POL101Y1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 9: Social Theory, Social Forces, Transnationalism
Document Summary
Constructivism counters realism & liberalism by highlighting how ideas define and can transform the organization of world politics, shape the identities and interests of states, and determine what counts as legitimate action. Two factors surrounding constructivism"s birth: theoretical and sociological. Sociological and critical theory: social forces such as ideas, knowledge, norms, and rules influence states" identities and interests, and the very organization of world politics. Basic idea of constructivism: how ideas define international structure; how this structure shapes the identities, interests, and foreign policies of states; and how state and non-state actors reproduce that structure and at times, transform it. Constructivism has investigated various features of global change; here are two: The convergence by states around similar ways for organizing their domestic and international like. How norms become internationalized and institutionalized (globally accepted to the point that they constrain what state and non-state actors do and influence their ideas of what is legitimate behaviour.
