IR lecture 5

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Questions and Answers

What is the main focus of Constructivism in International Relations?

Role of international organizations

Impact of technological advancements

Causes of economic inequality

Nature of the social world (correct)

How does method influence substance in Constructivism?

It only affects the interpretative-descriptive approaches

It influences conclusions and assumptions (correct)

It determines the relevant units of analysis

It has no influence on substance

What is one of the impacts of the end of the Cold War on International Relations?

Epistemological debate and enlargement of discipline's boundaries (correct)

Decrease in relevance of international organizations

Crisis of the discipline due to forecasting incapacity

Increase in global economic inequality

What was a key challenge faced by International Relations after the Cold War?

Difficulty in applying old theories to the new scenario Signup and view all the answers

According to constructivism, what shapes interests and identities in International Relations?

Collective intentionality Signup and view all the answers

Which type of anarchy, as defined in constructivism, involves mutual recognition?

Lockean Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of Martha Finnemore's work in International Relations?

The redefinition of state interests and identities through international organizations Signup and view all the answers

Which type of power do International Organizations (IOs) exercise, according to constructivism?

Coercive, institutional, and productive power Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of constructivist research agenda in International Relations?

Norm formation and identity shaping Signup and view all the answers

According to constructivism, what influences foreign policy goals in International Relations?

'Logic of appropriateness' and 'logic of consequentiality' Signup and view all the answers

What mechanism does constructivism emphasize for understanding change in International Relations?

'Argumentative turn' and 'collective learning' Signup and view all the answers

'The world is of our making' reflects which key concept of constructivism?

'Anarchy is what states make of it' Signup and view all the answers

What type of norms influence the plausible scope of actions in International Relations?

'Regulatory norms' and 'constitutive norms' Signup and view all the answers

What leads to the existence of social facts or constructs, such as sovereignty and nations, according to constructivism?

'Collective intentionality' Signup and view all the answers

'Actors may obey norms out of force, self-interest, or legitimacy' reflects which aspect of norm obedience according to constructivism?

'Different motivations for norm obedience' Signup and view all the answers

According to the text, which of the following best defines objectivist ontology in the context of International Relations?

The world is external to theories about it Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following represents a key concept of constructivism in International Relations?

Co-constitution of agents and structures Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes positivist epistemologies, such as neo-realism and neo-liberalism, in International Relations?

Statements about the world can be judged as true or false, with objectivist ontology Signup and view all the answers

In the context of constructivism in International Relations, what does ideational ontology emphasize?

Primacy of ideas and co-constitution of agents and structures Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes constructivism from Neo-Realism and Classical Realism in International Relations?

Dynamic view of agent-structure relationship Signup and view all the answers

What do scholars study in anti-foundational epistemology according to the text?

The construction of the world Signup and view all the answers

Who are considered precursors of constructivism according to the text?

Giddens, Berger & Luckmann, Immanuel Kant, and Max Weber. Signup and view all the answers

What does constructivism emphasize in its approach to social inquiry according to the text?

The co-constitution of agents and structures Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Epistemological debate in International Relations (IR)
Neo-realism and Neoliberalism are groups of theories critical of the rationalism in IR
Post-positivist issues: Ontology and Epistemology
Objectivist ontology: the world is external to theories about it
Subjectivist ontology: the world is a social construct, theories contribute to creating the world
Foundational epistemology: statements about the world can be judged as true or false
Anti-foundational epistemology: statements cannot be judged as true or false, scholars study construction of the world
Positivist epistemologies (neo-realism and neo-liberalism) have foundational epistemology and objectivist ontology
Constructivism: approach to social inquiry, social reality not objective, interaction between agents and structures defines interests and perceptions
Constructivism emphasizes the social construction of reality
Ideational ontology: primacy of ideas, co-constitution of agents and structures, social structures defined by shared knowledge, material resources, and practices
Ideas: mental constructs held by individuals, provide orientations for behavior and policy, include ideologies, normative beliefs, causal beliefs, and policy prescriptions
Precursors of constructivism: Giambattista Vico, Berger & Luckmann, Immanuel Kant, and Max Weber.
Constructivism as a theory: emphasizes the social construction of reality, social action, and the relationship between structures and actors
Key concepts: ideational ontology, co-constitution of agents and structures, and socialization of norms
Constructivism in IR: international politics is a social phenomenon, reality is constituted by the interaction and practices of actors, interests and identity are not given.
Constructivism is a more dynamic view of agent-structure relationship compared to Neo-Realism and Classical Realism.
Constructivism influenced by other social science disciplines: Giddens, Berger & Luckmann, Immanuel Kant, and Max Weber.
Constructivism as a theory of social world, social action, and the relationship between structures and actors.

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Test your understanding of Constructivism as a meta-theory and substantial theory of International Relations. Explore the substance and method issues including the causes of war, maintenance of order, democracy's impact on peace, and economic development's relation to social justice.