Feminist, Postcolonial and Green Approaches Introduction Feminist, postcolonial and green approaches broaden the study of International Relations by examining issues that traditional theories may underemphasize, including gender, colonial legacies, environmental security, ecological limits and unequal experiences of global politics. These approaches are diverse and should not be treated as single unified theories. Feminist International Relations…

Marxist, Critical and Dependency Approaches Introduction Marxist, critical and dependency approaches examine international politics through questions of economic structure, capitalism, inequality, class, exploitation, historical power and global hierarchy. These approaches challenge theories that treat states and international institutions as politically neutral or independent from broader economic and social structures. Marxism Marxism: A body of social,…

Constructivism Introduction Constructivism is a major approach to International Relations that emphasizes the importance of ideas, identities, norms, beliefs and social interaction in shaping international politics. Constructivists argue that international reality is not determined solely by material capabilities. The meanings that states and societies attach to power, interests, threats and institutions also matter. Core Concepts…

Liberalism and Neoliberal Institutionalism Introduction Liberalism is a major theoretical tradition in International Relations that emphasizes cooperation, institutions, economic interdependence, domestic political structures, international law and the possibility of reducing conflict. Neoliberal institutionalism retains important liberal assumptions while placing particular emphasis on how international institutions can facilitate cooperation even under conditions of international anarchy. Liberalism…

Realism and Neorealism Introduction Realism is one of the major theoretical traditions in International Relations. It emphasizes power, national interest, security, competition and the constraints created by an international system without a central world government. Neorealism, also called Structural Realism, reformulates realism by placing particular emphasis on the structure of the international system and the…