School Of International Relations Research Articles

The Chinese School of IR Theory: Ignored Process, Controversial Progress, and Uncertain Prospects

Abstract This article reviews issues relevant to the Chinese School of International Relations (IR) theory. After 20 or more years of relentless effort, the Chinese School has achieved concrete breakthroughs, evident in the emergence of Relational Theory, Moral Realism, and Symbiosis Theory. The Chinese School has thus entered a new stage, its primary task having been upgraded from theory innovation to theory development. But to proceed further, the Chinese School needs critical responses from its Western counterparts. Owing primarily to the language barrier, as well as to the non-confrontational academic tradition within Chinese IR, and the ethnocentrism that both sides practice, the few dialogues that have taken place between the Chinese School and Western theories have tended to be problematic, with important issues either ignored or misrepresented. In order to further study a comprehensive and intensive exchange of ideas between the Chinese School and Western theories, this article categorises issues relevant to the Chinese School into three areas. They are: process of evolution; progress in theoretical studies; and the Chinese School’s future relationship with other theoretical entities (in particular, Global IR). Predominantly reliant upon the discourse analysis of Chinese School publications, this contribution seeks to provide a foundation for further exchanges between Western theories and the Chinese School.

РОЗВИТОК ІНВЕСТИЦІЙНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ ДЕРЖАВИ

Abstract. The article highlights the current issues of development of investment security of the state. It was determined that today's special conditions pose challenges to strengthening the investment security of the state. Proven investment activity at the global level. The result of such activity is a real increase in investment flows from partner countries.
 The components of investment security are systematized: the legal environment, which is characterized by regulated regulatory and legal support, without regulatory collisions and contradictions of individual legal norms; economic and political stability; the stability of the macroeconomic environment, which includes stable inflation, low unemployment, and economic growth; developed infrastructure, which is necessary for making effective investments; geopolitical risks, which include international conflicts, sanctions, trade restrictions; innovative activity that contributes to the creation of competitive industries and attracting investments; social stability, which ensures social justice, balanced development of society, improvement of investment security.
 The development of scientific schools that investigate the issue of investment security is studied. The most famous scientific schools are systematized, in particular: the school of risk-oriented investment management, the school of financial security, which studies the financial aspects of the investment process, financial risks, models of financial asset valuation and financial flow management, the school of political economy, which investigates the influence of political factors on investment activity , a school of international relations, a school of normative and legal regulation, which studies the legal aspects of financial markets.
 It has been proven that scientific schools contribute to the development and improvement of the theory and practice of investment security through the study of various aspects of this issue from different scientific approaches.
 The methods, goals, forms and tools of influence on state regulation of the level of investment security are defined. It is proposed to solve priority problems for strengthening the investment security of the state. The directions of further scientific research in the field of investment security are outlined.

The Conceptual Foundations of China’s Promotion of the Idea of “a Community of a Shared Future for Mankind”

Due to the increasing influence of the People’s Republic of China in world politics against the background of the transformation of the global world order, the concept of the “Community of the Common Destiny for Mankind”, which defines the main vector of modern Chinese foreign policy and diplomacy, is gaining recognition and attracting increasing attention from the global community. Aimed at maintaining good neighborliness between countries and promoting global development, this concept reflects the aspirations of not only modern Chinese politicians, but also the ideas of traditional Chinese philosophical thought, as well as cosmopolitanism and Marxism, developing and updating them. Thus, in this study, the author traces and analyzes the theoretical foundations for promoting the concept of a “Community of the Common Destiny for Mankind”: reveals elements of Chinese traditional culture, the theme of the “human community” in Western philosophy, the conceptual syncretism of foreign policy thought of the previous generations of Chinese leaders and the “theory of relations” - the cornerstone of the Chinese school of international relations.

Is Geopolitics Still Relevant? Halford Mackinder and the War in Ukraine

This paper starts with an assumption that geopolitics, understood as one of the great schools of international relations, is not only still relevant but, indeed, should be one of the essential items in the toolkit of any student or policymaker who peruses the challenging and ever-eluding realm of international security. It draws chiefly on Sir Halford Mackinder’s Heartland theory in order to explain the dynamics of contemporary European security in general, and the ongoing war in Ukraine in particular. The analysis, which relies heavily on a historical examination of the geopolitical realities of Central and Eastern Europe, leads the author to a pair of conclusions. Firstly, the conflict in Ukraine is likely to linger on albeit with unpredictable intensity and, secondly perhaps more importantly, the outcome of the war will only be one of many steps leading to the emergence of a new, possibly multipolar, international system and consequently, and more obviously, a new security system in Europe, which will be strongly influenced by Germany rather than by the United States as before.

Western-Centric Moments in Homegrown IR Theories: Dependency, Chinese and African Schools

The modern international system has been shaped by long-standing historical
 practices of unequal power relations, which have positioned the Western world
 at the center of the political universe. Due to the centrality of the Global North
 in the international system, any IR theory that aims to portray a true picture
 of the “globe” necessarily situates the West at the center of scientific inquiry.
 Furthermore, the form of universality generated by Western hegemony has
 been diffused throughout the world over centuries, spreading Western political
 institutions, economic structures, and ideological norms in an uneven setting.
 As a result, the social structures of the Global South have developed through an
 uneven form of relationship and dialectical interaction with the West. Therefore,
 homegrown IR theories, which uncover local political, philosophical, or cultural
 motives as sources for theory-making, in fact, concentrate on stratified forms of
 the universal reality that is diffused through the uneven spread of Western social
 structures. In this sense, there is a Western-centric moment in any homegrown
 IR theory. Accordingly, this article develops a scientific realist account of the
 structure/agent relationship in order to analyze the material grounds of Westerncentrism
 in the field of international politics and to evaluate the role of non-
 Western actors. Additionally, it critically evaluates distinctive homegrown
 theories produced on three different continents to reveal the aforementioned
 Western-centric moments in these theoretical initiatives. Namely, the Dependency
 School of Latin America, the Chinese School of International Relations, and the
 African School are respectively scrutinized to disclose the embedded Westerncentrism
 in these theoretical initiatives

Science diplomacy in the Global South—an introduction

Journal Article Science diplomacy in the Global South—an introduction Get access Derya Büyüktanir Karacan, Derya Büyüktanir Karacan Elliott School of International Relations, Institute for International Science and Technology Policy, The George Washington University, 1957 E St NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA *Corresponding author. E-mail: drbuyuktanir@gmail.com Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Pierre-Bruno Ruffini Pierre-Bruno Ruffini EDEHN, University of Le Havre Normandie, University of Le Havre Normandie, 25 rue Philippe Lebon, Le Havre 76600, France Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Science and Public Policy, scad028, https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scad028 Published: 13 June 2023 Article history Received: 26 February 2023 Editorial decision: 12 March 2023 Corrected and typeset: 13 June 2023 Published: 13 June 2023

The Arctic Council, the International Maritime Organization, and the Polar Code

Numerous scientific investigations and multilateral efforts have contributed to our understanding of environmental challenges and how to deal with them; yet little effective and coordinated action has been taken. We review existing literature on climate clubs and on international society in the English School of international relations in order to assess how environmental and security risks can result in the formation of international institutions that seek to transcend the free-rider problem. We then ask what factors explain the emergence of the International Code for Ships Operating in Polar Waters (Polar Code) adopted in 2014, and how powerful states worked through the Arctic Council (AC) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) to establish it. We identify three parameters with respect to the shipping industry and Arctic region that made this advance possible at the nexus of environment and security: the identification of culprits, great power interest, and the socio-economic context. We find a degree of success even when substantive differences exist both inside and outside of the region and industry. Thus, the case study points to important applications of these parameters for future environmental peacebuilding.

МУИС-ийн оюутнуудын англи хэл сурахад нөлөөлж буй дотоод, гадаад сэдлийн судалгаа

In the last few years, the topic of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation has raised a lot of interest in EFL learning and teaching. The focus of this research is on examining intrinsic and extrinsic motivation of 58 students of the School of International Relations and Public Administration (SIRPA), the National University of Mongolia (NUM), with the aim of answering the question whether or not the students are intrinsically/extrinsically motivated for learning English as a second language and to what extent. The results obtained from 25-question questionnaire show that there are generally low levels of intrinsic motivation present among both female and male students. The differences in motivation are minimal in relation to gender, even though female students show an increase of intrinsic motivation.

Philosophical issues in the English School of international relations

This article responds to Charlotta Friedner Parrat’s critique of our argument that the English School of international relations should embrace a more thoroughgoing interpretivism. We address four of Friedner Parrat’s objections to our argument: that our distinction between structuralism and interpretivism is too stark; that our understanding of the relationship between agency and structure is problematic; that our approach would confine the English School to the study of intellectual history; and that the English School should eschew explanation. We argue that if the School is to use structuralism, it must be clearer about how it understands structures and their relationships to agents. We argue too that interpretivism not only offers a better account of situated agency, but also that it provides the English School with one way to move beyond the description and classification of institutions in international society towards better explanations of international relations.

Reflections on Bain, Political Theology of International Order

William Bain sustains his audacious claim to write a landmark in international relations thought. His view that the medieval theological debate between imposed order and immanent order structures contemporary thought about international order is largely compelling, especially in light of his demonstration that certain thinkers such as Hobbes and Grotius served as transmission belts, carrying this debate into modernity. He also persuasively shows that imposed order, or nominalism, dominates today’s schools of international relations thought, while immanent order only whispers its dissent. I raise two questions in critical conversation. First, while Bain argues persuasively that political theology persists after Westphalia, which he seeks to debunk as a milestone in secularization, nevertheless Westphalia stands as a milestone in the marginalization of religion (though not political theology) as an influential force in politics. Second, while Bain demurs from choosing between imposed and immanent order on normative grounds, his claim that the choice is a matter of faith appears to be a choice for imposed order. Clarifying this normative question is an apposite task for this important author’s next book.

English School Special Section

This is a series of solicited articles requested by the editors of Vol. 51, emerging from a roundtable discussion held at the 2022 International Studies Association Convention. Each short contribution seeks to demonstrate the newest research of the English School of International Relations. These contributions tackle key questions including: the decline of liberal hegemony, the rise of China, the divide between soldaristic and pluralistic ethics, the engagement of the English School with Area Studies, theoretical approaches to grounding English School research and an investigation of the English School’s intellectual legacy. Section spéciale École anglaise

International community and communitarianism in international law

This essay proposes that one of the most notable achievements of Professor Janusz Gilas’s work is the development of community-oriented thinking in Polish international legal scholarship. His use of the term “international community” is not merely figurative and does not boil down to distinguishing another doctrinal concept. The article further develops the legal debate around the concept of international community by proposing that it should be grounded in philosophical and political communitarianism. After briefly discussing Gilas’s contribution and its theoretical underpinnings in the form of the sociological theory by Ferdinand Tönnies and the achievements of the English School of international relations, this article undertakes to present communitarianism as a social and political philosophy and its relation to the concept of the international community, its theoretical alternatives, and their base values. Having clarified the possible communitarian interpretation of the international community, the author turns to the question of the possibility of communitarian international law. The article concludes by reinterpreting the thesis that international law is viable and conceivable only as community law, oriented toward the common good.

Russian-Chinese Space Reciprocity

The Cold War gave birth to two of the three most developed space programs today. As the Soviet communist ideology had to compete with the democratic USA, the USSR made incredible progress towards outer space and supported the initial growth of the first Chinese space technology. The two space programs have been intertwined since the first Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s seeking to establish a balance of power and counter American ambitions for hegemony. The Russian and Chinese regimes have had an altering liaison from allies to opponents and consecutively partners in a struggle for power and influence within the space sector. Examining the two space programs allows the reader to comprehend the complex relations between two superpowers in a geopolitical struggle going beyond Earth’s boundaries. Using the problem-chronological and comparative method this article seeks to explore the intricate relationship between the Soviet Union/Russia and the People’s Republic of China, analysing the genesis of their relationship, differences, similarities and accomplished progress in the space sector until present day. The complex relationship formed between Russia and China in the last three decades has morphed into a close economic, military and space partnership, looking to counter current American space dominance and challenge the status quo. Space geopolitics is a relatively new field to the school of international relations and so far only a handful of political scientists have focused on activities conducted within the space environment, as crucial actions to the overall setting of the international scene. As our world continues its progress, space becomes an integral part of our daily lives, and any endeavors associated with space need to be considered, discussed and explained.

In Search of International Order: The English School Approach to the Analysis of International Politics

The English School of International Relations is one of the long-established theoretical approaches in IR that systematically explores the purpose and the character of international order at the macro-level of international politics. It does so by analysing deeply embedded (the so-called primary) institutions and other related institutional elements, norms and practices. This paper aims to introduce how the English School theoretically conceptualise and analyse international order. The paper synthetises the core argument of the English School, discusses how recent debates develop it and which key cleavages are present in the English School. I argue and demonstrate that the English School has been dynamically evolving in the last two decades and that it can contribute to our understanding of the changing world. The paper also encourages developments of the English School research in the Czech academic context.

Contemporary Populism and International Relationship

The global prevalence of populism has greatly impacted domestic and world politics. In many countries, mainstream political parties have begun to be overstretched in dealing with populist power. As populist concerns gradually become Salient, relevant economic and social decisions may have to adopt compromise policies. This probably has greatly affected the country's foreign policy and has an impact on the system of international relations. In this paper, I will try to widely quote the important arguments of the mainstream school of international relations in the world, based on the system of international relations that has existed and maintained for a certain period (such as globalization, lateralization, etc.). As an entry point, I will use empirical methods to analyze the impact of populist explosions on the current international relations system( globalization, lateralization, etc.) and make some speculations about the future development of the international relations system.

Racialised Threat Perception within International Society: From Japan to China

Abstract This article takes a comparative approach that looks at the rise of Japan and China during their ascendency and challenge to the hegemonic state within the international system, and the subsequent racial threat perception that both countries experienced. Engaging the English School of International Relations, it focuses particularly on the legacies of differentiation within international society. It contends that, given the English School’s emphasis on the concept of international society that likens that relationship among states to a social one, it is fruitful to examine how social differentiation occurs within a domestic setting and to use that finding as analogous to international society. The article argues that racialised threat perception towards Japan and China heightened in tandem with their successive rises due to the challenges the two countries posed to the status and privileges of the dominant country—the USA—and which coincided with a US economic downturn and domestic crisis. This racially sensitive approach can provide at least one lens through which to understand the racial threat perception and contemporary relational dynamics between the two great powers: the USA versus the People’s Republic of China.

The Arctic from the perspective of the English school of international relations: a novel research agenda

ABSTRACT This article adopts the theoretical lens of the English School of International Relations (IR) to outline a new Arctic research agenda. In contrast to the more mechanistic approaches used in North American IR, the English School draws from a wider range of scholarship including historical, legal, philosophical, and sociological thinking about international relations, especially around the concepts of ‘international system,’ ‘international society,’ and ‘world society.’ The article introduces the key concepts and debates within the English School, contemplates how insights from the Arctic could advance the development of the English School theory, and demonstrates how a rigorous application of the English School concepts could contribute to a better understanding of international relations in the Arctic.

Armenia in a Triangle of Great Power Management: Regional competition on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

The aim of the article is to examine the foreign policy approaches and interests of three regional powers – Iran, Russia and Turkey before the Second Karabakh war in 2020. The study argues that dissatisfaction with the results of the conflict, forced these countries to further advance their interests in the region through cooperation and regional influence by soft power rather than waging an unpredictable geopolitical confrontation. The study is based on the methods of foreign policy analysis and comparative analysis of political discourse of the three regional powers in application to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict using the Great Power Management (GPM) approach of the English School of International Relations. The study puts forward the idea that the predominance of the national interests of Russia, Turkey and Iran, disguised with ideational concepts in the framework of the GPM is fundamentally different from the principles of multilateralism, driven by the European Union and the West within the liberal paradigm of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Balance is not the Same as Balance: Two Interpretations of the Same Concept. From the History of the Formation of the English School of International Relations

The article analyses the substantive differences in the interpretation of the 'balance of power' between the two founders of the English School of International Relations, H. Butterfield (1900–1979) and M. White (1913–1972). The School's concept gained recognition in the 1970s as an original approach to the study of international politics through the writings of H. Bull. Over time, the notion of “international community” developed by the scholar became a symbol for the entire English School and a marker to demonstrate the distinctiveness of its concept. The aim of the article is to show part of the process of formation of an original academic conception by exploring the internal polemics of the two founders of the community in the 1960s. The sources for this study are the published texts of representatives of the English School of International Relations. The novelty of the author's approach is to identify the role of the concept in the system of views of two different scholars, bearing in mind that White was a disciple of Butterfield. Butterfield saw the balance of power as the essential historical basis for any discussion of international politics. For him, the notion of balance was almost identical to that of the international system. М. White saw the idea of an international system as the basis for a theory of international relations, where the balance of power was an important but not the only element gradually fading away from the practice of inter-state interaction.

Дослідження миру: основні теоретичні перспективи

The article attempts to outline the main theoretical perspectives in the study of peace. The author analyzes the dynamics of the characteristics of peace in international relations and identifies the role of different theoretical approaches and scientific schools in shaping the concept of peace. It is emphasized that in the modern world order it is important to develop a common understanding of peace, the values of conflict resolution and effective approaches to peacebuilding. Given these challenges, the theoretical basis for building peace needs to be reconsidered and rethought in order to identify the most promising areas of research. It is noted that theoretical issues of peace theory are rarely the subject of scientific research of domestic researchers. The main theories of peace have been formed and developed mainly by foreign scholars, but there is a contradiction of images of peace, serious discussion and criticism of most concepts of peace, which gives rise to new approaches and comprehensive research, opening the way for Ukrainian scientists.The author of the article acknowledges that the liberal-idealist paradigm is dominant in the understanding of peace, so its analysis is given considerable attention. However, the article describes the realistic vision of the problem of peace, which forms the basis of the framework of peace research with the liberal-idealist tradition and is the so-called «orthodoxy». Unorthodox theories are described in detail, including the English School of International Relations, Marxists and Neo-Marxists, critical theories, constructivism and post-constructivism, and interdisciplinary research, the most important of which is Peace and Conflict Studies. The article analyzes and compares these scientific approaches and schools, identifies the strengths and weaknesses of research, the main discussions and the reasons for criticizing each of them. It is suggested that the debate on international conflicts and wars in the era of globalization and posttruth is erroneous and inexpedient, and instead the emphasis in the theory of international relations is shifted towards the formation of a modern concept of peace and peaceful coexistence.The author emphasizes that each theory and approach has its own concept of peace, but this variability allows to develop a broad discussion of peace, propose new methodologically compatible approaches and develop a modern comprehensive understanding of peace, principles and mechanisms for its development.