Session 17: What makes the World Hang Together?

International Relations has been taken over by theoretical school giants; Realism and Liberalism. It’s always good to deviate and look towards other theories which have a considerable amount to offer to this field. One of which is Social Constructivism, a school of thought which not fills in the gaps of those giants cannot but also provides us with a more ‘real’ perspective of how things are. Realism and Liberalism tend to show and explain the world through tangible ideas and materials however in contrast Social Constructivism goes beyond. It brings to forefront the role of human consciousness/agency. Gerard Ruggie quite successfully manages to take us through the formation of this theory from it’s classical roots which can be found in the works of Durkheim and Weber. ( Two Sociologists who students of sociology have become VERY familiar with) and at the same time comparing it to the neo-utilitarian giants that are Realism and Liberalism to further our understanding.

I’ve always found the idea of social construction fascinating especially because of my aversion to absolute truths. Studying Realism and Liberalism where interests and identities of states are taken for given, as Ruggie states, completely takes away the essence of what makes up these states. The cultural diversity is not taken into account when discussing concepts like the democratic peace theory or when measuring development of a state. Or what makes a state more ‘liberal’ or ‘authoritarian’ than another? In the section Interests and Identities, Ruggie explains how these rational utilitarian theories fail to explain how actors in the international relations acquire certain identities and interests and how are any future changes in their identities and interests are taken into account?

For Ruggie the international system is a social structure where identities and interests of states are constructed through interaction. It goes beyond the material factors without completely ignoring them. In the end however, that it is Ideas that make the world hang together.