18 CHAPTER OnE ■ ApproAches to InternAtIonAl relAtIons
t ools for studyIng
InternAtIonAl relAtIonsTool MeThodhistory Examines individual or multiple casesphilosophy Develops rationales from core texts and analytical thinkingBehavioralism Finds patterns in empirical methods, grounded in scientific methodh^ uman beha^ v^ ior and state beha^ v^ ior usingAlternatives Deconstructs major concepts and uses discourse analyto build thick description; finds voices of “ others”^ sistAB le 1.2
These theories provide frameworks for asking and answering core foundational
questions. To answer these questions, international relations scholars turn to
many other disciplines, including history, philosophy, behavioral psy chol ogy, and
critical studies (see Table 1.2). International relations is a pluralistic and eclectic
discipline.
To understand the development of international relations theory, we need to
examine general historical trends for developments in the state and the international
system, particularly events in Eu rope during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
This “stuff ” of diplomatic history is the subject of Chapter 2. Chapter 3 is designed to
help us think about the development of international relations theoretically through
several frameworks— liberalism, realism, radicalism, and constructivism. Chapters 4,
5, and 6 examine the levels of analy sis in international relations. Thus, Chapter 4 exam
ines the international system; Chapter 5, the state; and Chapter 6, the individual.
Each of these chapters is or ga nized around the theoretical frameworks, as we compare
liberal, realist, and radical descriptions and explanations, augmented, when appropriate,
with constructivism. Chapter 7 explores and analyzes the roles of international organ
izations, international law, and nongovernmental actors. The last four chapters study
the major issues of international relations: in Chapter 8, war and strife; in Chapter 9,
international po liti cal economy; in Chapter 10, human rights; and in Chapter 11, the
transnational issues of the twenty first century.