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Theory of International Politics
01 Jan 1979-
About: The article was published on 1979-01-01 and is currently open access. It has received 7932 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Global politics & International relations.
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TL;DR: This article presented a systematic theoretical categorization of relationships between domestic and systemic variables and provided a model for analyzing spatial interdependence that varies over time by revisiting the recent international political economy (IPE) debate over the relationship between trade policy and regime type in developing countries.
Abstract: Following older debates in international relations literature concerning the relative importance of domestic versus systemic factors, newer debates emphasize interdependence among states and the complex interactions between systemic and domestic factors. As globalization and democratization advance, theories and empirical models of international politics have become more complicated. We present a systematic theoretical categorization of relationships between domestic and systemic variables. We use this categorization so that scholars can match their theory to the appropriate empirical model and assess the degree to which systemic factors affect their arguments. We also present two advances at the frontier of these empirical models. In one, we combine hierarchical models of moderating relationships with spatial models of interdependence among units within a system. In the other, we provide a model for analyzing spatial interdependence that varies over time. This enables us to examine how the level of interdependence among units has evolved. We illustrate our categorization and new models by revisiting the recent international political economy (IPE) debate over the relationship between trade policy and regime type in developing countries.
71 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that German foreign policy behavior in the post-Cold War era can be attributed to a foreign policy culture of reticence and accommodation that can be traced to well-defined sets of fundamental beliefs of the German decision-making elite.
Abstract: The end of the Cold War eliminated many of the external constraints that had straitjacketed German policy during the Cold War era. At the same time, unification augmented Germany’s already substantial power base. In light of these changed geopolitical circumstances, it was only logical for the dominant theory of security studies, namely realism, to expect a reorientation in German foreign policy behavior toward unilateralism and increased levels of power politics. Yet these expectations proved wrong. This article argues that German foreign policy behavior in the post-Cold War era can be ascribed to a foreign policy culture of reticenceFa culture of restraint and accommodation that can be traced to well-defined sets of fundamental beliefs of the German decision-making elite. This article systematically examines these beliefs in the post-Cold War era, relates them to foreign policy choices, and concludes with a plea for increased attention to ideational variables.
71 citations
TL;DR: In this article, ausenpolitische Instrumente zur Interessendurchsetzung and Akzeptanz des Fuhrungsanspruchs durch externe Akteure are discussed.
Abstract: Regionale Fuhrungsmachte konnen anhand von vier Kriterien unterschieden werden: Artikulation des Fuhrungsanspruchs, verfugbare Machtressourcen, ausenpolitische Instrumente zur Interessendurchsetzung und Akzeptanz des Fuhrungsanspruchs durch externe Akteure. Die Ubertragung dieser Kriterien auf den sudafrikanischen Fall zeigt zunachst die zentrale Bedeutung institutioneller Instrumente innerhalb der sudafrikanischen Ausenpolitik. Obgleich Pretoria bereit ist, die Kosten kooperativer Hegemonie zu tragen (z.B. Investitionen in Regionalinstitutionen und Friedenssicherung), untergrabt das historische Legat der Ara der Apartheid den regionalen Fuhrungsanspruch. Dabei basiert die Ausenpolitik des demokratischen Sudafrika zuvorderst auf ideellen Ressourcen: Als Anwalt fur Demokratie und Menschenrechte hat Sudafrika seit dem Regimewechsel viel Renommee und Legitimitat erworben. Die Konvertierung dieser ideellen Ressourcen in diskursive Instrumente zur Interessendurchsetzung gelingt der Regierung Mbeki in globalen Verhandlungen allerdings weitaus besser als in afrikanischen Institutionen. Im Ergebnis stellt der reform- und entwicklungsorientierte Multilateralismus der sudafrikanischen Regionalmacht einige etablierte Normen des gegenwartigen internationalen Systems in Frage.
71 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, historical sociology is used to critique micro, macro, and meso-level explanations of contemporary international relations theory, focusing on institutional development, change, and disintegration.
Abstract: This essay draws on historical sociology, in particular on historical institutionalism, to critique the micro, macro, and meso-level explanations of contemporary international relations theory. Focusing on institutional development, change, and disintegration; it proposes a conjectural, mid-range approach to capturing the processes of large-scale change that are occurring in the international realm. This essay seeks to broaden the field’s scope by outlining the possibilities that historical sociology offers to international relations theory and practice.
71 citations
TL;DR: Brooks and Wohlforth as discussed by the authors evaluate the key arguments that underlie this assessment, namely that increased U.S. unilateralism will spur the formation of a coalition to check power of the United States, reduce efficiency gains through lost opportunities for institutionalized cooperation, and undermine the legitimacy of the American-led international order.
Abstract: What are the general costs associated with a U.S. shift toward unilateralism? According to the overwhelming majority of international relations (IR) scholars, the costs are very high. We evaluate the key arguments that underlie this assessment, namely that increased U.S. unilateralism will: (1) spur the formation of a coalition to check U.S. power; (2) reduce efficiency gains through lost opportunities for institutionalized cooperation; and (3) undermine the legitimacy of the American-led international order. We conclude that the theoretical arguments that IR scholars advance do not show that a shift toward unilateralism necessarily has high costs. Our analysis reveals the need to, first, distinguish clearly between criticisms of unilateral policies based on procedure and those based on substance and, second, to recognize the weakness of current procedural arguments.Stephen G. Brooks is assistant professor (Stephen.G.Brooks@Dartmouth.edu), and William C. Wohlforth is professor (William.C.Wohlforth@Dartmouth.edu) in the Department of Government at Dartmouth. They are currently writing a book entitled The Challenge of American Primacy. The authors thank the three anonymous reviewers for Perspectives on Politics and, especially, Erik Voeten for detailed critical comments. They are also grateful to Mlada Bukovansky, Ian Hurd, Martha Finnemore, Ben Valentino, Nina Tannenwald, Alex Wendt, and participants at seminars at the Dickey Center at Dartmouth College, the Olin Institute at Harvard University, the Mershon Center at Ohio State University, and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Thanks also to Dartmouth's Rockefeller and Dickey Centers for supporting research on which this article draws.
71 citations
References
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5,295 citations
01 Jan 1976
TL;DR: For centuries knowledge meant proven knowledge, proven either by the power of the intellect or by the evidence of the senses as discussed by the authors. But the notion of proven knowledge was questioned by the sceptics more than two thousand years ago; but they were browbeaten into confusion by the glory of Newtonian physics.
Abstract: For centuries knowledge meant proven knowledge — proven either by the power of the intellect or by the evidence of the senses. Wisdom and intellectual integrity demanded that one must desist from unproven utterances and minimize, even in thought, the gap between speculation and established knowledge. The proving power of the intellect or the senses was questioned by the sceptics more than two thousand years ago; but they were browbeaten into confusion by the glory of Newtonian physics. Einstein’s results again turned the tables and now very few philosophers or scientists still think that scientific knowledge is, or can be, proven knowledge. But few realize that with this the whole classical structure of intellectual values falls in ruins and has to be replaced: one cannot simply water down the ideal of proven truth - as some logical empiricists do — to the ideal of’probable truth’1 or — as some sociologists of knowledge do — to ‘truth by [changing] consensus’.2
4,969 citations
4,163 citations
17 Feb 1966
TL;DR: This book contains the collected and unified material necessary for the presentation of such branches of modern cybernetics as the theory of electronic digital computers, Theory of discrete automata, theory of discrete self-organizing systems, automation of thought processes, theoryof image recognition, etc.
Abstract: : This book contains the collected and unified material necessary for the presentation of such branches of modern cybernetics as the theory of electronic digital computers, theory of discrete automata, theory of discrete self-organizing systems, automation of thought processes, theory of image recognition, etc. Discussions are given of the fundamentals of the theory of boolean functions, algorithm theory, principles of the design of electronic digital computers and universal algorithmical languages, fundamentals of perceptron theory, some theoretical questions of the theory of self-organizing systems. Many fundamental results in mathematical logic and algorithm theory are presented in summary form, without detailed proofs, and in some cases without any proof. The book is intended for a broad audience of mathematicians and scientists of many specialties who wish to acquaint themselves with the problems of modern cybernetics.
2,922 citations