POLD09H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Social Forces
Document Summary
Because humans created these social constructs, we can also change them and be changes by them. The entire experience of international relations is product of human social interactions. Actors: states aren"t the only actors (international organizations) (non-states actors) (multi national corporations) (sub-states actors) (transnational networks) (individual leaders (states and non-state)) humans have created all sorts of important actors in the international system. What is their nature: the nature of different actors is determined by their repeated interactions with each other identities and interest are mutually constituted (social construct) How do these actors interact: interactions are shaped by the social context patterns of amity and enmity are constructed over the course of repeated interactions. Its not power distributions (realism), but experience of interactions that matters identities affect how different actors interact. Limitations: not parsimonious (unwilling to spend money or resource) What"s causal according to constructivist: identities, ideas, norms, rules, social signals, institutions.
