International relations and the ‘Global South’: from epistemic hierarchies to dialogic encounters

Abstract

Asymmetries of power are not only a characteristic feature of today’s world order but also manifest in knowledge production in the discipline of international relations (IR). Even the use of the ‘Global South’ concept, which highlights one set of hierarchies in international politics, sometimes perpetuates them latently, instead of offering solutions to overcome them. From a critical pedagogy perspective, I explore whether engaging in a dialogue on the ‘Global South’ can facilitate an understanding of the structures and processes of knowledge production and the perpetuation of hierarchies in the discipline. The paper argues that such knowledge can be created with reference to Paolo Freire’s concept of dialogic encounters by using research designs deriving from participatory action research. The goal of this article is to contribute to making IR as a discipline more inclusive through the co-production of knowledge that incorporates marginalised voices across the Global North and the Global South.