Download or read book Four Seminal Thinkers in International Theory written by Martin Wight and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2005 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martin Wight was one of the most profound and influential thinkers on international relations of his time; and his work is increasingly discussed, appraised, and drawn upon today.His earlier volume of posthumously-published lectures - International Theory: The Three Traditions - is now regarded as a seminal text. That volume is here complemented and completed. In these four lectures Wight takes the archetypal thinkers of the three traditions - Machiavelli, Grotius, and Kant - to whom he adds Mazzini, the father of all revolutionary nationalism (and so the prototype of such as Nehru, Nasser, and Mandela) and subjects their writings and careers to a masterlyanalysis and commentary.This volume has been prepared and edited by Gabriele Wight and Brian Porter, and contains an important new introduction to Wight's thought by Professor David S. Yost. The volume also contains a preface by Sir Michael Howard, CH.

Download or read book International Relations and Political Philosophy written by Martin Wight and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2022-02-10 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book collects works by the late Professor Martin Wight (1913-1972), an historian and scholar of international relations. He conducted research on many topics, including British colonial history, European studies, international institutions, and the history and sociology of states-systems. He is nonetheless best known for his teaching about the political philosophy of international relations at the London School of Economics (1949-1961) and the University of Sussex (1961-1972). He is widely regarded as an intellectual ancestor and path-breaker of the 'English School' of international relations, even though this term only gained currency nine years after his death. While there is no generally accepted definition of the 'English School', it is usually construed as signifying an approach to the study of international relations more rooted in historical and humanistic learning than in the social sciences. Wight's achievements are consistent with this broad definition. This volume includes works in four categories: (a) traditions of thinking about international relations since the sixteenth century; (b) the causes and functions of war; (c) international and regime legitimacy; and (d) fortune and irony in international politics. In addition to classic essays such as 'Why Is There No International Theory?' and 'Western Values in International Relations' that complement his posthumous 1991 book International Theory: The Three Traditions, this volume includes previously unpublished works on international legitimacy and the causes of war. Wight's analysis of legitimacy examines the evolution of thinking from dynastic to popular approaches, while his work on the causes of war builds on Thucydides and Hobbes.

Download or read book The Ashgate Research Companion to Modern Theory Modern Power World Politics written by Nevzat Soguk and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-04-28 with total page 776 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Deliberately eschewing disciplinary and temporal boundaries, this volume makes a major contribution to the de-traditionalization of political thinking within the discourses of international relations. Collecting the works of twenty-five theorists, this Ashgate Research Companion engages some of the most pressing aspects of political thinking in world politics today. The authors explore theoretical constitutions, critiques, and affirmations of uniquely modern forms of power, past and present. Among the themes and dynamics examined are textual appropriation and representation, materiality and capital formation, geopolitical dimensions of ecological crises, connections between representations of violence and securitization, subjectivity and genderization, counter-globalization politics, constructivism, biopolitics, post-colonial politics and theory, as well as the political prospects of emerging civic and cosmopolitan orders in a time of national, religious, and secular polarization. Radically different in their approaches, the authors critically assess the discourses of IR as interpretive frames that are indebted to the historical formation of concepts, and to particular negotiations of power that inform the main methodological practices usually granted primacy in the field. Students as well as seasoned scholars seeking to challenge accepted theoretical frameworks will find in these chapters fresh insights into contemporary world-political problems and new resources for their critical interrogation.

Download or read book History and International Relations written by Martin Wight and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023-07-18 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: History and International Relations collects works by the late Professor Martin Wight (1913-1972), an historian and scholar of international relations. Wight conducted research on many topics, including British colonial history, European studies, international institutions, and the history of states-systems, and is nonetheless best known for his lectures about the political philosophy of international relations at the London School of Economics (1949-1961)and the University of Sussex (1961-1972). He is widely regarded as an intellectual ancestor and pathbreaker of the "English School" of international relations, even though this term only gained currency nine years after his death. The "English School" is usually construed as signifying an approach to thestudy of international relations more rooted in historical and humanistic learning than in the social sciences. This volume encompasses works in four categories: (a) standards of excellence in scholarship about history and international relations; (b) European integration efforts since 1945; (c) British policy in the Middle East, notably in relation to the 1956 Suez crisis; and (d) European politics in the interwar period leading up to 1939. This last category features four chapters by Wight from the noteworthy Chatham House collection sponsored by the Royal Institute of International Affairs, The Worldin March 1939. These chapters on Germany and Eastern Europe stand out as exceptionally thorough and discerning, owing in part to their reliance on a wealth of primary and secondary sources. This collection also includes Wight's reviews of works by Geoffrey Barraclough, Marc Bloch, HerbertButterfield, R. G. Collingwood, Denis Mack Smith, Sir Lewis Namier, A. J. P. Taylor, Arnold J. Toynbee, Veronica Wedgwood, and other historians.

Download or read book Medieval Foundations of International Relations written by William Bain and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-15 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this volume is to explore the medieval inheritance of modern international relations. Recent years have seen a flourishing of work on the history of international political thought, but the bulk of this has focused on the early modern and modern periods, leaving continuities with the medieval world largely ignored. The medieval is often used as a synonym for the barbaric and obsolete, yet this picture does not match that found in relevant work in the history of political thought. The book thus offers a chance to correct this misconception of the evolution of Western international thought, highlighting that the history of international thought should be regarded as an important dimension of thinking about the international and one that should not be consigned to history departments. Questions addressed include: what is the medieval influence on modern conception of rights, law, and community? how have medieval ideas shaped modern conceptions of self-determination, consent, and legitimacy? are there ‘medieval’ answers to ‘modern’ questions? is the modern world still working its way through the Middle Ages? to what extent is the ‘modern outlook’ genuinely secular? is there a ‘theology’ of international relations? what are the implications of continuity for predominant historical narrative of the emergence and expansion of international society? Medieval and modern are certainly different; however, this collection of essays proceeds from the conviction that the modern world was not built on a new plot with new building materials. Instead, it was constructed out of the rubble, that is, the raw materials, of the Middle Ages.This will be of great interest to students and scholars of IR, IR theory and political theory. .

Download or read book Kant s International Relations written by Sean Patrick Molloy and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2019-01-23 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why does Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) consistently invoke God and Providence in his most prominent texts relating to international politics? In this wide-ranging study, Seán Molloy proposes that texts such as Idea for a Universal History with Cosmopolitan Intent and Toward Perpetual Peace cannot be fully understood without reference to Kant’s wider philosophical projects, and in particular the role that belief in God plays within critical philosophy and Kant’s inquiries into anthropology, politics, and theology. Molloy’s broader view reveals the political-theological dimensions of Kant’s thought as directly related to his attempts to find a new basis for metaphysics in the sacrifice of knowledge to make room for faith.This book is certain to generate controversy. Kant is hailed as “the greatest of all theorists” in the field of International Relations (IR); in particular, he has been acknowledged as the forefather of Cosmopolitanism and Democratic Peace Theory. Yet, Molloy charges that this understanding of Kant is based on misinterpretation, neglect of particular texts, and failure to recognize Kant’s ambivalences and ambiguities. Molloy’s return to Kant’s texts forces devotees of Cosmopolitanism and other ‘Kantian’ schools of thought in IR to critically assess their relationship with their supposed forebear: ultimately, they will be compelled to seek different philosophical origins or to find some way to accommodate the complexity and the decisively nonsecular aspects of Kant’s ideas.

Download or read book The Analysis of Virtue in Alasdair Macintyre and His View of The Enlightenment Project written by Benjamin Okon MSP and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2016-04-15 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: MacIntyre is greatly discontented with the nature of contemporary morality, which according to him has a form, i.e. what appears like morality, but lacks essential content. He argues that the most common feature of contemporary ethical discourse is that much of it is used to express individual preferences, which leads to disagreements among philosophers, and eventually results in debates that are interminable in character. MacIntyre attributes the cause of this situation to the activities of the enlightenment philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries who, in an attempt to find rational justification for morality repudiated those essential elements that define the essence of morality and give it its contents. Such elements include historical narrative, tradition, teleology, and divine law. In MacIntyres opinion, morality so constructed was destined for failure, since it was not founded on the true nature of the human person. The obvious consequences of this failure were the birth of diverse post-enlightenment ethical theories and a substantial change in the conception of virtue. In order to remedy this deplorable condition of contemporary ethics MacIntyre, along with other virtue ethicists, advocates a certain renaissance of ethical principles that are founded on the true nature of the human person, characterized by historical narrative, tradition, and teleology, all grounded on divine legislation. Morality thus reconstructed finds its fullest expression in the theory of human character traits, i.e. virtues. This is what has motivated MacIntyres construction of virtue theory, which has brought him into confrontation with the enlightenment philosophers. Our study and analysis of MacIntyres theory of virtue reveals that his account of virtue is inadequate. This inadequacy is what has motivated our own project of reconstructing MacIntyres theory of virtue in view of offering an account of virtue that is adequate. In this way our own project complements that of MacIntyre.

Download or read book International Relations Theory written by Fouad Sabry and published by One Billion Knowledgeable. This book was released on 2024-08-11 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the essential world of "International Relations Theory," a crucial guide within Political Science. This comprehensive book offers a foundation for understanding the dynamics of global politics, power structures, and diplomatic strategies, making it indispensable for students, scholars, and enthusiasts alike. Chapter Overview: 1: Introduction to core concepts and debates in International Relations. 2: Neorealism's focus on power and security. 3: Broad overview of key theories and methods. 4: Examination of international security and state strategies. 5: Realism’s emphasis on the anarchic international system. 6: Constructivism's role of social constructs in global politics. 7: Offensive Realism's view of states seeking dominance. 8: The English School’s balanced approach to international society. 9: Complex Interdependence's multiple channels of state interaction. 10: Liberalism's focus on cooperation and peace. 11: Reflectivism’s critique of traditional theories. 12: Robert Gilpin’s contributions to political economy. 13: The concept of anarchy in international relations. 14: Feminism’s focus on gender dynamics in global politics. 15: Jennifer Sterling-Folker’s work on international theory. 16: Liberal Institutionalism’s role of international institutions. 17: Social Theory’s influence of social structures on politics. 18: Major debates within international relations theory. 19: Classical Realism's historical roots and impact. 20: The Rationalist–Constructivist debate. 21: The link between international trade and state security. Unlock a deeper understanding of international relations with this essential guide, offering invaluable insights for navigating global political dynamics.

Download or read book The English School of International Relations written by Andrew Linklater and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2006-05-25 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is the English School of International Relations and why is there increasing interest in it? Linklater and Suganami provide a comprehensive account of this distinctive approach to the study of world politics which highlights coexistence and cooperation, as well as conflict, in the relations between sovereign states. In the first book-length volume of its kind, the authors present a comprehensive discussion of the rise and development of the English School, its principal research agenda, and its epistemological and methodological foundations. The authors further consider the English School's position on progress in world politics, its relationship with Kantian thought, its conception of a sociology of states-systems and its approach to good international citizenship as a means of reducing harm in world politics. Lucidly written and unprecedented in its coverage, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in international relations and politics worldwide.

Download or read book The International Thought of Martin Wight written by I. Hall and published by Springer. This book was released on 2006-09-03 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Martin Wight (1913-1972) was one of the most original and enigmatic international thinkers of the twentieth century. This new study, drawing upon Wright's published writings and unpublished papers, examines his work on international relations in the light of his wider thought, his religious beliefs, and his understanding of history.

Download or read book A New A Z of International Relations Theory written by Chris Farrands and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2015-07-10 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "International Relations" is the multi-disciplinary and heterogeneous study which goes to the heart of relations between states and international organisations embracing international politics, economics, political economy, diplomatic and international history. It seeks to explain the mainsprings of global politics, which is a prime field for historians and especially for political scientists and IR theory, and provides the essential intellectual underpinning of the discipline. This book features over 250 alphabetical entries covering the most important and the latest cutting-edge theory from anarchy to world systems theory. Entries include scholars, writers, concepts, principal debates, argumentation, theories, leading schools of thought, states, international bodies, conflicts and war, treaties and alliances. The coverage is global and comprehensive with substantial cross-referencing, and the extensive index serves as a major reference tool enabling readers to pick up additional important subjects from the main alphabetical entries.Clear and concise writing cuts through even the most opaque theoretical subjects and the result is an essential reference guide for students of International Relations, politics and history and will guide both specialists and general readers through the fast-changing complexities of global politics.

Download or read book Machiavelli on International Relations written by Marco Cesa and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2014-01-30 with total page 237 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The importance of international politics in Niccolò Machiavelli's thought cannot be denied. Although the familiar ideas expressed in the Prince and the Discourses are obviously relevant, the Art of War, the History of Florence, the dispatches that he wrote during his diplomatic missions, several minor political writings, and the private letters contain a number of additional insights and observations that refine and enrich his views. This anthology gathers together for the first time all of Machiavelli's writing on international affairs. About 60 excerpts are organized around key themes, such as: the idea that political action takes place in a context that constrains decisions and affects outcomes; the central role played by fear in influencing foreign policy; the ways in which domestic politics and international politics interact; the fundamental functions performed by the armed forces; the similarities and differences in the foreign policy of republics and principalities; the ambivalent relationship between defence and expansion; the curse of neutrality and the ambiguities of alliances; the precariousness of international arrangements and the inherent instability of any settlement. An introductory chapter and accompanying illustrative materials guide the reader through the conceptual world of Machiavelli and the complex political events of his time.

Download or read book International History and International Relations written by Andrew J. Williams and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This innovative new textbook seeks to provide undergraduate students of international relations with valuable and relevant historical context, bridging the gap and offering a genuinely interdisciplinary approach. Each chapter integrates both historical analysis and literature and applies this to an international relations context in an accessible fashion, allowing students to understand the historical context in which these core issues have developed. The book is organised thematically around the key issues in international relations such as war, peace, sovereignty, identity, empire and international organisations. Each chapter provides an overview of the main historical context, theories and literature in each area and applies this to the study of international relations. Providing a fresh approach, this work will be essential reading for all students of international relations and international relations theory.

Download or read book The Limits of Ethics in International Relations written by David Boucher and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2011-05-05 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ethical constraints on relations among individuals within and between societies have always reflected or invoked a higher authority than the caprices of human will. For over two thousand years Natural Law and Natural Rights were the constellations of ideas and presuppositions that fulfilled this role in the west, and exhibited far greater similarities than most commentators want to admit. Such ideas were the lens through which Europeans evaluated the rest of the world. In his major new book David Boucher rejects the view that Natural Rights constituted a secularisation of Natural Law ideas by showing that most of the significant thinkers in the field, in their various ways, believed that reason leads you to the discovery of your obligations, while God provides the ground for discharging them. Furthermore, the book maintains that Natural Rights and Human Rights are far less closely related than is often asserted because Natural Rights never cast adrift the religious foundationalism, whereas Human Rights, for the most part, have jettisoned the Christian metaphysics upon which both Natural Law and Natural Rights depended. Human Rights theories, on the whole, present us with foundationless universal constraints on the actions of individuals, both domestically and internationally. Finally, one of the principal contentions of the book is that these purportedly universal rights and duties almost invariably turn out to be conditional, and upon close scrutiny end up being 'special' rights and privileges as the examples of multicultural encounters, slavery and racism, and women's rights demonstrate.

Download or read book Southeast Asia and the English School of International Relations written by L. Quayle and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-01-17 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book examines the interface between the theoretical framework known as the English School and the international and transnational politics of Southeast Asia. The region-theory dialogue it proposes signals productive ways forward for the theory.

Download or read book An Introduction to the English School of International Relations written by Barry Buzan and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-07-02 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This outstanding book is the first comprehensive introduction to the English School of International Relations. Written by leading ES scholar Barry Buzan, it expertly guides readers through the English School’s formative ideas, intellectual and historical roots, current controversies and future avenues of development. Part One sets out the English School’s origins and development, explaining its central concepts and methodological tools, and placing it within the broader canon of IR theory. Part Two offers a detailed account of the historical, regional and social structural strands of the English School, explaining the important link between the school’s historical projects and its interest in a societal approach to international relations. Part Three explores the School’s responses to the enduring problems of order and justice, and highlights the changing balance between pluralist and solidarist institutions in the evolution of international society over the past five centuries. The book concludes with a discussion of the English School’s ongoing controversies and debates, and identifies opportunities for further research. For students new to the topic this book will provide an accessible and balanced overview, whilst those already familiar with the ES will be prompted to look afresh at their own understanding of its significance and potentiality.

Download or read book Realism in International Relations written by Fouad Sabry and published by One Billion Knowledgeable. This book was released on 2024-08-11 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore global politics with "Realism in International Relations," an essential read for understanding the theories shaping our world. This book offers a thorough examination of Realism, a foundational Political Science theory that delves into power dynamics, state behavior, and strategic interactions. Ideal for students, professionals, and enthusiasts, it provides valuable knowledge that is both profound and practical. Chapter Highlights: 1. Realism - Introduces core Realist principles, focusing on power politics and state self-interest in an anarchic system. 2. Neorealism - Expands on Realism by emphasizing structural constraints and their impact on state behavior. 3. Kenneth Waltz - Discusses Waltz’s transformative contributions to Neorealism. 4. Security Dilemma - Analyzes how state actions to enhance security can escalate tensions and arms races. 5. Offensive Realism - Explains this variant's view of states as inherently aggressive and power-maximizing. 6. Robert Gilpin - Reviews Gilpin’s insights into the intersection of economic and political factors in Realism. 7. Anarchy - Examines the absence of central authority and its effect on state behavior. 8. Defensive Realism - Looks at how states seek security and stability rather than dominance. 9. Theory of International Politics - Delves into key Realist principles and their implications. 10. Neoclassical Realism - Incorporates internal factors like state leadership into Realist theory. 11. International Relations - Provides context for Realist perspectives within the broader field. 12. International Relations Theory - Reviews various theories, highlighting Realism’s place in the theoretical landscape. 13. National Interest - Analyzes the role of national interest in shaping state behavior and policy. 14. Regime Theory - Explores how international regimes and institutions intersect with Realism. 15. International Security - Addresses issues of war, peace, and strategy through a Realist lens. 16. Constructivism - Contrasts Realism with Constructivism, focusing on ideas and identities. 17. Balance of Power - Examines how states prevent dominance within the international system. 18. English School - Offers a perspective on international order that complements Realism. 19. Randall Schweller - Highlights Schweller’s contributions to understanding state behavior and stability. 20. Liberal Institutionalism - Compares Realism with Liberal Institutionalism, which emphasizes international cooperation. 21. Classical Realism - Revisits the foundational theory focusing on human nature and power dynamics. By immersing yourself in "Realism in International Relations," you'll gain deep insights into the theories that drive global politics and strategic decisions, offering valuable perspectives beyond the book's cost.