International Relations Theory A New Introduction Chapter 2 The International Political Theory Tradition

Introduction International Political Theory (IPT) examines the role of rights, responsibilities, duties and obligations at international or global levels IPT = a tradition in its own right, or, systematic reflections on the normative or ethical dimensions that are present in other theoretical traditions Aim of this chapter: Reconnect IR theory with political theory

Definition of International Political Theory Tradition Chris Brown (1992) Terry Nardin (2006) R.B.J. Walker (1987, 1993) Kimberly Hutchings (1999) Klaus-Gerd Giesen (1992) Mervyn Frost (1986, 1996) Theorists make a strong argument in favour of abandoning the strict separation between political theory & IR theory Key terms used in study of IR belong to conceptual repertoire of political theory

Genealogy The early years: 1st half of the 20th century Studies of international affairs combined historical analysis, legal approaches, philosophical enquiry & normative concerns The forty years´ detour: 1950s-1980s US: Explanatory theory Great Britain: English School The contemporary renaissance: last two decades

Currents of Thought Four points of departure: In political theory  cosmopolitan & communitarian currents In International Relations theory In neglecting political theory  Ethics of responsibility & ethics of exclusion In regarding IPT as a free-standing tradition – neither IR nor political theory

Kinds of Theory IPT amounts in many cases to no more and no less than conceptual analysis Notion of normative theory refers to at least three different approaches to ethics Role that normative ideas play in practice of politics Seek engagement in rational debate as to the nature of ethical conduct Examine extent to which moral behaviour is heavily constrained by the dynamics of political life

Main Variants of Theory Just War Theory M. Walzer (1977) Just and Unjust Wars Theory of International Justice T. Nardin (2006) and his aim to bridge the just war tradition & distributive justice Theories of Community B. Anderson (1991) Imagined Communities

Main Intra-Tradition Debates Five debates: Between IPT theorists and IR theorists & philosophers Between Liberals and Communitarians On applicability of political theory categories On international justice On interpretative strategies

Research Agenda National NotionsState-centric NotionsGlobal Notions SocietyInternational SocietyWorld Society Community International Community World Community PoliticsInternational PoliticsWorld Politics JusticeInternational JusticeGlobal Justice OrderInternational OrderWorld Order

Conclusion IPT: oldest & youngest tradition in the six-pack of traditions introduced in this book Oldest  political theorists have always reflected on international affairs, see Thucydides & the Peloponnesian War Youngest  IR theory & political theory were strictly separated during most of the 20th century - now they are in process of being bridged In the widest sense of IPT it spans political theory from Plato to Pogge, from Kant to Doyle & from Hegel to Frost