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THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Realism
Core Assumptions:
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States are primary actors in an anarchic international system.
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Human nature is inherently self-interested and power-seeking.
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Survival and national interest are paramount.
Key Thinkers:
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Thucydides, Niccolò Machiavelli, Thomas Hobbes
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Hans Morgenthau (Classical Realism)
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Kenneth Waltz (Neorealism or Structural Realism)
Features:
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Emphasis on power politics and military strength.
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Security dilemma: States’ pursuit of security can lead to increased insecurity.
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Balance of power as a mechanism to maintain stability.
Criticism:
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Overemphasis on conflict and power.
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Neglects non-state actors, cooperation, and international institutions.
2. Liberalism
Core Assumptions:
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Human nature is essentially good; cooperation is possible.
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Multiple actors (states, institutions, NGOs, individuals) shape global politics.
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International institutions can mitigate anarchy and foster peace.
Key Thinkers:
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Immanuel Kant, John Locke
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Woodrow Wilson (14 Points), Robert Keohane, Joseph Nye
Features:
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Emphasis on democracy, economic interdependence, and international law.
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Collective security and institutionalism.
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Complex interdependence theory.
Criticism:
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Overestimates harmony of interests.
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Underestimates power politics and national interests.
3. Marxism
Core Assumptions:
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Global politics is shaped by economic interests and class struggle.
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Capitalism breeds inequality and imperialism.
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The state serves the interests of the capitalist class.
Key Thinkers:
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Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, V.I. Lenin
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Immanuel Wallerstein (World Systems Theory)
Features:
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Dependency theory: Global South remains economically dependent on Global North.
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Core vs. periphery in global economic system.
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Revolution and emancipation from capitalist exploitation.
Criticism:
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Economic determinism.
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Underestimates role of ideas, culture, and nationalism.
4. Constructivism
Core Assumptions:
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International politics is socially constructed through ideas, identities, and norms.
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Anarchy is what states make of it.
Key Thinkers:
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Alexander Wendt, Nicholas Onuf, Martha Finnemore
Features:
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Importance of shared ideas, culture, language.
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Norms and identities shape state behavior.
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State interests are not given, but constructed.
Criticism:
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Lacks predictive power.
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Ambiguous methodology.
5. Feminism
Core Assumptions:
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International politics is gendered.
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Traditional IR theories ignore women’s experiences and gender roles.
Key Thinkers:
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Cynthia Enloe, J. Ann Tickner, Christine Sylvester
Features:
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Focus on how global politics affects men and women differently.
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Critiques militarism, patriarchy, and exclusion.
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Emphasizes care ethics and everyday experiences.
Criticism:
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Seen as normative and activist.
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Less focus on state-centric issues.
6. Post-Structuralism
Core Assumptions:
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Language, discourse, and knowledge shape international reality.
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Challenges fixed meanings and identities.
Key Thinkers:
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Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Richard Ashley
Features:
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Deconstruction of dominant narratives.
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Questions objectivity and universality.
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Emphasis on power-knowledge nexus.
Criticism:
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Highly abstract and complex.
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Limited practical applicability.
7. Post-Colonialism
Core Assumptions:
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IR reflects Eurocentric and colonial legacies.
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Voices of the Global South are marginalized.
Key Thinkers:
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Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, Gayatri Spivak
Features:
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Critique of imperialism and Western dominance.
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Focus on subaltern voices and resistance.
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Explores hybridity, identity, and cultural power.
Criticism:
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Lacks unified theory.
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More focused on critique than offering alternatives.
8. Green Theory (Environmentalism)
Core Assumptions:
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Ecological issues are central to global politics.
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Challenges anthropocentrism and promotes sustainability.
Key Thinkers:
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Robyn Eckersley, Andrew Dobson
Features:
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Focus on climate change, environmental justice, ecological security.
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Critiques economic growth models and global capitalism.
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Advocates for environmental ethics and intergenerational equity.
Criticism:
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Seen as utopian and idealistic.
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Marginal in mainstream IR.
Conclusion
Each theory of international relations offers a unique lens through which to view the complex web of global interactions. From the cold calculus of Realism to the transformative idealism of Constructivism and Feminism, these perspectives enrich our understanding of world affairs. No single theory holds all the answers—but together, they illuminate the tangled tapestry of power, identity, economy, and justice that defines our shared international stage.