International Relations Theory as a Social Science

Authors : Burcu BOSTANOĞLU

Pages : 105-116

Doi:10.1501/Intrel_0000000119

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Publication Date : 1995-05-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Alıhough its subjcct mattcr covcrs dccisions and pratiqucs whose dircct or indirect influcncc on thc livcs of statcs, countries and thcreforc, individuals cannot bc neglectcd, thc study of intcrnational Relations insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(IR); has yet failcd to achicvc a status of proper scicncc. This essay inquires the relative position of thc disciplinc versus general social thcory, its comparative povcrty in thc cpistcmological1 and mcthodological altcrnative approachcs and poses the question vvhether this povcrty is an outeome of the thcorctical povcrty; or more concisely, thc domination of the disciplinc by onc single paradigm for half a ccntury: Rcalism. So far, thc study contends, thc political and social milicu in vvhich intcrnational Relations has developed as an acadcmic pursuit, vvas not sufficiently ripe for a compctition of theoretical pcrspcclivcs. Thc occurrcnccs of the last tvvo dccadcs in thc ficld have refleeted on the pcrception and conccptuali/.ation of statcs` relations vvilh cach other and on a plethora of thcorctical approachcs the basic tenet of vvhich is an opposilion to ıhc posilivist orienied realist thcory of IR.  
Keywords : International Relation, Theory, Social Science