International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity

Chapter 1: International Relations and Social Science

by Milja Kurki and Colin Wight

Learning outcomes
After this lecture you should be able to: Appreciate the role of meta-theoretical inquiry in IR Understand key debates on science in IR Understand the divisions characteristic of the fourth debate in IR Have an appreciation of the key areas of disagreement between IR theoretical positions

Meta-theory
Meta-theory explores the underlying assumptions that theories hold and examines their consequences on theorising and empirical research All theoretical positions make assumptions about: ontology (theory of being) epistemology (theory of knowledge) methodology (theory of methods)

Science in IR
There are two key meta-theoretical questions in IR: 1) Is IR a science or not? 2) What does the scientific study of world politics entail? Positivism has traditionally provided the dominant account of what science is

Great debates
The history of IR has often been narrated in terms of great debates, although this notion is not unproblematic There are four key debates generally recognised in the discipline:
Idealism vs Realism pre and post-WW I

Science vs Traditionalism 1960s

The Interparadigm debate 1970s and 1980s Fourth debate late-1980s and 1990s. Present?

Fourth debate
Generally seen as the currently dominant debate This debate can be characterised in many ways: as a debate - between explaining and understanding - between positivism and postpositivism - between rationalism and reflectivism

Explanation vs. understanding

The explanatory theorists seek to emulate the natural sciences in seeking general causes The understanding position argues that we should seek to explore what is distinctive about social life and focus on interpretation of the internal meanings, reasons and beliefs actors hold

Positivism vs postpositivism
Positivism is a philosophy of science that: 1) Advocates science based on systematic observation that follows clear guidelines 2) Believes in the study of observable regularities 3) Tends to avoid talking about unobservable realities Postpositivism refers to a number of theories, some of which draw on interpretive theory, some of which seek a non-positivist version of science

Rationalism vs. Reflectivism

Rationalism refers to those that apply rational

choice and positivist methods Reflectivism refers to those that reject these methods and advocate interpretive and reflective methodologies
Rationalist theories neorealism neoliberalism Reflectivist theories critical theory constructivism poststructuralism feminism

Scientific realism
Scientific realists have challenged the positivist framing of visions of science in IR For scientific realists observation and generalisations are not central to social science. They also advocate epistemological and methodological pluralism

Case study: different applications of theory in IR

There are many conceptions of theory in IR - Explanatory theory - Critical theory - Normative theory - Constitutive theory - Theory as a lens There are varying views also on Objectivity Theory-testing Theory and practice

Conclusion
Being aware of meta-theoretical issues is important in understanding the nature of IR theorising because: All positions in IR advance some metatheoretical assumptions, which in turn has consequences for the kind of questions we ask and the kind of world politics we come to see