Theorizing The State and Its Autonomy in Western IR: A Comparative Analysis of Realist and Historical Sociological Approaches

Abstract

This article examines how the state, its core characteristics, domestic and international agential capacities are conceptualized by the realist paradigms of IR and Weberian Historical Sociology (WHS) as its critique. In doing this, the study seeks to address the pitfalls and deficiencies of the realist conception of the state and unravel limitations and strengths of WHS to remedy these Realist deficiencies to reach a more sophisticated theory of the state. It also calls for a serious engagement between WHS and post-positivist IR to theorise the historically and politically constructed nature of state identity and to transcend the internal/international divide characterising the Realist epistemology.

Keywords

• Neo-Weberian Historical Sociology
• Realism
• State in International Relations
• State’s international agency
• State autonomy

Theorizing The State and Its Autonomy in Western IR: A Comparative Analysis of Realist and Historical Sociological Approaches

Abstract

Bu makale, Realist uluslararası ilişkiler geleneğinde ve onun eleştirisi olarak Yeni-Weberci Tarihsel Sosyolojide devletin, onun temel niteliklerinin ve ulusal ve uluslararası siyasal kapasitelerinin nasıl kavramsallaştırıldığını incelemektedir. Bunu yaparken makalenin başlıca amacı, Realizmin devlet kavramsallaştırmasının tuzaklarını ve eksikliklerini ortaya koymak ve daha gelişkin bir devlet teorisine ulaşma yolunda bu eksikliklerin aşılması için Yeni-Weberci Tarihsel Sosyolojinin kısıtlılıklarını ve güçlü yanlarını açığa çıkarmaktır. Bu çalışma ayrıca devlet kimliğinin tarihsel ve siyasal inşa edilmişliğini kuramsallaştırmak ve Realist epistemolojiye damgasını vuran ulusal/uluslararası ayrımını aşabilmek için Yeni-Weberci Tarihsel Sosyoloji ile Pozitivizm sonrası uluslararası ilişkiler yaklaşımları arasında sıkı bir diyalog kurulması çağrısında bulunmaktadır.

Keywords

• Neo-Weberci Tarihsel Sosyoloji
• Realizm
• Uluslararası ilişkilerde devlet
• Devletin uluslararası kapasitesi
• Devletin özerkliği

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