International Politics

Paper Summary:

This paper refutes the view that two of the dominant theories of international politics, realism and liberalism, can be separated so that the liberal lens best explains economic issues and the realist lens best explains security issues. It claims that this division does not explain the complexities of modern world politics. It agrees with the view point of Stephen Walt, that international affairs can best be understood in terms of the continuing competition between the various international political theories.

From the Paper:

"International political theories can be described as formulas used by policymakers to organize information, and they can create a conceptual framework for policy analysis and public discourse. While political theories can help policymakers better understand events, there remains a clear distinction between political theories and political action, and policymakers often take action based more on immediate circumstances than because of the use of any ideological lens. Two of the dominant theories of international politics are labeled realism and liberalism. Some believe that the liberal lens best explains economic issues and that the realist lens best explains security issues, but in fact this division does not explain the complexities of modern world politics. Following Stephen Walt, international affairs can best be understood in terms of the continuing competition between the various international political theories, showing that this competition between different ideas and theories has not only led to a deeper understanding of international affairs, but has also helped ..."

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