Plan Today: (Neo-)Marxist & Feminist Approaches to IR

1. Plan Today:(Neo-)Marxist & Feminist Approaches to IR Completing group discussion of postcolonial theory vs. Marxism. Evaluation of Marxist and Neo-Marxist approaches. Introduction to feminist concepts and critique of traditional IR.

2. Group Discussion Activity What are the similarities and differences you observe between Marxist approaches and Postcolonial theory (or specifically Said’sOrientalism argument)? Break into groups of 5-6 students. Discuss for 7 minutes, then report back to class.

3. Evaluation of (Neo)Marxism as Theory • Explanatory Power – Mixed. • Accuracy: not great. • Make sweeping claims to which we can find important empirical exceptions. • Generality: very good. • Highly universal claims that can be applied to many contexts, global and domestic.

4. Evaluation of (Neo)Marxism as Theory • Predictive Power – Mixed. • Does have capacity for predictions. • Economic dynamics of globalized capitalism well predicted. • But not a good predictor of interstate war.

5. Evaluation of (Neo)Marxism as Theory • Scope – very wide. • Can analyze many patterns in domestic and international politics. • But cannot cover areas of IR where class struggle not a significant factor.

6. Evaluation of (Neo)Marxism as Theory • Self-reflection and Engagement with Other Theories – Mixed. • Like realists, can be somewhat defensive and claim importance of explaining a few big phenomena. • Yet there has been innovation in Marxist approaches in response to criticism.

7. Feminist Theory

8. Basic Introduction to Feminism:Ontology • More institutionalist than actor-oriented. • Gendered concepts of masculinity/ femininity and distribution of power between men & women shape international political outcomes.

9. Basic Introduction:Causal Argument/ Epistemology • Typically critical theory more than explanatory with causal arguments. • One causal argument: masculine concepts of security and development  policy choices that harm women and larger societies.

10. Basic Introduction:Feminist Concepts • Gender: • Characteristics of men & women that are socially constructed, not biologically determined. • Something is “gendered” when has systematically different consequences for men and women.

11. Basic Introduction:Feminist Concepts

12. Feminist Critiques of Traditional IR • Jacqui True: • Traditional IR studies of “high politics”: no reference to impact on real people. • IR a “public” sphere (masculine) excluding “private” realm (feminine). • Gendered definition of state matters excluded women from participation.

13. Feminist Critiques of Traditional IR • Women always fundamentally affected by IR – but those effects ignored by men’s study of it. • E.g. environmental degradation harms women’s subsistence farming. • E.g. globalization & urbanization  increased stress in household  increased domestic violence.

14. Feminist Critiques of Traditional IR • Women affect IR in informal and important ways. • “The personal is international” (Enloe): • E.g. Obedient, entertaining diplomats’ wives to help diplomatic relationships. • E.g. Women’s sexual services to convince soldiers of manliness.

15. Feminist Critiques of Traditional IR • Ann Tickner critique of Morgenthau: • Definition of power as domination (masculine) vs. power as acting in concert (feminine).