The course aims to introduce social constructivism as one of the key theoretical perspectives of international relations. It reviews the key contributions and discussions related to this “third” approach to IR, seen as placed between rationalist (realism and liberalism) and post-structuralist (continental) approaches. The course elaborates on the idea of the social construction of the social reality and how it transforms the understanding of international politics. Among the key topics discussed in the course are the co-constitution of states and the international system, the logic of appropriateness (in contrast to the logic of consequences elaborated by rationalist approaches), the question of collective identity, the role of language, international norms, or international practices for states’ behavior. To successfully pass the course, students are asked to prepare for and take an active part in the seminars convened every second week of the semester. The course is concluded with a research essay.
This master course is one of the options students of International Relations can take as a seminar for the obligatory course Theories of International Relations (JPM043). Both courses have to be registered in the same semester.
