Political Thought And International Relations: Variations on a Realist Theme - Softcover

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9780199556281: Political Thought And International Relations: Variations on a Realist Theme

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199556288 ISBN 13: 9780199556281

Publisher: Oxford University Press, U.S.A., 2009

Political realism dominated the study of international relations during the Cold War. Since then, however, its fortunes have been mixed: pushed onto the backburner during the 1990s, it has in recent years retuned to the center of scholarly debate in international relations. Yet despite its significance in international relations theory, realism plays little role in contemporary international political theory. It is often associated with a form of crude realpolitik that ignores the role of ethical considerations in political life. Political Thought and International Relations explores an alternative understanding of realism. The contributors view realism chiefly as a diverse and complex mode of political and ethical theorizing rather than either a value-neutral branch of social science or the unreflective defense of the national interest. They analyze a variety of historical and philosophical themes, probing the potential and the pathologies of realist thought. A number of the chapters offer critical interpretations of key figures in the canon of twentieth century realism, including Hans Morgenthau, E. H. Carr, and Reinhold Niebuhr. Others seek to widen the lens through which realism is usually viewed, exploring the writings of Martin Heidegger, Hannah Arendt, and Leo Strauss. Finally, a number of the contributors engage with general issues in political theory, including the meaning and value of pessimism, the relationship between power and ethics, the role of normative political theory, and what might constitute political 'reality.' Straddling international relations and political theory, this book makes a significant contribution to both fields.

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Review:

this collection is one of the most illuminating sets of commentaries on realism to have appeared for many years, some of the contributions standing out as having especial value (Anatol Lieven)

masterful introduction...the volume offers so much ... making it overall one of the highlights of IR theorizing in recent years. (Necati Polat, International Affairs)

About the Author:

Duncan Bell is a Leverhulme Early Career Fellow in the Centre of International Studies, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Christ's College. His research interests span political theory, international relations theory, and the history of political thought.

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