scholarly journals The meanings of scientific progress in the history of International Relations – selected cases

Politeja ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6(75)) ◽  
pp. 29-50
Author(s):  
Mateusz Filary
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Scientific Progress ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
World War ◽  
Power Politics ◽  
Great Debate ◽  
History Of ◽  
Research Questions

This article aims at reconstructing and interpreting the meanings of scientific progress present in selected important works within the discipline of International Relations (IR). This research objective stems from the gap in the literature concerning scientific progress in IR, as it is mostly concerned with the evaluation of the progressiveness of particular approaches, paradigms within the discipline. The reconstruction of meanings given by particular IR scholars to scientific progress is conducted only as far as its instrumental for the critique of their approaches and making room for the approaches of the critics. My objective is different – using a method inspired by the history of ideas and the research technique of qualitative content analysis, I will attempt to answer the following research questions: Q1 – How is the category of scientific progress of IR understood by particular scholars? Q2 – What are the contexts of its usage? Q3 – How can we interpret the rationale behind the employment of particular meanings in particular contexts? Q4 – How, on the basis of all cases, can we depict the flow of ideas of scientific progress through the history of IR? The cases selected span the development of IR from World War II to the early 2000s: Edward Carr’s The Twenty Years’ Crisis; Morton Kaplan’s texts from the early phase of the second great debate; John Vasquez’s The Power of Power Politics; and Miriam and Colin Elman’s Progress in International Relations Theory. On the basis of these cases I will argue that the notion of scientific progress in IR is an essentially contested concept within the discipline. Despite certain similarities in the meaning of the term among the cases – a cumulative notion of scientific progress – all of them are used in a way that is intended to legitimize the approach of a particular author as ‘properly scientific’. Another conclusion drawn is that although differing in kind, all of the cases consider important historical events that do not shape the meanings of progress themselves, but instead create a window of opportunity for particular meanings, as their context.

Isaiah Berlin and the Animal Instinct

2021 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-144
Author(s):  
Paul Delany
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
Sexual Abstinence ◽  
Abstract Thinking ◽  
World War ◽  
Analytical Philosophy ◽  
Isaiah Berlin ◽  
Abstract Logic ◽  
Positive Liberty ◽  
History Of

Between Aristotle and Hegel, none of the major Western philosophers were married. Is abstract thinking, at its highest, incompatible with the messiness of everyday life? At the age of nineteen, Isaiah Berlin said he was ‘vowed to eternal celibacy’. Was there a connection between his sexual abstinence and his choice of analytical philosophy as a career? During World War II he fell in love with the gentile Patricia de Bendern; this frustrating affair coincided with Berlin’s shift from abstract logic to the history of ideas. In 1956 he took a Jewish bride, Aline Halban. His personal history reflects difficulties in choosing between endogamy and exogamy, Zionism and the diaspora, negative and positive liberty.

Korea 1905–1945

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ku Daeyeol
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Foreign Relations ◽  
Second World War ◽  
Diplomatic History ◽  
World War ◽  
Colonial Korea ◽  
Policy Making Process ◽  
History Of ◽  
Second World

This important new study by one of Korea’s leading historians focuses on the international relations of colonial Korea – from the Japanese rule of the peninsula and its foreign relations (1905–1945) to the ultimate liberation of the country at the end of the Second World War. In addition, it fills a significant gap – the ‘blank space’ – in Korean diplomatic history. Furthermore, it highlights several other fundamental aspects in the history of modern Korea, such as the historical perception of the policy-making process and the attitudes of both China and Britain which influenced US policy regarding Korea at the end of World War II.

Who f(o)unded IR: American philanthropies and the discipline of International Relations in Europe

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deniz Kuru
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Historical Narrative ◽  
World War ◽  
Academic Field ◽  
Disciplinary History ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Narratives ◽  
Major Factors

This article aims to present a history of International Relations (IR) that looks at the role of three big American foundations (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Rockefeller, and Ford foundations) in the development of IR as an academic field in continental Europe. Its framework goes beyond the usual disciplinary history narratives that focus on IR’s US or UK trajectories, pointing instead to American foundations’ interwar and early post–World War II influence on French and German IR. The cases emphasize US foundations’ interactions with European scholars and international scholarly organizations as major factors shaping IR’s developmental pathways. This study offers a way to consider foundations’ role in IR’s gradual academic institutionalization by connecting disciplinary historical approaches to disciplinary sociology. Its sociologically conscious position underlines the significance of American philanthropies in a historical narrative and recognizes the relevance of transnational dynamics by going beyond usual emphases on ideas and national contexts.

Reproducing the British Caribbean

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juanita De Barros
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
Black Middle Class ◽  
Comparative Approach ◽  
World War ◽  
Slave Emancipation ◽  
Maternal Welfare ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Caribbean Populations

This book traces the history of ideas and colonial policymaking concerning population growth and infant and maternal welfare in Caribbean colonies wrestling with the aftermath of slavery. Focusing on Jamaica, Guyana, and Barbados in the nineteenth century through the violent labor protests that swept the region in the 1930s, the book takes a comparative approach in analyzing the acrimonious social, political, and cultural struggles among former slaves and masters attempting to determine the course of their societies after emancipation. Concerns about the health and size of populations were widespread throughout the colonial world in the context of an emergent black middle class, rapidly increasing immigration to the Caribbean, and new attitudes toward medicine and society. Invested in the success of the “great experiment” of slave emancipation, colonial officials developed new social welfare and health policies. While hemispheric and diasporic trends influenced the nature of these policies, the book shows that the actions of the physicians, philanthropists, midwives, and impoverished mothers who were the targets of the policies were central to shaping and implementing efforts to ensure the health and reproduction of Caribbean populations on the eve of independence after World War II.

scholarly journals Cultural memory in Lithuanian periodical press during World War II

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 ◽  
pp. 95-114
Author(s):  
Titas Krutulys
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Cultural Memory ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Periodical Press ◽  
World War ◽  
Soviet Occupation ◽  
History Of ◽  
Historical Periods

During World War II Lithuania was ruled by three completely different political regimes. In the first year Lithuania was authoritarian state ruled by group of nationalists, in 1940 Lithuania was occupied by Soviet Union and in 1941 State was occupied by Nazi Germany. All these political powers was undemocratic and propagated their ideologies. One of the most important aspect of every ideology is to suggest new concept of time. This change of perception of time could be seen in the change of cultural memory. Article try to analyze this change using the most popular Lithuanian periodical press of the period. This research analyzed main historical periods and the most popular themes represented in the main newspapers. Using theories of Anthony D. Smith and Raoul Girardet research showed what historical periods was seen positively and what negatively, what was main historical heroes and enemies; also how foreign history was represented in the periodical press. The quantitative content analysis showed that while representations of history in the so called independent Lithuania and in Lithuania occupied by Nazis was quite similar, historical representations during first Soviet occupation was unique. Qualitative content analysis showed that there was three very different paradigms of cultural memories, represented in periodical press. Lithuanian nationalist mostly tried to promote Lithuanian medieval times and especially Lithuanian dukes and historical capital Vilnius, also they tried to justify their politics creating myth of great welfare during their rule. They praised Soviet history, criticized Poland and poles, but wrote about most of the countries quite neutral. During Soviet occupation all Lithuanian history was harshly criticized and showed as negative times, this regime promoted only few Lithuanian heroes who died young or was known for their left wing politics. Main historical past represented in the newspapers was history of Soviet Union, other countries was ignored. Main enemies of Soviets was Lithuanian gentry, and Lithuanian rulers of the past. During Nazi occupation there was more Lithuanian national history than German history, but the main appreciable historical periods was Lithuanian prehistory and the 19th Century. Regime promoted history of Lithuanian culture and language, but tried to ignore Lithuanian state. Foreign history was mostly binary – propaganda criticized Soviet Union as well as Tsarist Russia, USA and United Kingdom, but appreciated history of Italy, Japan, Finland, Turkey, Spain etc. Main historical enemies were of course Bolsheviks and Jews.

Towards a Bipolar World. Book Review of ‘The Second World War and the Transformation of International Relations: From Multipolarity to a Bipolar World’ edited by L.S. Belousov and A.S. Manykin

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 228-234
Author(s):  
V. I. Batyuk
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
International Relations ◽  
The United States ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
World War ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Level

In 2020 the whole world commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II — the most horrifi c war in the human history. However, the celebration of the victory over fascism was overshadowed by the growing tension among the leading actors of contemporary international relations. In this context, a high level of responsibility falls on the academic community to rebuff politically motivated attempts to rewrite history and revise the outcomes of this war. The book under review could make an important contribution to that end. The book provides a comprehensive and balanced analysis of the history of World War II. The reviewer emphasizes that rather than providing a detailed examination of military operations the authors focused on their impact on the development of the international relations system. In particular, the book provides a detailed picture of the complex interactions within the strategic triangle — the Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain — both during the war and in the years after the war. As a result, the book under review not only provides an opportunity to better understand the key trends in relationships between the Great Powers during the war, but also sheds new light on the origins of the bipolar system and the beginning of the Cold War. The reviewer concludes that, despite sometimes excessively Eurocentric approach of the authors, this book is a seminal work on the history of World War II and a major event for the Russian academic community. As such, this book can be recommended to both professional historians and a wider audience.

scholarly journals Finest frugt - om ‘den Vartou Kjællingepræst’: En guide til Grundtvig-Studier 1948-2008, I

2009 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-85
Author(s):  
Aage Jørgensen
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Literary History ◽  
Turning Point ◽  
History Of Ideas ◽  
Anglo Saxon ◽  
World War ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Many ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Opening Section

Finest frugt - om ‘den Vartou Kjællingepræst En guide til Grundtvig- Studier 1948-2008,I[Fruit of the finest - concerning ‘the Vartov Old Biddies ’pas torA guide to Grundtvig-Studier 1948-2008, I]By Aage JørgensenAs early as 1948, the Grundtvig Society of 8 September 1947 launched an annual journal, Grundtvig-Studier (Grundtvig Studies). Since then, the journal has published a significant part of the subsequent research on Grundtvig, including important debate on the many Grundtvig dissertations that have appeared since World War II. This anniversary article reviews the content of the sixty volumes that have hitherto been issued. Despite its cross-disciplinary character, the material is here presented in a traditionally systematised format.The opening section deals with studies in bibliography, diplomatics and biography, and is followed by a series of fairly lengthy sections characterising: (1) material pertaining to the history of ideas and concerned with Grundtvig’s views on life and history together with his relation to Romantic philosophy, Northern mythology and the contemporary way of thinking as a whole; (2) material relating to literary history and aesthetics, with emphasis upon a series of exemplary contributions by particular authors (Gustav Albeck, Helge Toldberg, Jørgen Elbek, Flemming Lundgreen-Nielsen, Sune Auken and, as regards the influence of Anglo-Saxon upon Grundtvig, S. A. J. Bradley); and (3) the theological material, with focus especially upon the impact of Kaj Thaning’s designation of 1832 as a decisive turning-point in Grundtvig’s life, and upon Grundtvig’s relationship to Luther, Kierkegaard and mystic tradition. The exploration of Grundtvig's hymns and sermons is treated in separate sections; and finally there is a section concerned with illustration of his political endeavours. For reasons of space, contributions to the journal on Grundtvig’s educational deliberations and their significance for Danish schools, especially the folk high schools, together with the overall subsequent reception of his thinking (within Denmark and out in the wider world) will be reserved for discussion in Grundtvig-Studier 2010.

Erica Lehrer and Michael Meng (eds.), Jewish Space in Contemporary Poland. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2015. 312 pp.

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Jewish History ◽  
World War ◽  
Indiana University ◽  
Power Politics ◽  
Museum Exhibits ◽  
The Holocaust ◽  
History Of ◽  
Polish Jews ◽  
Heritage Industry

This chapter reviews the book Jewish Space in Contemporary Poland (2015), edited by Erica Lehrer and Michael Meng. Jewish Space in Contemporary Poland is a collection of essays that navigates between changing interpretations and reshapings of material sites by contemporary actors; representations of the past in Polish media (films, museum exhibits, video projects); and the poetic resonances of nostalgia and mourning. With the Holocaust as a backdrop, the book examines contemporary power politics in Poland with regard to Jewish space. Topics include Oswiecim/Auschwitz as a source of contention and conflict between both Jews and Christians and the tourism/heritage industry and local inhabitants; the politics of preservation in Polish shtetls; conflicting forms of memory (Communist, Polish nationalist, Catholic, Jewish) surrounding Holocaust/World War II memorials in Galicia; and the negotiation of conflicting understandings of Polish Jewish history in the Warsaw showcase space of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

scholarly journals History of epidemiological myopia research in Poland after World War II

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 108-111
Author(s):  
D. A. Czepita ◽  
A. Kładna
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
World War ◽  
History Of ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
Medical University

So far, no article concerning the history of epidemiological studies on myopia in Poland after World War II has been published. Therefore, the aim of the work is to present the history of epidemiological studies on myopia in Poland after World War II. In order to obtain answers to the research questions, studies of source and archival materials were conducted. It turned out that the leading centers in Poland conducting research on myopia were the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin and the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.

On countering the falsification of the history of the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War in modern conditions

2020 ◽  
pp. 93-104
Author(s):  
I. Bocharnikov ◽  
O. Ovsyannikova
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
International Relations ◽  
Second World War ◽  
Global Competition ◽  
World War ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Great Patriotic War ◽  
History Of ◽  
Second World ◽  
Current Stage

The article reveals the main reasons, sources, nature and content of falsifications of the history of the World War II and the Great Patriotic war and discrediting their results, the role and significance of the victory of the Soviet people. It defines the main directions of modern falsifications of the history of the Second World War and the great Patriotic war, their conditionality with the nature and content of the current stage of development of international relations, the aggravation of global competition. Measures are proposed to neutralize the destructive influence of falsifications in modern conditions.

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