Constructivism

Question 1

constructivists hold that neither individual, state nor international communtiy interests are fixed/predetermined (as realism holds)

Answer 1

the believe individuals in collectives will modify and change culture through ideas and practices.

Question 2

State & national interests are the result of

Answer 2

individuals in collectives modifying and changing culture through ideas and practices.

Question 3

to constructivits, are structures material?

Answer 3

no they (ie Alexander Wendt) object to this arguing that they explain nothing, nor provide insight into state behaviour. Normative structures are instead the determinants,

Question 4

whose essay attacked Waltz and why?

Answer 4

John Ruggie’s (1983) attacked Waltz’ theory of international politics believing normative structures were more important than material ones (Waltz believed that change only occured through changes to material structure-capabilties, technology, territory and that a state’s properties determined its capabilities)

Question 5

1. key features of constructivism

Answer 5

1. everything is socially constructed, everything in IR comes from state interactions

Question 6

2.features of constructivism

Answer 6

2. social and material factors just as important as each other. Ideas can be more important than material factors, actors and actions constructed by shared ideas

Question 7

accoridng to the second feature of constructivism, actors and actions are

Answer 7

constructed by shared ideas and not a product of nature as realists hold.

Question 8

accoridng to the second feature of constructivism, actors and actions are

Answer 8

constructed by shared ideas and not a product of nature as realists hold.

Question 9

3. Rules and norms influence actors identities

Answer 9

Rules and norms influence actors identities (ideas and norms become structural/institutionalised and are practiced to define their limits)

Question 10

3. rules andnorms are the basis

Answer 10

for relations btw actors. Constructivists look at how and why these norms shape state behaviour.

Question 11

3. What happens when rules and norms are altered by actors?

Answer 11

fundamental changes occur

Question 12

4. Constructivists aim to

Answer 12

understand and not just explain IR- look beyond the physical.

Question 13

5. Constructivsts reject

Answer 13

the scientific basis of dominant IR theories- IR is social, therefore can’t use conventional testing of hypotheses to prove if true- there are too many variables

Question 14

constructivsts believe that their is no objective

Answer 14

reality. There is no right/wrong answers, only individua perspectives.

Question 15

Since constructivists believe there’s no objective reality, soeveriegnty

Answer 15

is not an aboslute but a contested concept