Constitutive Theory in International Relations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervyn Frost
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Ludwig Wittgenstein ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Constitutive Theory ◽  
Philosophical Analysis ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
John Searle ◽  
The Social ◽  
Peter Winch

Constitutive theory is a philosophical analysis of the logical interconnections between actors, their actions, and the social practices within which they perform these. It draws on insights from the later work of Ludwig Wittgenstein, as developed and extended by Peter Winch and John Searle. It highlights that actors and their actions can only be understood from within the practices in which they are constituted as actors of a certain kind, who have available to them a specific repertoire of meaningful action. It stresses that the interpretation of their actions involves: understanding the language internal to the practices in which they take place; understanding the rule-boundness of that language; the meaning of its terms; a holist perspective on the practice; and, crucially, an understanding of the ethics embedded in it. It briefly explores the implications of such a philosophical analysis for those seeking to understand the actors and their interactions in global practices. It highlights how international actors (both states and individuals) are constituted as international actors in two major international practices, the practice of sovereign states and the global rights practice. It indicates the guidance constitutive theory might provide for all who would better understand international affairs.

scholarly journals O potrzebie rekonstrukcji przestrzeni badawczej w nauce o stosunkach międzynarodowych. Refleksje natury polityczno-normatywnej, systemowej i metaforycznej

2018 ◽  
pp. 25-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa ŁOŚ-NOWAK
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Internal State ◽  
Current Theory ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
New Concepts ◽  
International Environment ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
New Institutions ◽  
The Relationship

The world of the 21st century provides an intriguing space for academic reflection, offering new challenges and stimulating new concepts of international relations. In this context there emerges the significant question of the essence and direction of these concepts. They may entail deconstruction followed by a reconstruction of the research space in this field. Astrategy of resetting cannot be excluded here, either. Assuming that reconstruction is the appropriate solution there are significant issues of its scope and direction. If a total reset is considered rational we need to address the issue of what it should involve. This is a difficult question for researchers into international relations because it would mean that the hitherto achievements of this subject are being questioned. The post-positivist approach of numerous researchers, which manifests their response to the positivist methodology in the field of international relations, has not so far produced a unified methodological formula or a relatively coherent theory of international relations. Questions concerning the function of science, the nature of the social world (ontology) and the relationship between knowledge and the world (epistemology) remain open. Therefore, it may be worth going back to M. Wight’s provocative thesis that it is impossible to construct a reasonable theory of international relations, mainly owing to the dichotomy of the two fields of research that – in his opinion – cannot be overcome, namely the dichotomy of the ‘international’ (the realm of external affairs of states) and ‘internal’ (the realm of internal affairs within state), which are mutually exclusive because of their specificity; and once again ask the questions of how sensible the thesis of the dichotomy of both these environments is in a world that is strongly conditioned by the cross-border actors, interdependence and globalization. While the separateness of the ‘internal’ and ‘external’ state environments was, for Wight, an important obstacle, making it impossible to construct an academic theory explaining international relations, at the same time the current theory regarding their exclusivity in the context of the internalization of international affairs and the externalization of conditions inside states seems unsustainable. This phenomenon currently allows us to explain the imperative for combining these two environments, overlapping them …breaking down the old, established orders as a result of the now clearly visible phenomena and processes of the ‘internal state’ merging into the ‘international environment’ and vice versa, the disappearance of the traditional functions of borders, the weakening of old institutions and structures for steering the international environment as well as replacing them with entirely new institutions and structures.

scholarly journals THE ESSENCE OF WEALTH IN BUSINESS CULTURE: A SOCIO-PHILOSOPHICAL ANALYSIS

2020 ◽  
pp. 36-48
Author(s):  
Dmytro Tovmash ◽  
Fedir Vlasenko ◽  
Evheniia Levcheniuk
Keyword(s):  
Social Practices ◽  
Human Existence ◽  
Information Environment ◽  
Philosophical Analysis ◽  
Business Culture ◽  
Consumer Society ◽  
Categorical Analysis ◽  
The Social ◽  
Modes Of Existence ◽  
The Continuum

On the basis of socio-philosophical and organizational anthropological controversy, the position of understanding and purposeful achievement of the phenomenon of wealth through social practices is considered and constructed. The generic connections of the concept within the continuum of wealth — poverty are analyzed. There are two levels of wealth research, namely personal and organizational. In the modern Ukrainian information environment, various kinds of myths-traps constantly dominate, which distort the worldview of citizens regarding the understanding of the phenomenon and ways to achieve wealth. Abstract forms of thinking are associated with the further distortion of the social practices and business culture of our society, generating «chimeras of rapid enrichment» and «ideals of a rich life» in a consumer society. Radical hedonism, selfishness and cynicism are presented in the sense of the obligatory modes of existence of modern man, who strives to gain wealth and become happy. There is a radical simulation and substitution of the essences of human existence. Conceptual and categorical analysis of «poverty — wealth» is carried out, using systemic, integral, linguistic and descriptive approaches.

scholarly journals Social Media, Democracy and Fake News in Pakistan: An Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol V (I) ◽  
pp. 84-93
Author(s):  
Haseeb Ur Rehman ◽  
Shabir Hussain ◽  
Durreshehwar
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Western World ◽  
Fake News ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
News Stories ◽  
The Social ◽  
Study Support ◽  
Sizeable Number

In this study, the researchers examined the prevalence of fake news in the social media debates on Pakistani politics and society. The content analysis showed that both Twitter and Facebook carried a sizeable number of fake news relating to the politics and international affairs, military, economy and religion. Though more fake news was posted relating to politics and politicians, fake news stories relating to international relations got more likes and share as compared to other topics. Interestingly, even though the fake news was busted as fake and not genuine, these continued getting attention of people. This indicates the influence of cult following and populism on the Pakistani social media users. The findings of this study support the available scholarship on the prevalence of fake news, its popularity and spread in the Western world.

scholarly journals Reflections of International Relations theories in selected TV series distributed by Netflix

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 59-76
Author(s):  
Alexandra Madarászová ◽  
Michaela Zemanová
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Critical Reflection ◽  
International System ◽  
Cultural Exchange ◽  
International Affairs ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Mass Entertainment

This article demonstrates how Netflix, the current leading SVOD provider, can be a plat­form of global cultural exchange, which not only provides entertainment, but also offers a critical reflection on international affairs to its subscribers. Despite the fact that most Netflix content is fic­tional, its distributed and produced films and TV series still portray various theoretical approaches of international relations. This claim is based on the premises of critical discourse, which see our reality in terms of the social context.The aim of the article is to reveal what principles of main international relations theories (name­ly realism, liberalism, feminism, constructivism, or other critical theories) can Netflix subscribers find in the selected TV series. Using a visual qualitative analysis as a research method, the authors study five TV series, specifically Traitors (UK), 1983 (PL), Nobel (NOR), Pine Gap (AU) and Homeland (US). These TV series were selected with regard to their diverse origins of production, the topic’s central focus being politics, security or international relations, and their high ratings and numbers of viewers.The analysis of each TV series is based on answering three questions, which are used in defining basic premises of the portrayed theories. The following questions are: What role does the state play as an actor in the international system? What is the dominant cultural identity of the society? What is the status of an individual in a country? Processes of forming opinions and building images of social reality are influenced by the context in which the individual acts. As such, cultural exchange can influence the evolution of contemporary media society and thus affect viewers who are indirectly led to critical reflection. The results indicate that the global cultural exchange through the medium of mass entertainment is still driven mainly by traditional theoretical premises.

The identity policy and its effect in the stability of Middle East after 2010

2019 ◽  
pp. 434
Author(s):  
Ali Hussein Kadhim Alesammi
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Social Construct ◽  
Stability And Instability ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Stability ◽  
International Interactions ◽  
Regional Interests ◽  
Political Groups ◽  
Identity Policy

Since 2010 Middle East have many events or what they call "Arab spring events" which it result of overthrow governments and the rise of new political groups, all of this elements was resulting of many international and regional activities and making new regional and international axles, as well as the intersections of the different regional interests, therefore this research will try to study the stability and instability in the region as an independent variable not according to the neorealism or neoliberalism theories, but according to the constructivism theory which it base their assumptions on:  "In the international relations the non-physical structures of international interactions are determined by the identities of the players, which in turn determine the interests that determine the behavior of international players." So the research questions are: 1-What is the identity policy and haw affect in international relations? 2-How the social construct affect in international relations? 3-How the elite's identities for the main actors in the Middle East affect in the regional axles?  

Social and Cultural Significance of Reading in the Information Society

2010 ◽  
pp. 61-65
Author(s):  
Tatyana B. Markova
Keyword(s):  
Information Society ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Philosophical Analysis ◽  
Cultural Significance ◽  
The Social ◽  
Cultural Functions

The article discusses the social and cultural functions of reading. Philosophical analysis of the phenomenon of reading reveals its transformation into knowledge society. The types of modern reading are analyzed and a new role of libraries in society is showed.

Narrative as active inference

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Bouizegarene ◽  
maxwell ramstead ◽  
Axel Constant ◽  
Karl Friston ◽  
Laurence Kirmayer
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Social Practices ◽  
Human Adaptation ◽  
Active Inference ◽  
Future Projection ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
The Social ◽  
Parsimonious Model ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Theory Research

The ubiquity and importance of narratives in human adaptation has been recognized by many scholars. Research has identified several functions of narratives that are conducive to individuals’ well-being and adaptation as well as to coordinated social practices and enculturation. In this paper, we characterize the social and cognitive functions of narratives in terms of the framework of active inference. Active inference depicts the fundamental tendency of living organisms to adapt by creating, updating, and maintaining inferences about their environment. We review the literature on the functions of narratives in identity, event segmentation, episodic memory, future projection, storytelling practices, and enculturation. We then re-cast these functions of narratives in terms of active inference, outlining a parsimonious model that can guide future developments in narrative theory, research, and clinical applications.

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