Restructuring of IR theories Cover Image

Preoblikovanje discipline međunarodnih odnosa
Restructuring of IR theories

Author(s): Marina Ilić
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences
Published by: Fakultet političkih znanosti u Zagrebu
Keywords: International Relations; Theoretical Synthesis; Analytic Eclecticism; De-colonisation; Middle-range Theories

Summary/Abstract: International Relations as a discipline have gone through the process of thorough transformation in the last several years. There are a growing number of IR scholars who argue that the logic of mainstream thinking about the nature of international politics needs to be changed. Some paradigmatic debates within the IR are now challenged. This “new thinking” is not so much new as increasingly attractive and based on contemporary development in international relations. Its main starting point is in arguing for a theoretical synthesis of several streams of IR theory, including also middle-range theories and analytic eclecticism. Also, more theorists than ever before argue for “de-colonisation” of the field of IR studies, or for “post-Western IR theory”. They are increasingly interested in little known traditions of IR thinking that were developed outside the US. The main objective of this new orientation is to assess whether in these non-Western approaches there are also those who can help the IR as discipline to recover its strength and relevance. This article analyses these new trends in IR theories.

  • Issue Year: L/2013
  • Issue No: 01
  • Page Range: 15-37
  • Page Count: 23
  • Language: Croatian