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ID: 145918

Constructivist ethics in international relations / Sen, Souradeep

Sen, Souradeep	Journal Article
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Summary/Abstract

With the end of the Cold War the international scenario changed putting end to the erstwhile Cold War ‘brinkmanship’. It ushered in flexibility and openness. It soon became obvious that the neo-realist theory was not at all clear about the future developments of the ‘balance of power’. The older debates were replaced with two new debates: one between ‘rationalists’ and ‘constructivists’ and the other between ‘constructivists’ and ‘critical theorists’. Although some scholars opine that the historical context (the end of Cold War) and the theoretical discussion among IR scholars set the stage for a constructivist approach, it would be more correct to argue that the catalyst for this shift in the axes of debate was the rise of a new constructivist approach to international relations theory.3 This approach challenged the rationalism and positivism of neo-realism and neo-liberalism while simultaneously pushing critical theorists away from meta-theoretical critique to the empirical analysis of world politics.

Key Words

International Scenario ; Constructivist Ethics ; International Relations

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ID: 089258

Is constructivist ethics an oxymoron? / Hoffmann, Matthew J

Hoffmann, Matthew J	Journal Article
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2009.

Summary/Abstract

Constructivism is often invoked in calls for a turn toward ethics in the practice of International Relations scholarship. Yet, while constructivists rely on norms and ethical ideas in their explanations of world politics, the theory or approach actually fails spectacularly in providing fundamental notions about what is right or ethical in world politics. In this article I interrogate the paradox that, while constructivists provide a prominent place for morals and ethics in their explanations of world politics, constructivism is agnostic on what those morals and ethics should be. I then inquire into the source of ethics in international relations theory more generally, arguing that the ethical commitments of international relations theories are found in the theories' basic assumptions. Finding a fundamental qualitative difference between constructivism and other international relations theories relative to core assumptions, I discuss what constructivist ethics consists of and I turn inward to reflect on the ramifications of the discussion for personal ethics for a constructivist

Key Words

International Relation Theory ; Constructivist Ethics ; Oxymoron

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