‘Regions’ and their study: wherefrom, what for and whereto?

2009 ◽  
Vol 35 (S1) ◽  
pp. 5-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
RICK FAWN
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Regional Powers ◽  
Regional Architecture

AbstractLong a focal point in the study of Geography, regions have become a major concern of International Relations, and for some even its essence. Principle definitions and approaches, however, remain contested, as do the contexts in which and how they matter, from economic to security. This article examines contested views on what constitutes a region and on the nature and functioning of regional architecture, drawing from thematic and case-specific literature to indicate the expanse of analytical enquiry. These include the roles and interpretations of geography, identity, culture, institutionalisation, and the role of actors, including a hegemon, major regional powers and others actors from within a region, both state and societal. A final section indicates additional areas for future research.

Genealogy and Governmentality

2008 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 363-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Biebricher
Keyword(s):  
Final Section ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Historical Contingency ◽  
Measuring Device ◽  
Future Research Agenda ◽  
History Of ◽  
Governmentality Studies ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe essay aims at an assessment of whether and to what extent the history of governmentality can be considered to be a genealogy. To this effect a generic account of core tenets of Foucauldian genealogy is developed. The three core tenets highlighted are (1) a radically contingent view of history that is (2) expressed in a distinct style and (3) highlights the impact of power on this history. After a brief discussion of the concept of governmentality and a descriptive summary of its history, this generic account is used as a measuring device to be applied to the history of governmentality. While both, the concept of governmentality and also its history retain certain links to genealogical precepts, my overall conclusion is that particularly the history of governmentality (and not necessarily Foucault's more programmatic statements about it) departs from these precepts in significant ways. Not only is there a notable difference in style that cannot be accounted for entirely by the fact that this history is produced in the medium of lectures. Aside from a rather abstract consideration of the importance of societal struggles, revolts and other forms of resistance, there is also little reference to the role of these phenomena in the concrete dynamics of governmental shifts that are depicted in the historical narrative. Finally, in contrast to the historical contingency espoused by genealogy and the programmatic statements about governmentality, the actual history of the latter can be plausibly, albeit unsympathetically, read in a rather teleological fashion according to which the transformations of governmentality amount to the unfolding of an initially implicit notion of governing that is subsequently realised in ever more consistent ways. In the final section of the essay I turn towards the field of governmentality studies, arguing that some of the more problematic tendencies in this research tradition can be traced back to Foucault's own account. In particular, the monolithic conceptualisation of governmentality and the implicit presentism of an excessive focus on Neoliberalism found in many of the studies in governmentality can be linked back to problems in Foucault's own history of governmenality. The paper concludes with suggestions for a future research agenda for the governmentality studies that point beyond Foucault's own account and its respective limitations.

scholarly journals Maéva Clément and Eric Sangar (Eds): Researching Emotions in International Relations

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-96
Author(s):  
Martin Petlach
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
World Politics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Innovative Methods ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Social Scientific

This edited volume is the first to discuss the methodological implications of the ‘emotional turn’ in International Relations. While emotions have become of increasing interest to IR theory, methodological challenges have yet to receive proper attention. Acknowledging the pluralityof ontological positions, concepts and theories about the role of emotions in world politics, this volume presents and discusses various ways to research emotions empirically. Based on concrete research projects, the chapters demonstrate how social-scientific and humanitiesoriented methodological approaches can be successfully adapted to the study of emotions in IR. The volume covers a diverse set of both well-established and innovative methods, including discourse analysis, ethnography, narrative, and visual analysis. Through a hands-on approach, each chapter sheds light on practical challenges and opportunities, as well as lessons learnt for future research. The volume is an invaluable resource for advanced graduate and postgraduate students as well as scholars interested in developing their own empirical research on the role of emotions.

scholarly journals Conceptualizing Power in Dynamics of Securitization

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Art History ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Cultural Anthropology ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Security Studies ◽  
Historical Case ◽  
Critical Security Studies

This volume addresses the ‘question of power’ in current constructivist securitisation studies. How can power relations that affect security and insecurity be analysed from both a transdisciplinary and historical point of view? The volume brings together contributions from history, art history, political science, sociology, cultural anthropology and law in order to determine the role of conceptions of power in securitisation studies, which has tended to be dealt with implicitly thus far. Using conceptual theoretical essays and historical case studies that cover the period from the 16th to the 21st century, this book portrays the dominant paradigms of critical security studies, which mostly stem from the field of international relations and see the state as a major focal point in securitisation, in a new light.

scholarly journals Online studying instructional measures at the International Relations Department of the National University of Ostroh Academy

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 322-334
Author(s):  
Mariia Avhustiuk ◽  
Iryna Tymeichuk ◽  
Natalia Konopka ◽  
Oksana Sakhniuk ◽  
Eduard Balashov
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
National University ◽  
Regulation Strategies ◽  
Instructional Measures ◽  
Self Learning

Aim. The paper’s aim is to present some current specific online studying instructional measures at the International Relations Department of the National University of Ostroh Academy in Ukraine.Methods. The study is devoted to the observation of some theoretical and methodological aspects of the peculiarities of online studying measures at the International Relations Department. The theoretical and comparative methods of analysing the peculiarities of online studying have been taken into account. In order to summarise the currentonline studying experiences at the International Relations Department, some specific instructional measures for both students and teachers are presented, for example: how to handle the lack of interaction, master self-learning, promote self-regulation strategies and become more strategic thinkers.. The necessity of studying the above-mentionedaspects has been caused by their impact on students’ learning activity, especially in the times of COVID-19 pandemic.Results and conclusions. The focal point of this research is to provide an insight into the background of online studying peculiarities through the prism of Ukrainian teachers and students. The analysis is focused on online studying of foreign languages, as well as the possible online teaching methods of professional disciplines (History of International Relations; Foreign Policy of the Countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America; International Conflicts; Current Problems of International Relations in the Middle East) at the International Relations Department. What is more, the authors outline how to help students deal with the lack of interaction, master self-learning, promote self-regulation strategies and become more strategic thinkers. The authors also highlight possible challenges for the faculty and suggest ways to overcome those difficulties. Moreover, some major prerequisites of students’ self-regulatory online learning are described. Contribution. The results of the study are instrumental in mastering the peculiarities of online studying through the prism of learning at the International Relations Department of the National University of Ostroh Academy (Ukraine). The findings of this study may be considered important and contribute to future research.

Conclusion

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Social Science ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Power Analysis ◽  
International System ◽  
International Relations Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Military Power ◽  
Policy Options

The preceding chapters examined power analysis as a tool of social science and the concept of power in international relations theory from both historical and analytic perspectives. This chapter reviews the evolving role of the concept of power in international relations theories, summarizes the case for the contemporary relevance of a Dahlian approach to power analysis, and suggests guidelines for future research on the role of military power in international relations. It concludes with a consideration of the overall value of power analysis, including the clarification of policy options, understanding success and failure, understanding the role of power in the international system, and accountability.

CENTRAL ASIA AS A REGION OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-39
Author(s):  
S. Mamyrova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
International Politics ◽  
Focus Of Attention ◽  
Regional Powers ◽  
The Third ◽  
Building Process

At the beginning of the third mmillennium, the region building process in Central Asia is more difficult than ever before to assess the role of the region in the international relations’ system. In this regard, the issue of regional subsystems of international relations is of considerable interest against the background of the discussion on globalization. One of the most relevant examples in this regard is Central Asia. Today, the countries of Central Asia are in the focus of attention of global and regional powers, international financial and economic structures.

Culture, Religion, War, and Peace

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yehonatan Abramson
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Political Science ◽  
International Conflict ◽  
Religious Fundamentalism ◽  
Democratic Peace ◽  
Future Research ◽  
War And Peace ◽  
Independent Variable ◽  
Religious Actors

Religion and culture have historically been neglected in international relations (IR) theories and in political science more generally. It was only recently that IR began to consider the role of culture and religion in war and peace. Several main scholarly trends in the study of culture, religion, conflict, and peace can be identified, starting with the definitional problems that IR scholars had to deal with as they tried to incorporate culture and religion. The first major attempt in the IR field to understand war almost exclusively through the religious prism was that of Samuel Huntington, who in his Clash of Civilization (1993, 1996) identifies two main reasons why religion can cause war: first, religion can be considered as a primordial and immutable identity; and second, religion is a form of ideology rather than identity. The scholarly literature has also addressed themes such as religious fundamentalism and violence, the role of religious actors in international conflict, the practical use of religion and culture to promote peace via diplomacy, and engagement of religion and culture in existing peace theories such as democratic peace theory. Avenues for future research may include the relational and constantly changing aspects of religion; what, when, and how various religious interpretations receive political prominence in promoting conflict or peace; how religion can be used as an independent variable across cases; and the hidden set of assumptions that are embedded in the cultural and religion labels.

Historicising Eurocentrism and anti-Eurocentrism in IR: A revisionist account of disciplinary self-reflexivity

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
DENIZ KURU
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Historical Record ◽  
Critical Scholarship

AbstractThe role of Eurocentrism in International Relations (IR) has become a focal point for critical scholarship. However, anti-Eurocentric scholars tend to overlook the extent to which Eurocentrism is a tempo-spatial phenomenon whose roots and development need to be analysed in a way that takes its internal differences into account. This article rejects a single notion of Eurocentrism, proposing instead to understand Eurocentrism through its three forms: historical-contextual, ideological, and residual. This differentiation can provide a means for dealing with the challenges of Eurocentrism in a more self-reflexive manner without seeing it as omnipresent and unchanging. It also offers to approach Eurocentric IR from a perspective that considers the role of historiographical differences in understanding the rise of European powers. This means that IR cannot base its explanatory frameworks on a single (the) historical record. Understanding the limits of Eurocentrism and of anti-Eurocentrism provides a better means for dealing with the formerʼs problematic impact on IR scholarship.

scholarly journals To ‘see’ is to break an entanglement: Quantum measurement, trauma and security

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 450-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
K M Fierke ◽  
Nicola Mackay
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Quantum Measurement ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Medical Physics ◽  
The Other ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Relationship

This article seeks to explore the quantum notion that to ‘see’ an entanglement is to break it in the context of an ‘experiment’ regarding the ongoing impact of traumatic political memory on the present. The analysis is a product of collaboration over the past four years between the two authors, one a scholar of international relations, the other a therapeutic practitioner with training in medical physics. Our focus is the conceptual claim that ‘seeing’ breaks an entanglement rather than the experiment itself. The first section explores a broad contrast between classical and quantum measurement, asking what this might mean at the macroscopic level. The second section categorizes Wendt’s claim about language as a form of expressive measurement and explores the relationship to discourse analysis. The third section explores the broad contours of our experiment and the role of a somewhat different form of non-linear expressive measurement. In the final section, we elaborate the relationship between redemptive measurement and breaking an entanglement, which involves a form of ‘seeing’ that witnesses to unacknowledged past trauma.

R2P and the Role of Regional Organisations in Ethnic Conflict Management, Prevention and Resolution: The Unfinished Agenda

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Carment ◽  
Martin Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
Ethnic Conflict ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Threshold ◽  
Ethnic Cleansing ◽  
Preventive Action ◽  
Regional Organisations ◽  
Regional Organisation

AbstractThe Responsibility to Protect (hereafter R2P) agendas have established a fairly high threshold for engagement by third parties in ethnic conflict when seen through the lens of direct intervention by means of force or coercion in order to mitigate overt forms of ethnic conflict such as ethnic cleansing and genocide. The absence of regional organisation activity in this area is understandable given the enormous political and financial costs associated with intervention. Yet the R2P agenda also carries with it a preventive component, and in this regard there is reason to be a little more optimistic. Ten years ago on the advice of the Brahimi Report, investments were made by most regional organisations to strengthen capacity for preventive action. In this article, we return to the question of whether and how regional organisations can or do conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the R2P's preventive component. The article unfolds in four sections. In the first part, we assess the role of regional organisations in implementing the R2P agendas. We begin with an identification of each regional organisation that either implicitly or explicitly references the R2P framework in their mandates, charters and doctrine. These organisations include the OSCE, the AU, the OAS, SAARC, ECOWAS, and ASEAN among others. Second, we provide a comparative framework that specifies the ways in which R2P is reflected in the activities of each regional organisation, with reference to capacity building, charter development, preventive diplomacy, direct engagement, and conflict management. This evaluative framework allows us to determine if there has been any shift in the way in which these organisations conduct themselves with respect to R2P principles. In the third part of the article we assess the Darfur case to illustrate our evaluative framework. The question we ask is: are the actions of the organisations involved in these conflicts consistent with R2P in its preventive as well as its interventionist interpretations? In the fourth and final section we conclude with implications for theory and policy and make some recommendations for future research.

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