THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST IR THEORY

1. THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTIVIST IR THEORY Concept and theoretical propositions Social ontology and holistic epistemology Core concepts: identities, interests and socialization. Foci: ideas and power; international socialization; and the process of social construction. Causal mechanisms: the mechanism and process of social construction Explanatory mechanisms. Methodologies.

2. Constructivist theoretical propositions and concepts Theoretical propositions: ideal (social) nature of the world system; international system and states are thought of as structures of beliefs and knowledge; Ideational properties of the political actor are produced and reproduced in a cognitive and intersubjective process of interaction; Core constructivist concepts Identities: issue-specific, relatively stable understandings and expectations about self; Interests: ideas about the means for preservation and reproduction of identity; Socialization: a process of interaction, where political actors’ identities and interests get constructed and reconfigured.

3. Constructivist foci Interplay of ideas and power: ideas although key explanatory variables, are not autonomous from power: rhetorical action; arguing and bargaining; and framing and shaming. Global norms versus local effects: international socialization- the effect of systemic norms on domestic politics; the role of the international institutions; the role of the domestic context. Mechanisms and processes of social construction: norm diffusion, learning, argumentation and coercion.

4. Mechanisms and processes of social construction- norm transfer and internalization Norm diffusion: occurs on the public arena, politicized process Learning: takes place within private (organizational) settings, non-political process Argumentative mode of social construction: argumentation, persuasion, and deliberation Coercion

5. Argumentative mode of socialization