Classical Theory In International Relations

Classical political theorists such as Thucydides, Kant, Rousseau, Smith, Hegel, Grotius, Mill, Locke and Clausewitz are often employed to explain and justify contemporary international politics and are seen to constitute the different schools of thought in the discipline. However, traditional interpretations frequently ignore the intellectual and historical context in which these thinkers were writing as well as the lineages through which they came to be appropriated in International Relations. This collection of essays provides alternative interpretations sensitive to these political and intellectual contexts and to the trajectory of their appropriation. The political, sociological, anthropological, legal, economic, philosophical and normative dimensions are shown to be constitutive, not just of classical theories, but of international thought and practice in the contemporary world. Moreover, they challenge traditional accounts of timeless debates and schools of thought and provide new conceptions of core issues such as sovereignty, morality, law, property, imperialism and agency.

Drawing on a tripartite taxonomy first suggested by the so-called English School of International Relations of a Hobbesian tradition of power politics, a Grotian tradition of concern with the rules that govern relations between states; and a Kantian tradition of thinking which transcends the existence of the states system, this book discusses the thinking of central political theorists about the modern states system. Thinkers covered are Hobbes, Grotius, Kant, Vitoria, Rousseau, Smith, Burke, Hegel, Gentz and Vattel.

A group of international contributors critically assess how traditional interpretations of classical political theorists frequently ignore the intellectual and historical context in which they wrote. The essays provide alternative interpretations sensitive to these contexts and the trajectory of their appropriation in the international relations discipline.

This book calls for a reappraisal of liberalism in IR theory. Based on the first comprehensive analysis of the ideas by David Hume, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich Hayek and a new perspective on Adam Smith and international relations, the analysis shows that classical liberalism differs substantially from other forms of liberalism.

In the tradition of the English School of International Relations theory, this project from Robert Jackson seeks to show how continuities in international politics outweigh the changes. The author demonstrates how the world is neither one of anarchy, as put forward by realists, nor is it a fully cosmopolitan order, as argued by those on the other side of the theoretical spectrum. Instead, it is a world of states who acknowledge a set of moral constraints that exists between them.

Essay from the year 2015 in the subject Politics - International Politics - General and Theories, University of Botswana, course: International Relations, language: English, abstract: For years, scholars have been using different theories to analyze the way nations interact in the international systems. The purpose of this paper therefore is to discuss the Classical realism theory and apply it under the three recognized levels of analysis. The first section of the paper will define the key terms, the emergence and the four central assumptions of realism will also be discussed before focusing on Classical realism, to lay a smooth foundation for understanding this theory. The third section of the paper will discuss Classical realism, supporting it with examples. The fourth section will therefore focus on the three levels of analysis, and under each level the theory will be applied with relevant examples. Lastly, a conclusion will be drawn summing up all the main arguments of the paper.

The Oxford Handbook of International Relations offers the most authoritative and comprehensive overview to date of the field of international relations. Arguably the most impressive collection of international relations scholars ever brought together within one volume, the Handbook debates the nature of the field itself, critically engages with the major theories, surveys a wide spectrum of methods, addresses the relationship between scholarship and policy making, and examines the field's relation with cognate disciplines. The Handbook takes as its central themes the interaction between empirical and normative inquiry that permeates all theorizing in the field and the way in which contending approaches have shaped one another. In doing so, the Handbook provides an authoritative and critical introduction to the subject and establishes a sense of the field as a dynamic realm of argument and inquiry. The Oxford Handbook of International Relations will be essential reading for all of those interested in the advanced study of global politics and international affairs.

Offering unrivaled coverage of classical theories, contemporary approaches, and current issues, together with an exceptionally clear writing style, Introduction to International Relations, Seventh Edition, provides a genuinely accessible and engaging introduction to the subject. With an emphasis on theoretical approaches and their application to the real world, the authors encourage readers to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments presented, and the major points of contention between them. In this way, the text helps the reader to build a clear understanding of how key debates in the discipline are connected with each other and with our perceptions of developments in the contemporary world. In addition to helpful learning features within the book, the text is accompanied by online resources designed to help students to take their learning further. These include: For students: - Reinforce your understanding of each chapter's key themes with short case studies - Test your understanding and revise for exams with review questions - Explore different theoretical debates through a series of annotated web links to reliable content - Test your knowledge of key terminology using the flashcard glossary For registered lecturers: - Encourage debate and critical thinking in class with seminar resources - Download figures from the text for use in your own teaching materials