Practice Theory And International Relations

Advances our understanding of global and international relations through a ground-breaking philosophical analysis of social practices indebted to Oakeshott, Wittgenstein and Hegel.

International Practice Theory is the definitive introduction to the practice turn in world politics, providing an accessible, up-to-date guide to the approaches, concepts, methodologies and methods of the subject. Situating the study of practices in contemporary theory and reviewing approaches ranging from Bourdieu’s praxeology and communities of practice to actor-network theory and pragmatic sociology, it documents how they can be used to study international practices empirically. The book features a discussion of how scholars can navigate ontological challenges such as order and change, micro and macro, bodies and objects, and power and critique. Interpreting practice theory as a methodological orientation, it also provides an essential guide for the design, execution and drafting of a praxiographic study.

This book provides new directions for international practice theory, demonstrating its key strengths and benefits as an innovative research perspective.

How does the practice turn play out in international relations? This study offers a concise introduction to the core approaches, issues and methodology of International Practice Theory, examining the design, strategies and technique of practice theoretical research projects interested in global politics, and outlining issues for a future agenda.

This book explores the interconnections between world politics and non-human nature to overcome the anthropocentric boundaries that characterize the field of international relations. By gathering contributions from various perspectives, ranging from post-humanism and ecological modernization, to new materialism and post-colonialism, it conceptualizes the embeddedness of world politics in non-human nature, and proposes a reorientation of political practice to better address the challenges posed by climate change and the deterioration of the Earth’s ecosystems. The book is divided into two main parts, the first of which addresses new ways of theoretically conceiving the relationship between non-human nature and world politics. In turn, the second presents empirical investigations into specific case studies, including studies on state actors and international organizations and bodies. Given its scope and the new perspectives it shares, this edited volume represents a uniquely valuable contribution to the field.

This unique volume examines the opportunities for, and initiates work in, interdisciplinary research between the fields of international law and international relations; disciplines that have engaged little with one another since the Second World War. Written by leading experts in the fields of international law and international relations, it argues that such interdisciplinary research is central to the creation of a knowledge base among IR scholars and lawyers for the effective analysis and governance of macro and micro phenomena. International law is at the heart of international relations, but due to challenges of codification and enforceability, its apparent impact has been predominantly limited to commercial and civil arrangements. International lawyers have been saying for years that 'law matters' in international affairs and now current events are proving them right. International Law and International Relations makes a powerful contribution to the theory and practice of global security by initiating a research agenda, building an empirical base and offering a multidisciplinary approach that provides concrete answers to real-world problems of governance. This book will be of great interest to all students of international law, international relations and governance.

The book is written for active learners – those keen on cutting their own path through the complex and at times hardly comprehensible world of THEORY in International Relations. To aid this process as much as possible, this book employs the didactical and methodical concept of integrating teaching and self-study. The criteria for structured learning about IR theory will be derived from an extensive discussion of the questions and problems of philosophy of science (Part 1). Theory of IR refers to the scientific study of IR and covers all of the following subtopics: the role and status of theory in the academic discipline of IR; the understanding of IR as a science and what a ""scientific"" theory is; the different assumptions upon which theory building in IR is based; the different types of theoretical constructions and models of explanations found at the heart of particular theories; and the different approaches taken on how theory and the practice of international relations are linked to each other. The criteria for the structured learning process will be applied in Part 2 of the book during the presentation of five selected theories of International Relations. The concept is based on ""learning through example"" – that is, the five theories have been chosen because, when applying the criteria developed in Part 1 of the book, each single theory serves as an example for something deeply important to learn about THEORY of IR more generally.

This clear and concise text introduces the theoretical frameworks that form the foundation of international relations. Using levels of analysis as the primary unifying force, Kaufman also assesses what traditional approaches can't explain about the contemporary international system.