International Relations

C16(a) - Theories of International Relations (III)

Date: Jun 14 | Time: 08:30am to 10:00am | Location: McGill College 2001 461

Chair/Président/Présidente : Ariel Reichard (Charles University)

Discussant/Commentateur/Commentatrice : Lana Wylie (McMaster University)

Kinship and International Relations: Carla Barqueiro (Widener University)
Abstract: The project focuses on an examination of the concept of kinship in international relations. Kinship relations remain the foundational organizing principal of human life, yet, there has been very little attention given to this concept in international relations. Scholarship in the field has given much attention to those processes that divide people and states, particularly those associated with nationalism, war, and interstate competition. At the heart of these scholarly inquiries there remains a fundamental dichotomy that is related very closely to how human beings, particularly in the West, understand in-group and out-group dynamics, specifically how we define the fundamentals of “like-ness” in world politics. Critical IR theorists have pointed out the ways in which particular dominant discourses reify the in-group and out-group dynamics that fuel cooperation and conflict around the world. What is missing is an examination of the ways in which rudimentary understandings of kinship are at the heart of these discourses, and more specifically, how these discourses are reflective of the political strategic interests and goals of elite practitioners. Some important and fundamental questions need to be posed surrounding the relationship between kinship and international relations: (1) how is kinship understood and used in international relations?, (2) what do discourses and practices of kinship produce for those in power (in-group), and those being targeted or excluded (out-group)?, (3) How can a racialized, gendered, and intersectional approach to analyzing kinship discourse—practices and behaviors--illuminate trends in the production of power in world politics?

A never-ending story: Vattelian declarations of war and the nuclear threat: Rebekah Pullen (McMatser University)
Abstract: Vattel’s ‘The Law of Nations’ is credited with significantly influencing our conceptualization of modern states. Fundamentally, Vattel describes how states best serve their own self-interest by pursuing perfect happiness, stressing that a constitutive element is the happiness of other states. His work explains the corresponding importance of communication between states and counsels that power is best demonstrated through how states relate to each other within an international community. Accordingly, for Vattel, declarations of war serve a critical function for states and are designed to preserve communication under the most extreme circumstances. A distinct form of state speech, the conclusion of a declaration of war precipitates a penultimate space wherein both receiving states and ‘neutral’ witnesses are compelled to reflect on how their interests are served by the anticipated violence. Vattel frames this judgement as an expression of state duty that corroborates their orientation towards perfect happiness, even when facing the potential for great violence. Vattel’s legacy persists in our nuclear age; and while formal declarations of war are rare, the fundamental components of communications between states forerunning violence are still signals of principle if not convention. Given the amplified modernization of nuclear arsenals around the world, it is important to consider how the ostensibly passive ‘use’ of nuclear weapons within deterrence theory could be framed as a declaration of war that never ends. Doing so allows us to reflect on the communicative expectations upon which states have relied for centuries in order to anticipate their interests and defend tomorrow’s happiness.

Beyond Western Perspectives: Chinese IR Theories and the Quest for Universality: Xinyu Gong (Dalhousie University)
Abstract: This research examines the development of International Relations (IR) theory in China and its relationship with Western IR theories. It highlights the challenges faced by Chinese scholars in the field, including the lack of original theoretical research and the dominance of West- and US- centralism in the discourse. Chinese IR scholars have struggled to explain the rise of China and its unique characteristics, as well as respond to challenges from the West. This review explores three main theories that have emerged in Chinese IR: the Tianxia System, Moral Realism, and Relational Theory. The Tianxia System reflects Chinese traditional culture and proposes a world order that goes beyond the nation-state system. Moral Realism combines realist theoretical frameworks with Chinese traditional thoughts on morality to explain the relationship between power, morality, and global leadership. Relational Theory emphasizes relationality and draws on Chinese societal practices to understand international relations from a different perspective. These theories demonstrate the cultural inspiration, cross-cultural communication, and globalization that characterize Chinese IR. They seek to break the core-periphery structure of IR studies and contribute to the construction of Global IR. While these theories have gained attention worldwide and enriched the field of IR, they have also faced criticism for cultural essentialism and binary thinking. However, this paper argues that the generation of Chinese IR theory is a process of acculturation, which should be rooted in localized culture while engaging with other cultures.