European Approaches to International Relations Theory: A House with Many Mansions

by Friedrichs; J÷rg

• ISBN13: 9780415332651
• ISBN10: 0415332656
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-08-13
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

The discipline of international relations (IR) has long been dominated by a well-established community of American scholars, however certain strands of continental theorizing, illustrated by Thomas Risse's article "Let's Argue", have recently been introduced into the US mainstream. The book offers a critical examination of European approaches to IR theory and suggests practical ways of transcending the American intellectual hegemony over the discipline. The author provides a detailed analysis of existing European IR communities, schools and approaches comparing France, Italy and Scandinavia, and the English school and social constructivism. The author also provides a chapter about theoretical reconstruction arguing that it is the most creative way for the individual scholar to take advantage of the theoretical pluralism associated with European approaches to IR theory. The book will inform scholars from the United States, Europe and elsewhere about the existence and relevance of Europeanapproaches to IR theory and provides an agenda for the progressive development of a 'Eurodiscipline' of IR studies.

Table of Contents

Last of illustrations	vii
Series editor's preface	viii
Preface	x
Acknowledgements	xv
1 International Relations: still an American social science?	1	(24)
PART I Developmental pathways	25	(60)
2 International Relations theory in France: three generations of Parisian intellectual pride	29	(18)
3 International Relations theory in Italy: between academic parochialism and intellectual adjustment	47	(18)
4 International Relations theory in the Nordic countries: from fragmentation to multi-level research cooperation	65	(20)
PART II Triangular reasoning	85	(40)
5 Third way or via media? The international society approach of the English school	89	(16)
6 Middle ground or halfway house? Social constructivism and the theory of European integration	105	(20)
PART III Theoretical reconstruction	125	(21)
7 The meaning of new medievalism: an exercise in theoretical reconstruction	127	(19)
Epilogue	146	(4)
Notes	150	(11)
Bibliography	161	(38)
Index	199