Theory and History in International Relations

Theory and History

In this course, Professor Adam Humphreys (Reading University) explores the relationship between theory and history in international relations. In the first module, Professor Humphreys introduces us to the key characteristics of two competing theories in international relations: realism and liberalism. In the second module, we explore what realism says about state behaviour, outlining in particular the key claims of ‘neorealism’. We then turn in the third module to explore realist predictions about the post-Cold War world, outlining some valuable key concepts for analysis, such as Hegemonic Stability Theory. In the fourth module, we explore how China’s rise in the international balance of power appears to bear out realist predictions for the post-Cold War period. Finally, in the fifth module, we ask how realism might help us to understand Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, focusing in particular on John Mearshimer’s controversial argument that the West antagonised Russia in its attempts to expand NATO and the EU Eastwards. Overall, this course spotlights not only the parts of global politics that realism gets “right”, but also the ways in which realist explanations may fail to tell the entire story. To really understand the global balance of power, we must also account for the significance of other factors, such as domestic politics and national identity.

Theory and History in International Relations

In this module, Professor Humphreys introduces us to the relationship between theory and history in international relations, focusing in particular on: (i) the key characteristics of two competing theories in international relations: realism and liberalism; (ii) the ways in which these theories draw on historical precedent but reach different conclusions.