Neorealism and Its Unfair Critics

Neorealist arguments get misrepresented much more frequently than any other theories’ arguments, and neorealism regularly gets attacked on unfair grounds. In any good scientific environment critique is seen as something positive. But misrepresenting arguments is different: It is morally reprehensible and obstructive to scientific progress. I’d like to point out two examples.

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Big Questions, Significant Results, and EU Integration

The usual understanding is that one can either study the abstract or the specific, but not both at the same time. I argue that the topic of differentiated integration in the European Union offers an opportunity to do just that.

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The Democratic Peace Theory and Its Critics

The democratic peace theory (DPT) has become common knowledge today. I’d like to point out the very basics of the DPT and then focus, since I suspect that its strong sides are well known already, on its biggest problems and challenges.

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International Politics Works… Usually

International politics works well. This statement may seem banale, but it is not. Scholars of international relations repeatedly emphasize negative developments, which is especially true for those following the realist school. In the end, we need to be aware that international politics offers both encouraging developments towards peace and stability and a depressingly enduring tendency [...]

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Theories of International Relations and Investment Banking

I have written about the utility of IR theories before, but neglected one important point, namely that IR theories can help us to make wise investment decisions.

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International Law, Great Powers, and Switzerland’s Foreign Policy

There are two discussions ongoing in Switzerland that deserve our attention. The first one is about the importance of public international law, the second one relates to the cooperation with great powers. I argue that the core of both these discussions is misguided.

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The Strong Do What They Can, the Weak Arrange

Common knowledge in IR theories tells us that the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must. Surprisingly, structural realism teaches us that this is not entirely true. The weak arrange. They develop strategies that allow them to conduct an independent and active role in international politics. Anything else would contradict [...]

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The Utility of IR Theories

One question that is frequently posed to any student of international relations is what theories of IR are good for. For many, the study of international politics is of little value. But this line of thought is wrong. IR theories help us not just to understand previously obscuring things, but can help us to make [...]

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A Balance of Threat Theory of Immigration?

The Swiss decision to ban the construction of minarets received quite some attention recently. While I have always been opposed the ban, I do not want to engage in this discussion on this blog. However, I would like to use this opportunity to elaborate a structural realist approach to immigration. This is not an entirely [...]

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Obama and Theories of International Relations

President Obama poses an important challenge to constructivism. According to the constructivist logic, Obama is altering the culture of the international system and we will soon witness a transformation of international politics towards more cooperation and less conflict. According to the realist logic, however, states will not endorse Obama’s intentions because of fear of the [...]

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Sovereignty and Private Security Companies

Sovereignty is a hotly contested concept. Some writers of international relations see the concept of the westphalian state as outdated. They claim that while non-state actors get more and more important, the role of the state is diminishing. Logically following, realism must be wrong, because one of its basic assumptions is that states are the [...]

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