Agents, Structures and International Relations: Politics as OntologyCambridge University Press, 2006 M10 12 The agent-structure problem is a much discussed issue in the field of international relations. In his comprehensive 2006 analysis of this problem, Colin Wight deconstructs the accounts of structure and agency embedded within differing IR theories and, on the basis of this analysis, explores the implications of ontology - the metaphysical study of existence and reality. Wight argues that there are many gaps in IR theory that can only be understood by focusing on the ontological differences that construct the theoretical landscape. By integrating the treatment of the agent-structure problem in IR theory with that in social theory, Wight makes a positive contribution to the problem as an issue of concern to the wider human sciences. At the most fundamental level politics is concerned with competing visions of how the world is and how it should be, thus politics is ontology. |
Contents
Section 17 | 131 |
Section 18 | 137 |
Section 19 | 140 |
Section 20 | 155 |
Section 21 | 174 |
Section 22 | 177 |
Section 23 | 180 |
Section 24 | 215 |
Section 9 | 91 |
Section 10 | 99 |
Section 11 | 102 |
Section 12 | 107 |
Section 13 | 112 |
Section 14 | 121 |
Section 15 | 123 |
Section 16 | 129 |
Section 25 | 226 |
Section 26 | 231 |
Section 27 | 243 |
Section 28 | 253 |
Section 29 | 255 |
Section 30 | 257 |
Section 31 | 290 |
Other editions - View all
Agents, Structures and International Relations: Politics as Ontology Colin Wight No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
accept account of structure activity actors agency agent-structure problem agents and structures Alexander Wendt analysis and/or argues argument Ashley attempt behaviour beliefs Bhaskar Carlsnaes causal causal power claim commitment complex concepts conceptualisation constitute context debate Dessler differing distinction Durkheim effect elements embedded emergent empirical empiricism entities epistemological example exist explain Giddens Hence Hollis and Smith human ical ideas important individualist individuals interactions international relations issue knowledge logical material means mechanisms methodological methodological individualism methodological individualist nature neorealism notion object ontological Onuf organisations particular phenomena philosophical political position positivism positivist poststructuralism poststructuralist properties question realist reality reductionism refers reject relationship role rules and resources scientific realism scientists sense simply social action social facts social ontology social relations social sciences social scientific social structures social theory social world society specific struc structural theory structuralist structure as rules suggest theoretical tion understanding Waltz Weber Wendt whilst
References to this book
Foreign Policy: Theories, Actors, Cases Steve Smith,Amelia Hadfield,Timothy Dunne No preview available - 2008 |