| Publication |
2012.
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| Summary/Abstract |
Is there legitimate authority in international relations? Or, can we reduce most important behaviors to being motivated only by material interests, such as wealth or power? Are state interests the same, and self-evident, across time and space?
The debate about authority in international relations has generally either been purely theoretical, or focused on the contemporary international system.1 This article takes a different approach. Exploring international relations in eras other than in the Westphalian international system is one way in which scholars may obtain a different view on questions of authority and power. Although a wealth of fascinating research can occur if we take for granted the institutional environment and the type and nature of the actors involved, exploring the source and origin of varied international systems and actors within diverse systems may provide a different lens on fundamental theoretical issues such as authority and legitimacy.
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