10 Questions
What is the main difference between regulative and constitutive norms?
Regulative norms shape what actors do, while constitutive norms shape states as actors.
According to Alastair Iain Johnston, how has China potentially changed its security policies?
Because of socialization processes in various multilateral forums.
In the context of norms, what does the term 'norm diffusion' refer to?
The spread of norms across different cultures and regions.
What is a key aspect of normative structures according to the text?
Shaping state identity and legitimate behavior.
How does Johnston suggest socialization processes influence state behavior?
Through emphasizing cost–benefit calculations.
What is the main purpose of the norm of non-interference?
To prevent external interference in state affairs.
How does Finnemore and Sikkink define a norm?
'A standard of appropriate behavior for actors with a given identity.'
What role did the Peace of Westphalia play in international relations?
It established the norm of sovereignty and non-interference.
'Norm diffusion, socialization, and institutionalization' are processes related to:
'Norm adoption' and 'global power dynamics.'
'Some paths to socialization' as discussed by Johnston are closer to:
'Constructivist approaches.'
Study Notes
Constructivism in International Relations
- Constructivism is a social theory that emphasizes the role of ideas, norms, and human consciousness in shaping international politics.
- Constructivism emerged in the 1990s as a response to Neorealism and Neoliberal Institutionalism, which dominated IR theory in the 1980s.
- Constructivists reject materialism and individualism, instead focusing on the social construction of reality and the role of ideas and norms in shaping world politics.
Key Concepts
- Agent-structure problem: the relationship between agents and structures in international relations
- Holism: the view that structures cannot be decomposed into individual units and their interactions
- Idealism: the focus on human consciousness and the social construction of reality
- Identity: constructivists hold that identities shape interests, and that identities are social and can change
- Normative structure: collectively held ideas, rules, beliefs, and norms that constrain actors and construct categories of meaning
- Practices: socially meaningful patterns of action that produce and reproduce background knowledge and discourse
- Constructed reality: reality is not just material, but also normative, and is constructed and interpreted by individuals
Norms and Norm Diffusion
- Norms: standards of appropriate behavior for actors with a given identity
- Life cycle of norms: norms have three stages - emergence, cascade, and internalization
- Norm diffusion: the process by which norms spread and become accepted by a wider audience
- Socialization: the process by which actors learn and internalize new norms and practices
Power and Anarchy
- Constructivists view power as not only material, but also ideational
- Power involves the production of identities, interests, and meanings that shape the ability of actors to control their fate
- Anarchy: the idea that the international system is anarchic, but that this anarchy is what states make of it
- Three cultures of anarchy: Hobbesian, Lockean, and Kantian
Case Studies
- The Peace of Westphalia: helped establish sovereignty and the norm of non-interference
- China's security policies: Alastair Iain Johnston argues that China has changed its security policies due to socialization processes in multilateral forums.
Explore key concepts of idealism and constructivism in international politics, with a focus on how they shape perspectives on material reality and the social construction of reality.
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