘anarchy is what states

make of it’make of it’

Constructivist IR against materialist Constructivist IR against materialist IR approachesIR approaches

E.g. Neorealism E.g. Neorealism - behaviour of states - behaviour of states - national interests- national interests - balance of power- balance of power - distribution of material power- distribution of material power

• - military forces, economic capabilities - military forces, economic capabilities etcetc

Social constructivist theories Social constructivist theories outside IRoutside IR

Social constructivist theories Social constructivist theories developed in developed in sociology and history before IRsociology and history before IR Notably Notably Invention of childhood studiesInvention of childhood studies Aries: ‘Aries: ‘In medieval society In medieval society the idea of childhood the idea of childhood did not existdid not exist.’.’

Social constructivist theories Social constructivist theories outside IRoutside IR

2 strands of social constructivist theories2 strands of social constructivist theories- materialist social constructivist approaches- materialist social constructivist approaches• - - closer to classical sociology closer to classical sociology • - (Durheimian, Weberian or Marxist traditions)- (Durheimian, Weberian or Marxist traditions)• - relationship between norms and material - relationship between norms and material

conditionsconditions• - e.g. industrialisation/modernity, de-- e.g. industrialisation/modernity, de-

industrialisation/postmodernity industrialisation/postmodernity - idealist social constructivist approaches - idealist social constructivist approaches

- - society constructed through intersubjectivty society constructed through intersubjectivty

Social constructivism in IR follows Social constructivism in IR follows idealistidealist social social constructivist approaches constructivist approaches

Influence of sociological Influence of sociological constructivist theories constructivist theories

E.g. sociologist Anthony GiddensE.g. sociologist Anthony Giddens Structuration Structuration - structures (or rules and conditions) do not - structures (or rules and conditions) do not

mechanicallymechanically determine what actors do determine what actors do - relationship between structures and actors - relationship between structures and actors

involves intersubjective understanding and involves intersubjective understanding and meaningmeaning

- structures constrain actors- structures constrain actors - but actors can transform structures - but actors can transform structures - by thinking about them & - by thinking about them & - acting on them in new ways- acting on them in new ways

Social Constructivist linksSocial Constructivist links

Antecedents in IRAntecedents in IR• E.g. Kant - our knowledge of world is always E.g. Kant - our knowledge of world is always

subjective in sense filtered through human subjective in sense filtered through human consciousness and human languageconsciousness and human language

Similarities with other IR theoriesSimilarities with other IR theories- Liberalism’s concern with advance of liberal Liberalism’s concern with advance of liberal

democratic ideals – though constructivism has democratic ideals – though constructivism has interest in role of ideas in generalinterest in role of ideas in general

- International Society approach (popular in International Society approach (popular in European IR) included concern for ideas and social European IR) included concern for ideas and social interaction between statesinteraction between states

Rise of IR Constructivist theoriesRise of IR Constructivist theories

- Failure of dominant IR theoriesFailure of dominant IR theories- To explain end of Cold WarTo explain end of Cold War- 1989 Revolutions 1989 Revolutions - largely peaceful revolutionslargely peaceful revolutions- Romania Romania

- only violent overthrow in Eastern bloconly violent overthrow in Eastern bloc- execution of head of stateexecution of head of state

[later conflict in parts of [later conflict in parts of Eastern EuropeEastern Europenotably former Yugoslavia]notably former Yugoslavia]  

Explaining end of Cold WarExplaining end of Cold War

- Explaining end of Cold WarExplaining end of Cold War- Cold War did not end through conflict Cold War did not end through conflict

- Instead Soviet elite abandoning Instead Soviet elite abandoning

Communism and embracing marketCommunism and embracing market

- Check Point Charlie Check Point Charlie - 10 November 198910 November 1989

Key IR constructivistsKey IR constructivists Alexander Wendt Alexander Wendt - ‘anarchy is what states make of it’- ‘anarchy is what states make of it’ - rejects neorealist position - rejects neorealist position

• - - anarchy must lead to self-helpanarchy must lead to self-help• - - state identities and national interests givenstate identities and national interests given

- For Wendt- For Wendt- - - self-help outcome of particular interactions between self-help outcome of particular interactions between

statesstates- - identities and interests of states created through - identities and interests of states created through

interactionsinteractions- - ‘structure has no existence of causal power apart - ‘structure has no existence of causal power apart

from processes’from processes’

Key work: Wendt’s Key work: Wendt’s Social Theory of International Social Theory of International PoliticsPolitics, 1999, 1999

Wendt: cultures of anarchyWendt: cultures of anarchy- 3 key types of international anarchy3 key types of international anarchy

- HobbesianHobbesian- war of all against allwar of all against all- states = adversariesstates = adversaries- war= endemic as violent conflict means to survivewar= endemic as violent conflict means to surviveLockeanLockean

restraintrestraintstates= rivalsstates= rivalsstates recognise each others right to existstates recognise each others right to existsince Peace of Westphalia in 1648since Peace of Westphalia in 1648

KantianKantianstates = friendsstates = friendsdisputes settled peacefullydisputes settled peacefullymutual support if third party threat mutual support if third party threat among liberal democracies since WWIIamong liberal democracies since WWII

Constructivist approaches to Constructivist approaches to securitysecurity

- states want security- states want security - but concept of security not fixed- but concept of security not fixed - security identities, interests and - security identities, interests and

policies constructed through policies constructed through interactions between states (Wendt)interactions between states (Wendt)

End of Cold WarEnd of Cold War

‘‘if the United States and the Soviet Union if the United States and the Soviet Union decide that they are no longer enemies, decide that they are no longer enemies, “the cold war is over”. It is collective “the cold war is over”. It is collective meanings that constitute the structures meanings that constitute the structures which organize our actions. Actors which organize our actions. Actors require identities – relatively stable, role require identities – relatively stable, role specific understanding and expectations specific understanding and expectations about self – by participating in such about self – by participating in such collective meaning’ (Wendt, 1992, p. collective meaning’ (Wendt, 1992, p. 418). 418).

Subsequent constructivist theoriesSubsequent constructivist theories

- state not only international actorstate not only international actor- i.e. Wendt did not move far enough from Realist i.e. Wendt did not move far enough from Realist

assumptionsassumptions- global actors, identities, norms, interests and policies not global actors, identities, norms, interests and policies not

fixedfixed- norms of international society constructed through norms of international society constructed through

interactionsinteractions- between states and other non-state actors including NGOs between states and other non-state actors including NGOs

etcetc- concern with concern with

- normative change normative change - role of international organisations and NGOs in promoting global role of international organisations and NGOs in promoting global

norms norms - peacemakingpeacemaking- human rightshuman rights- human securityhuman security

e.g. Mary Kaldor, Martha Finnemore etce.g. Mary Kaldor, Martha Finnemore etc

Constructivist examplesConstructivist examples

ICRC in promoting laws of war/IHLICRC in promoting laws of war/IHL

Neorealist critiquesNeorealist critiques

See e.g. Stephen Krasner, John MearsheimerSee e.g. Stephen Krasner, John Mearsheimer Neglect powerNeglect power Norms upheld or disregarded if in interests Norms upheld or disregarded if in interests

of powerful statesof powerful states Problem of trust/uncertainty about other Problem of trust/uncertainty about other

states’ intentionsstates’ intentions Problem of deceptionProblem of deception Constructivist view of changeConstructivist view of change

• Discussed in Jackson and Sorenson, 2003 Discussed in Jackson and Sorenson, 2003

Constructivism on change?Constructivism on change?

Criticism that contructivists Criticism that contructivists • ‘‘provide few insights on why discourses rise provide few insights on why discourses rise

and fall…’ and fall…’ • ‘‘little about why realism has been the little about why realism has been the

dominant discourse’ dominant discourse’ • ‘‘they usually end up arguing that change in they usually end up arguing that change in

the material world drive changes in discourse’the material world drive changes in discourse’• Mearsheimer, 1995Mearsheimer, 1995

- see e.g. constructivist explanations of - see e.g. constructivist explanations of the Iraq War e.g. Mary Kaldor the Iraq War e.g. Mary Kaldor

Realist critique of constructivismRealist critique of constructivism

William Wohlforth’s article, William Wohlforth’s article, International International Security, Security, Vol. 19,1994-1995Vol. 19,1994-1995

Structural realism may neglect domestic Structural realism may neglect domestic politicspolitics

But classical realism But classical realism doesdoes look at look at domestic politicsdomestic politics

- e.g. Morgenthau, Niebuhr- e.g. Morgenthau, Niebuhr - Waltz’s - Waltz’s Man, the State and War Man, the State and War • - first image - leaders make politics- first image - leaders make politics

Alternative historical materialist or Alternative historical materialist or postmodern social constructivistspostmodern social constructivists

CritiquesCritiques1.1. Mainstream IR constructivists neglectMainstream IR constructivists neglect

- questions of power & capabilities- questions of power & capabilities- global norms informed by more powerful actors - global norms informed by more powerful actors - explaining why changing material social conditions fostered rise - explaining why changing material social conditions fostered rise of idealist approaches in 1990sof idealist approaches in 1990s

e.g. ICC & evolving international criminal law e.g. ICC & evolving international criminal law e.g. links between changing development models and changing e.g. links between changing development models and changing

security concernssecurity concerns

2. Neorealist critiques of constructivism neglect2. Neorealist critiques of constructivism neglect- impact of changing national/domestic politics impact of changing national/domestic politics - states’ difficulties cohering sense of national intereststates’ difficulties cohering sense of national interest- explaining why changing material social conditions fostered rise explaining why changing material social conditions fostered rise

of idealist approaches in 1990sof idealist approaches in 1990s

War crimes trialsWar crimes trials

This week's BBC programme Moral This week's BBC programme Moral Maze discusses war crimes trials – Maze discusses war crimes trials – relevant to social constructivism and relevant to social constructivism and international ethics debates.international ethics debates.

  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nfqzl#synopsis