Post - Positivism

What is post-positivism in IR most closely associated with?

The Third Debate

What are the perspectives in post-positivism?

• Critical Theory/ Neo-Marxism

• Postmodernism

• Critical Constructivist/ Reflexivity

• Post-structuralism

• Post-colonialism

• Feminism

What do positivists believe in?

Unity of science, which can be explored through a unified methodology

What the basic postulates of positivism?

• An objective external reality exists

• There is a subject object distinction

• Value free social science

What is post-structuralism?

language and discourse. It is a critical theory.

What is post-colonialism?

Attitudes to areas conquered by Europe

What is Feminism?

Women as a disadvantaged and ignored group in IR

In post-positivism, ontology refers to:

What is it we are studying

In post-positivism, epistemology refers to:

How do we know what we know

What does “mind-world monism in post-positivism suggest?

The “world” is endogenous to social practice, including scholarly practices

Which philosopher said “I think, therefore I am”?

Rene Descartes

What was Descartes’ key conclusion?

The only thing that could not doubt was his existence.

Which post-structuralist argued that “Theory is always for someone and for some purpose”?

Robert Cox

What is the purpose of knowledge in post-structuralism according to Robert Cox?

To liberate humanity from oppressive structures

Who wrote “The Poverty of Neo-Realism”?

Richard Ashely

What did Richard Ashely critiqued in “The Poverty of Neo-Realism”?

Waltz’s neorealism

Richard Ashely’s critique of neorealism focuses on its":

Ahistorical and a form of reification in which socially produced structures are assumed to be unchangeable

Rob Walker’s critique of sovereignty?

It forces us to think in binary terms inside and outside

David Campbell emphasizes the role of discourse in shaping:

Identity and foreign policy

What are examples of how we talk about things shape their meanings?

Refugees, asylum seekers, undocumented migrants, etc

Where did David Campbell draws from?

Benedict Andersons work on “imagined community”

Post Structuralists tend to be more accepting of what?

Classical realism with its more nuanced and diversified understanding on international relations which is less scientific

What are the criticism of post-structuralism and post-positivist in general?

• They are cannibalistic and thrive on the critique

• They can’t illuminate important issues in world politics

• They are leading us down blind alleys and not advancing knowledge

What is post-colonialism inspired by?

Post-structuralism - focus on discourse and the relationship between West and the Rest

Post colonialism critiques what Western narrative?

Backwardness and irrationality used to justify power politics

Who wrote “Orientalism”?

Edward Said

Which theorists critiqued the U.S. analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Mark Laffey and Jutta Weldes

Who wrote Bananas, Beaches, and Bases: Making Feminist sense of International Relations?

Cynthia Enloe

Which areas does Cynthia Enloe focuses on?

• Tourism

• Nationalism

• Military bases

• Diplomacy

• The female labor force in agriculture, textiles

• Domestic service

Feminists Empiricism/ Liberal feminism primarily seeks to highlight:

Subordinate position of women in world politics

Which feminist perspective focuses on understanding the experiences of women?

Standpoint Feminism

Who wrote “Gender in International Relations: Feminist Perspectives on Achieving Global Security (1992)”?

J. Ann Tickner

J. Ann Tickner critiques the assumptions of:

Realists assumptions about the international system and states rely on experiences of men and privilege values associated with masculinity

Who wrote “Gender, Justice, and the Wars in Iraq?

Laura Sjoberg

What is Just War Theory?

Women’s status as a noncombatants does not protect them, it cause them to suffer disproportionally

Post-structural feminists such as Carol Cohn, often analyze:

Sexual imagery in the world of warfare.

Which author studied nuclear defense intellectuals?

Carol Cohn

Who wrote “Faking it: US Hegemony in a ‘Post-Phallic’ Era?

Cynthia Weber

Cynthia Weber’s book explores:

Queer Theory - Sexual and gender expression