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Chapter 9: Constructivism By Karin Fierke: 

Chapter 9: Constructivism By Karin Fierke International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity

Learning Outcomes: 

Learning Outcomes After this lecture you should be able to: Appreciate the added value of constructivism Understand where it fits into the discipline Appreciate some of the inconsistencies that have arisen in constructivism Recognise the benefits of a more consistent approach as demonstrated with the case study of NATO enlargement

Constructivism: 

Constructivism International relations is a social construction States, alliances or international institutions are examples of social phenomenon in IR They take specific historical, cultural and political forms These forms are a product of human interaction in a social world Social phenomena do not exist independent of human meaning and action

Central Themes: 

Central Themes Change Idea of social construction suggests difference across context not a single objective reality Social dimensions Emphasise norms, rules and language and how material and ideational factors combine in the construction of different possibilities and outcomes Processes of interaction Actors make choices in the process of interacting with others bringing historically, culturally and politically distinct ‘realities’ into being

Conventional Constructivism: 

Conventional Constructivism Occupies the ‘middle ground’ The debate with rationalists has come to occupy an important place in the discipline Adds a social dimension to rationalism Epistemology indebted to positivism Rationalism Constructivism Poststructuralism

Constructivism and Rationalism: 

Constructivism and Rationalism Ontology – reject individualist ontology of rationalism in favour of a social ontology Structures and agents – structures not only constrain actors they also constitute identities Mutual constitution – the individual or state influences their environment as well as being influenced by it Social cognition – intersubjective meanings are collective knowledge not the aggregation of individual beliefs

Epistemology: 

Epistemology By accepting positivist epistemology constructivists have gained considerable legitimacy This includes hypothesis testing, causality and explanation However there is a tension between conventional constructivism and that with its roots in the linguistic turn, particularly regarding consistency: Inconsistent Constructivism Social Ontology Positivist Epistemology

Consistent Constructivism: Language and Rules: 

Consistent Constructivism: Language and Rules Emphasis on epistemology that is heavily indebted to the ‘linguistic turn’ Linguistic turn – cannot get behind our language to compare it to that which it describes Consistent constructivism based on an understanding of language and action as rule-based Requires that we ‘look and see’ how language is put to use by social actors as they construct their world

Consistent Constructivism: Reasons and Causes: 

Consistent Constructivism: Reasons and Causes Reasons and causes often conflated To identify causes or intentions requires interpretation Reasons can be given in public language and make actions possible Presence of WMD in Iraq – reason allowed invasion Should focus less on the desire for ultimate truth and more on social fact that the action happened and then how this became possible

Case Study: The Construction of NATO Expansion: 

Case Study: The Construction of NATO Expansion How can we explain the persistence and expansion of NATO after the Cold War? Neorealists and neoliberals can only provide partial explanation Constructivists: Importance of values and material interests NATO’s shared values and norms of liberal democracy propelling expansion Liberal democratic identity of NATO driving process – suggests values and norms more important (Schimmelfennig, 1999)

Case Study continued: 

Case Study continued Two problems: Why is the spreading of values more important? NATO’s initial reluctance to expand Consistent constructivism: Dialogue – importance for all participants Speech acts – had to act consistently with ideals espoused during the Cold War Recognition – identity depended on consistency between words and actions Dictated enlargement to the East

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Added value of constructivism is found in the central themes of change, sociality and processes of interaction Meaning of constructivism transformed over time Construction of constructivism in line with positivism has generated inconsistencies However, engagement with the mainstream has allowed for the broadening of dialogue as to appropriate methods for a constructivist approach