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Structural Realism: The Three Theories Of International Relations

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What is International Relations? International Relations is concerned with relations across boundaries of nation-states. It addresses international political economy, global governance, intercultural relations, national and ethnic identities, foreign policy analysis, development studies, environment, international security, diplomacy, terrorism, media, social movements and more. It is a multidisciplinary field that does not restrict students to one approach and employs a variety of methods including discourse analysis, statistics and comparative and historical analysis.

What are the International Theories? There are three theories in international relations that we can generally say to be effective. These are; Realism, Liberalism, …show more content…

It is a concept used to express the realist research program after 1980. The theory is usually associated with Kenneth Waltz (1924–2013) and his 1979 book bearing the obvious name Theory of International Politics. That book endeavored to construct a very general framework for explaining recurring patterns of state behavior and state interaction in the international system. According to Neorealism, the state is the most important actor in international relations. There are also some other actors; international non-governmental organizations, NATO, BM, EU, international companies, etc. However, these cannot be as important as the state in foreign …show more content…

His theoretical contribution was termed ‘neorealism’ or ‘structural realism’ because he emphasized the notion of ‘structure’ in his explanation. Rather than a state’s decisions and actions being based on human nature, they are arrived at via a simple formula. First, all states are constrained by existing in an international anarchic system (this is the structure). Second, any course of action they pursue is based on their relative power when measured against other states. So, Waltz offered a version of realism that recommended that theorists examine the characteristics of the international system for answers rather than delve into flaws in human nature. In doing so, he sparked a new era in IR theory that attempted to use social scientific methods rather than political theory (or philosophical) methods. The difference is that Waltz’s variables (international anarchy, how much power a state has, etc.) can be empirically/physically measured. Ideas like human nature are assumptions based on certain philosophical views that cannot be measured in the same way. Neorealism emphasizes anarchy and uncertainty in the international system. However, it does not say that it originated from human nature or is related to the system. The hypothesis of neorealism is: the international system, which is anarchic and financial

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Interestingly, Captain Kirk displayed examples of liberalism and realism simultaneously. It is these actions of the two warring enemies in which the conflict begins and appropriately ends. To move on, the theories of realism and liberalism must be expounded upon. Realism, as a theory, deals with how the world is perceived, and it predominantly focuses on the true nature of man. The state of the world is anarchy according to this theory.

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Instead Waltz sets out to prove his international relations theory in a scientific manner, while choosing to ignore the normative concerns of classical and neoclassical realism (Jackson and Sørensen, 2003: 84). The theory of neorealism – or structural realism – focuses on structures (and on the interacting units, the constants and the changes of the system) as the determinative powers within the scope of international relations (main principle of those being that of anarchy). Jackson and Sørensen (2003: 84) also point out that actors are viewed

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Constructivists reject such a one-sided material focus. They argue that the most important aspect of international relations is social, not material. Constructivists have demonstrated that ‘ideas matter’ in international relations. They have shown that culture and identity help define the interests and constitute the actors in IR. All students of IR should be familiar with the important debates raised by constructivists, about basic social theory and about the different ways in which ideas can matter in international relations.

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The international relations schools of thought known as Realism and Idealism identify specific and similar characteristics of actors in the conceptual development of their theories. While many of these characteristics can be generalized as being synonymous with the two theories, both theories make a separate distinction in what specifically constitutes an actor. In Realism, the term “actor” refers directly and solely to the state: a combination of government, leaders, decision-makers, etc, that act as a unitary entity to promote the interests of the state. Idealists, however, expand on what constitutes an actor to include both the state and people. Not only do the principles of Idealism assert that the state and people should be considered actors, in fact, both they must be viewed as actors.

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