Constructivism Flashcards
Who did Constructivism criticise and what for?
Constructivism scolded neorealism and neoliberalism for their failure to explain contemporary global transformations.
Constructivism came about from the neo-neo debate.
What was the neo-neo debate?
Neorealists; believed the anarchic structure put constraints on states to adopt a self help system to survive.
neoliberal; believe no institutions lead to conflict, we can think of institutional structure where states have mutual interest.
Define individualism? (the neo neo commitment to it)
actors as fixed units with fixed interests.
Define materialism
structure that constrains behaviour is material forces.
What is there no emphasis on by the Neo’s ?
no emphasis on the role if ideas or how norms shape states interests as they believe interests are fixed.
This constructivist theory understands change…
and how ideas bring about change .
What do ideas shape?
how we construct / interpret the world and how we see ourselves.
how important are material forces?
Only as important as we give them meaning.
What are brute facts?
Brute facts; material substances that exist in nature; if human’s did not exist, they would still be there (e.g. oceans, forests, woods.)
What are social facts?
social facts; socially constructed (e.g. money, traffic lights, refugees, sovereignty) we give these ‘facts’ meaning through categorisation, shared norms and practices.
e.g. traffic lights, they are just colours but we give them meaning. red; stop, green; go.
What are ideational structures?
collectively held ideas (e.g knowledge, language, rules)
They do not only constrain actors but constitute their identities and interests and establish standards of appropriate behaviour for actors within a given identity..
What is the opposite of logic of appropriateness
logic of consequence
Define logic of consequence;
is a rational act/ cost and benefits analysis that produces an outcome that maximises interest of the state.
interest driven/ selfish.
Define logic of appropriateness?
how actors are rule following, concerned about legitimacy of actions, do things because “right thing to do.”
What do constructivists approaches help theorists to understand?
to understand changes in international politics which other IR theories can’t explain so well.
Give an example of how international orders are made/ remade through action (give the world orders example)
World orders created/ sustained by great power preferences but also by changing understandings of what constitutes a legitimate word order. up until the second world war, idea of world organised around empire was legitimate, now its not.
What does diffusion concern?
It concerns how particular models, practices, norms, strategies spread.
What is institutional isomorphism ?
those organisations that share same environment will over time resemble each other. diversity of models within a population, overtime conformity around one model.
What has happened to state structures, economies ect. in the world?
(norm diffusion)
Used to be various ways to organise state structures ect. but now world organised around nation state, favour democratic form of governance, international organisations are now all multi lateral.
Another example of norm diffusion?
Audie Klotz; struggle against apartheid emerging norm of racial equality that helped bring about change, show why states put sanctions on South America (although against their interests)
Who wrote the article on Socialisation ?
and what was the title of the article?
Jeffrey Checkel, 2005,
“process of inducting actors into the norms and rules of a given community.
What is socialisation about.
How regional/ international organisations…
like the EU, induct new members into their organisation and how members are socialised into new norms/understandings of that society.
Does it happen from logic of consequence/logic of appropriateness?
Both, happens from rationalist understanding, logic of consequence (in your interests) and do this because part of your identity.
List the three things that socialisation can be produced by?
Mimicking;
Social influence
persuasion
