The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past
Within the discipline of International Relations (IR), ‘new’ conceptions of theory, specifically those subscribing to, on the one hand, an inductivist and empiricist conception of theory, and, on the other hand, a conception of theory as a loose collection of variables, have ostensibly challenged t...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of the Free State
2014-04-01
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| Series: | Acta Academica |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/1442 |
| _version_ | 1797271053241679872 |
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| author | Eben Coetzee Hussein Solomon |
| author_facet | Eben Coetzee Hussein Solomon |
| author_sort | Eben Coetzee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Within the discipline of International Relations (IR), ‘new’ conceptions of theory, specifically those subscribing to, on the one hand, an inductivist and empiricist conception of theory, and, on the other hand, a conception of theory as a loose collection of variables, have ostensibly challenged the conception of theory as advanced by Kenneth Waltz. The latter’s conception of theory, deeply embedded within the philosophy-of-science literature, illustrates that the essential qualities of theories are wholly irreconcilable with the conception(s) of theory as advanced by current scholars within the discipline. Moreover, despite the commonplace assumption that scholars have transcended Waltz’s work, scholars continue, however, to err by misinterpreting him on the nature of theory and by failing to heed the explanatory benefits emanating from his conception of theory. Contra the current vogue in IR, then, we argue that the anti-Waltzian conception(s) of theory is neither particularly
new nor does it bode well for the explanatory ideals of the discipline.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T04:44:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-94511805affa432a8018ba9b1432bf3e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0587-2405 2415-0479 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:14:03Z |
| publishDate | 2014-04-01 |
| publisher | University of the Free State |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Academica |
| spelling | doaj.art-94511805affa432a8018ba9b1432bf3e2024-03-07T11:10:51ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Academica0587-24052415-04792014-04-01462The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian pastEben Coetzee0Hussein Solomon1University of the Free StateUniversity of the Free State Within the discipline of International Relations (IR), ‘new’ conceptions of theory, specifically those subscribing to, on the one hand, an inductivist and empiricist conception of theory, and, on the other hand, a conception of theory as a loose collection of variables, have ostensibly challenged the conception of theory as advanced by Kenneth Waltz. The latter’s conception of theory, deeply embedded within the philosophy-of-science literature, illustrates that the essential qualities of theories are wholly irreconcilable with the conception(s) of theory as advanced by current scholars within the discipline. Moreover, despite the commonplace assumption that scholars have transcended Waltz’s work, scholars continue, however, to err by misinterpreting him on the nature of theory and by failing to heed the explanatory benefits emanating from his conception of theory. Contra the current vogue in IR, then, we argue that the anti-Waltzian conception(s) of theory is neither particularly new nor does it bode well for the explanatory ideals of the discipline. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/1442 |
| spellingShingle | Eben Coetzee Hussein Solomon The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past Acta Academica |
| title | The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past |
| title_full | The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past |
| title_fullStr | The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past |
| title_short | The ‘shifting’ nature of theory in International Relations: why the future of the discipline is its Waltzian past |
| title_sort | shifting nature of theory in international relations why the future of the discipline is its waltzian past |
| url | https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/1442 |
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