Revising realism; from scientism to a more empirical approach
Revising realism: from scientism to a more empirical approach

Summary/Abstract: Realism is, without exaggeration, the most important theory of International Relations (IR). It draws its significance from the fact that ‘it provides the most powerful explanation for the state of war’, which, embracing different forms and intensities, is the defining feature of world politics. Regardless of its imposing theoretical position, or maybe because of it, realism is judiciously criticized by alternative approaches to IR, such as idealism or, more recently, social-constructivism. However, despite its most frequent imputations, like scientism, objectivism, dogmatism and, overall, the accusation that it provides a static and obsolete paradigm for the understanding of the relations between the international actors, realism’s abilities to improve and readapt itself to the present theoretical requirements still attracts many IR scholars. The stake of this paper is to prove that realism and its main tenets, like power, international anarchy and national interest - adjusted in order to comply to its most powerful and pertinent critics, can still be considered a valid and fertile approach to the study of IR.

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