Extract
[...] Lockean: Anarchy is a state of rivalry, each seeks to maximize their own interests. 3. Kantian: Anarchy is a state of cooperation among friends. Finally, Wendt speaks of three degrees of internalization of anarchy: 1. Constraint: Anarchy imposes rules. 2. Interest: Anarchy becomes a field of common interests. 3. Legitimacy: Anarchy becomes accepted as a legitimate norm in international politics. Thus, constructivism is the idea that everything is socially constructed: states, international relations, and all that is not written in stone. [...]
[...] Language and discourse, in other words, create the boundaries of what is acceptable, legitimate or not. What Foucault and Nietzsche want to tell us, is that power is in the discourse, and that whoever controls the discourse also controls what is considered true, just, legitimate. It's a bit like winning the battle just by manipulating the words. Genealogy: Returning to the origins to understand power It's when we talk about genealogy. Foucault, inspired by Nietzsche, invites us to explore the history of concepts. [...]
[...] Does realism confuse description with explanation regarding the outbreak of wars? 7. Is realism an ideology specific to powerful states? Chapter Liberalism Introduction The liberalism sounds like a nice dream that we try to make a reality, but with quite a few complications. In short, it's the idea that everyone should be equal, have some fundamental rights, live in a democracy where everyone has their say, and enjoy a free market to move forward in life with one's private property. [...]
[...] Everything is in the interpretation. So, we must seize the power of meanings, and we will know what we will do with this world. Poststructuralism An approach that shakes things up a bit. Far from being just another abstract theory, it comes to tell us that nothing is neutral, not even language. But there, you see, it's more than just words, it's the power of what you say and how you say it. What poststructuralism wants to make us understand is that everything - politics, culture, identity - is built through discourses. [...]
[...] Struggle for power and national interest The struggle for power is at the heart of realism. States, like ambitious people, constantly seek to increase their influence, because the more power you have, the more you can impose your rules. This struggle for power is motivated by national interest, that is to say what is good for the security, prosperity and influence of the State. 1. The balance of power The balance of power is a classic strategy of realism. To maintain this balance, states form alliances, or oppose each other, to prevent a single power from dominating the game. [...]
