A social theory for international relations : an appraisal of Alexander Wendt's theoretical and disciplinary synthesis

Guzzini, Stefano (author), Leander, Anna (author)

The article argues that Alexander Wendt's Social Theory of International Politics is unusual mix of orthodoxy in terms of discipline-identity and heterodoxy in terms of the theory that should fill it out. Wendt is consciously staying within the identity-defining parameters of the discipline, including its reference to states as the main organising principle and unitary intentional actor, to more legitimately undermine his two main theoretical targets, methodological and ontological individualism, as well as materialism. He achieves this not by simply rejecting the other positions but by gathering, synthesising, indeed some times "assimilating" apparently antagonistic meta theoretical and theoretical positions within his wider constructivist framework. The risk of this strategy is that, by openly endorsing the language of the old borders, Wendt's grand opening synthesis can become hijacked by this orthodoxy: his theory must reproduce it. He updates the self-understanding of the discipline exactly at a time when it is again challenged. Through his statist theory, he reproduces the embedded understanding of politics of a narrowly defined international society - which might look out of touch with world politics. In other words, his synthesis, as opening and challenging as it is within International Relations, runs the risk of reifying an increasingly historical stage of both the discipline and international politics.

• Language: English
• Keywords: international relations, theory of international relations, Alexander Wendt, constructivism, materialism, idealism, statism
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Year: 2001
• Number of pages: Str. 316-338, 436, 439
• Numbering: Vol. 4, no. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-135784
• UDC: 327
• ISSN on article: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 117048064
• Publication date in RUL: 30.03.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Journal of international relations and development
• Shortened title: J. int. relat. & dev.
• Publisher: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences, Centre of International Relations
• ISSN: 1408-6980
• COBISS.SI-ID: 76065792

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Družbena teorija za mednarodne odnose

Abstract

Članek zagovarja tezo, da je knjiga Social Theory of International Politics Alexandra Wendta nenavadna kombinacija ortodoksnosti v določanju identitete mednarodnih odnosov kot znanstvene discipline in heterodoksnosti glede teorije, ki naj bi to identiteto zapolnila. Wendt sicer zavestno ostaja znotraj parametrov, ki definirajo disciplino, vključno s sklicevanjem na države kot ključne (pojmuje jih kot unitarne in intencionalne) akterje v načelnem in organizacijskem smislu. To počne z namenom, da bi bolj legitimno spodkopal dve t. i. teoretični tarči (metodološki in ontološki individualizem ter materializem). Pri doseganju svojega namena se Wendt ne zateka k sicer preprostejšemu zavračanju drugih pristopov, marveč k zbiranju, sintetiziranju ter včasih k pravemu 'asimiliranju' na videz nasprotujočih si metateoretičnih in teoretičnih pristopov znotraj širšega konstruktivističnega okvira. Tveganost takšne strategije je mogoče videti v tem, da omenjena otvoritvena sinteza z nedvoumno podporo jeziku starih identitetnih meja discipline postane žrtev te ortodoksnosti, saj jo mora Wendtova teorija reproducirati. Posodabljanja samo zavedanja discipline se namreč loteva ravno v trenutku, ko je ta znova pred novimi izzivi. S svojo statično teorijo tako reproducira razumevanje politike, uokvirjeno v ozko definirano mednarodno družbo. Tak pristop pa lahko da vtis pomanjkanja povezave z dejansko svetovno politiko. Povedano drugače, njegova otvoritvena sinteza, kakorkoli je že izzivalna znotraj znanstvene discipline o mednarodnih odnosih, tvega poustvarjanje vse bolj zgodovinskega stadija discipline, pa tudi mednarodne politike.

• Keywords: mednarodni odnosi, teorija mednarodnih odnosov, Alexander Wendt, konstruktivizem, materializem, idealizem, državocentričnost