Lecture 7 - Social Constructivism (Wendt)

Question 1

constructivism in the great debates of IR

Answer 1

The fouth debate: between positivism and post-positivism

You could mostly see constructivism on a school of thought placed diversely on the continuum between positivist and postpositivist methodological thought

Question 2

historical context in 1980s/1990s

Answer 2

non-violent end of cold war

rise of identity-based civil conflicts

democratization wave

Question 3

ontological / what things we study - rationalism

Answer 3

material ontology = study of material world / facts

interests of actor are exogenously given = origin of interest are not part of the analysis

logic of consequences = actors are homo economicus / follow instrumental reasonong based on cost-benefit analysis

interaction = bargaining

structure / institutions and actors = constrain and regulate actors

Question 4

ontological / what things we study - constructivism

Answer 4

social ontology = study of the immaterial / social facts

interests of the actor are endogeneous = origin of interests is part of the analysis

logic of appropriateness = actors are homo sociologicus / follow norms and what is the right thing to do

interaction = persuation

structure/institutions and actors mutually constitutive = actors construct / change structures, and structures constitute interests and identities

Question 5

epistemological / how you study - positivism

Answer 5

Study of social world = study of natural world

science is neutral

grand theories and universal laws

causal reasoning

strict methodological principles

Question 6

epistemological / how you study - post-positivism

Answer 6

social world is different from the natural world –> requires a different way of studying

neutrality is impossible –> everyone is biased / their own person with different views

context-specific/middle-range theory

constitutive reasoning

diverse methodologies

Question 7

foundations of constructivism

Answer 7

Basic tenets of social constructivism are grounded in social theory

social facts

potential for change

knowledge is context-specific

mutual constitution

Question 8

mutual constitution

Answer 8

when actors do certain things, they create and keep alive the rules and roles that go with these actions

Question 9

Different ‘Schools’ of Constructivism: Three Dimensions

Answer 9

1. ontological differences = ideas (wendt) and norms (finnemore / sikkink)
2. structure-agency –> structure oriented (wendt) or agency oriented
3. depth of constructivism

Question 10

Waltz vs. Wendt: What is the role of structure in the two theories and what logic is it based on?

Answer 10

Waltz:

Anarchy based on a single logic; defined in material terms based on the distribution of material power –> determines rank in the international system.

Structure has causal effects –> it constraints states and produces like units (levelling effects)

Wendt:

Anarchy is an ‘empty vessel’ which has no meaning until states assign some to it (different meanings/logics are possible)

structure defined in social terms instead of material terms: distribution of ideas –> shared or conflictual ideas

structure has constitutive effects with respect to identity of acts

shared ideas about self / other roles –> culture

the culture gives meaning to power and content to interests

Question 11

The Three Cultures According to Wendt

Answer 11

Hobbesian culture

Lockean Culture

Kantian Culture

Question 12

Hobbesian Culture

Answer 12

Role/subject positions: Enemy
State behaviour: Unlimited violence

percieves other states as enemies, leading to state behaviour of unlimited violence

Question 13

Lockean Culture

Answer 13

Role/subject positions: Rival
State behaviour: Use violence, but will not kill

states are rivals competing for the same scarce goods, leading to state behaviour that is less violent, but can use violence as a last resource

Question 14

Kantian Culture

Answer 14

Role/subject positions: Friend
State behaviour: Solve disputes without violence and cooperate against outside threats

perceives other states as friends, leading to state behaviour that is based around solving disputes peacefully / cooperating against outside threats

Question 15

Why does an actor follow a ‘cultural’ norm?

degree to which the culture and the norm been internalized

Answer 15

1st degree = norm is followed because of force or violence

2nd degree = norm is followed because of self interest (cost-benefit calculation), logic of consequence

3rd degree = norm is followed because it is perceived as legitimate –> logic of appropriateness

At 1st and 2nd degree, culture influences behaviour

At 3rd degree culture constitutes who the actors are (-> their identity) and what they want (-> their interests) => constitutive