PSCI281 Lecture Notes - Co-Determination, Antonio Gramsci

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Political Science
• Course: PSCI281
• Professor: Veronica Kitchen

Document Summary

Since constructivism is a social theory and a way of orienting oneself to ir, it is difficult to speak of assumptions. However, we can speak of commonalities of constructivist ir theories: (cid:120) highlight change over continuity (cid:120) (cid:120) Ir is social: rules, norms, identities and ideas matter. International relations is a world of our making (onuf) actors create the structures that constrain them ( anarchy is what states make of it wendt). Most of the relevant assumptions and concepts about marxism are covered in your textbook. Power/knowledge: dominant structures of power and knowledge that, together, shape societies in particular ways. Mutual constitution: the dialectical relationship of two concepts that co-determine each other such that it is impossible to understand them without reference to the other; ie, teacher/student, domestic/foreign, developed/underdeveloped. Intersubjective: social ideas are formed through social relations and human interaction, as distinct from subjective. Logic of consequences: actions are taken according to their value in a cost-benefit analysis.