Political Science 1020E Lecture 17: Social Constructivism

• School: Western University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: Political Science 1020E
• Professor: John Grant

Document Summary

Constructivism is the main rival to neo-realist & neo-liberal approaches to ir. Offers a way to explain change in world politics. Focuses on the role of ideas, norms & identities in world politics. Constructivists take a wide range of actors in world politics seriously, especially. Interests & identities of actors are dynamic, not fixed. The international system is anarchic - there is no overarching authority in world politics that can make & enforce rules. However, anarchy does not have an inherent logic of competition or suspicion. Constructivists focus on the social character of international life: ideas, rules, norms, institutions, meanings (ie: sovereignty) The european union: beyond the security dilemma constructing anarchy. The persistence & growing strength of the eu cannot be explained by neoliberals or. Defend western europe from the soviet union & communism. But the eu became a security community that did not fall away when these threats ceased to exist, as realists predicted it would.