Relationality and processual construction: bringing Chinese ideas into international relations theory

Abstract

30年来兴起的的西方国际关系理论三大主流学派——结构现实主义、新自由制度 主义和结构建构主义——有一个共同的缺失，这就是忽视对国际体系过程和国际社会 中复杂关系的研究。本文针对这一重要缺失，借鉴主流建构主义，将“过程”和“关 系”这两个中国文化中的重要理念植入国际关系理论，提出一个过程建构主义的理论 模式。论文将过程定义为运动中的关系，论证了过程的自在性、过程动力和过程在国 际关系中的作用。过程的核心是关系。如果说西方个体本位的社会性质的核心理念是“理性”，那么中国社会文化的一个根本理念则是“关系”。将这个理念挖掘出来并 进行概念化处理，依此确立过程建构主义“关系本位”的基本假定。同时，过程建构 主义还认为，国际社会中的关系网络确定国家身份并孕化国际权力。过程建构主义是 体系层次的进化理论，将分析重点置于国家之间的互动实践，强调过程的自在性以及 对国际规范、国家身份和认同的建构作用。 关键词: 国际关系理论 过程建构主义 关系性 国际规范 国家身份认同 The three mainstream International Relations theories that have arisen in the past thirty years, structural realism, neo‐liberal institutionalism and structural constructivism, have all missed an important dimension, i.e., the study of processes in the international system and of relational complexity in international society. This paper, informed by social constructivism and Chinese philosophical traditions, aims to make up for this missing link and develop a theoretical model of processual constructivism by incorporating and conceptualizing two key Chinese ideas – processes and relations. “Process,” defined as relations in motion, can stand on its own, has its own dynamics, and plays a crucial role in international relations. The core of process, by definition, consists in relations. If “rationality,” rooted in individuality, has been a key concept for Western society, then its counterpart in Chinese society can be “relationality.” Conceptualizing relationality and treating it as the theoretical hard core, processual constructivism holds that relational networking in international society helps nation‐states form their identities and produces international power. Processual constructivism is an evolution theory at systemic level, focusing on interactive practices among states and emphasizing the independent ontology of social processes which play a meaningful role in constructing international norms and state identities.