IR Theory Overview

What is Theory?

• Theory is a systematic reflection of phenomena, designed to explain them and demonstrate how they relate to each other in a meaningful, intelligent pattern, not just random occurrences.
• An example is the idea that humans are naturally selfish.
• It's a grand formal model with hypotheses and assumptions used to decide which facts are important and which are not.
• A good analogy is sunglasses with different colored lenses; each lens impacts how the world appears.

What is IR Theory?

• The main purpose of theory in International Relations (IR) is to assess, explain, and predict state behavior.
• This involves understanding why states act in particular ways.
• States are consistently concerned with national security and national interest, which generates competition.
• It is difficult to pinpoint specific causal factors for major events like 9/11 or the 2003 invasion of Iraq, or the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
• Similarly, determining why American and British leaders authorized the Iraq War is a complex question.

Meta-Theory

• All theoretical positions depend on assumptions about ontology (the study of being; what is the world made of?), epistemology (the study of knowledge; How do we know things about the world?), and methodology (the study of methods; What methods do we use to learn about the world?).
• These assumptions can affect how researchers perceive the world.

Idealists vs. Realists

• Idealists aimed to create institutions to prevent war, motivated by World War I horrors.
• They believed that ignorance and lack of understanding caused international conflict and that reason was key to progress.
• Realists criticized idealists' focus on how the world should be instead of how it is, arguing that power and force dictate international relations.
• Realists questioned the scientific basis of idealist theories, and the idealists focused on what the world ought to be instead of how the world is.

Behaviourists vs. Traditionalists

• Behaviourists advocated for systematic scientific methods in IR, relying heavily on observable data.
• Traditionalists argued that core IR concepts are not suitable for rigid data collection procedures.
• Traditionalists prioritize conceptual and interpretive judgments in their analysis.

Inter-Paradigmatic Debate

• Realism, Marxism, and pluralism were major paradigms in the 1970s in IR studies.
• Key questions involved comparing these paradigms and choosing a paradigm for the IR discipline's future.
• Thomas Kuhn argued that paradigms cannot be directly compared, and theoretical choice is not based on empirical foundations or reasoned comparison. Therefore, theory and paradigm selection are largely based on subjective preferences and perceptions.

Analytical Eclecticism

• This debate centered on disagreements concerning what IR should study and how it should be studied.
• It included discussions of explanation versus understanding, positivism versus post-positivism, and rationalism versus reflectivism.
• Supporters of understanding emphasized the importance of social meanings, language, and beliefs. They adopt interpretive methods (qualitative, discursive, historical).
• Explanatory theorists don't necessarily oppose understanding, but argue these elements can be quantitatively studied.

Beyond the Fourth Debate

• Almost all IR approaches can be considered scientific.
• There are multiple ways to understand the world.
• All claims are open to challenge, meaning criticisms need to demonstrate specific evidence.

IR Theory Flow Chart

• The chart shows various theoretical perspectives (realism, neorealism, neoliberal/liberal, postcolonialism, Marxism, feminism...) as well as their connections and contradictions.
• The chart also allows for the exploration of core elements of the different viewpoints.

Single or Combo?

• No single theory encompasses all aspects of international politics.
• Researchers frequently use combinations of theories to offer more comprehensive arguments and address the complexities of the chosen subject.

Explore the key concepts of International Relations (IR) theory. Understand how theories help explain state behavior, national interests, and security concerns in a global context. This quiz will test your knowledge of the fundamental ideas and examples related to IR theory.