Why did the concept of ‘identity’ become so central to IR theory following the end of the Cold War?

intro

• this essay will begin by explaining how the ‘failure’ of IR in the 1990s left space for a new, identity-focussed theory type to arise

• it will then demonstrate the importance of both state and individual actor identity to the world political system, showing that constructivism acts as an expansion of previous theory, rather than a replacement of it

P1 - why did theory need to change - Waltz 1979

• when the Cold War ended in 1991 with the collapse of the USSR, it was argued that IR had failed - it had not predicted this

• Waltz (1979), a leading realist IR scholar had argued bipolarity was the most stable world system and that this would not change without war. He was wrong

• The USSR fell solely as a result of a change in its perception of American power, something that realism could not predict

• this lead to the rise of constructivist theory - a movement away from explanatory theory, putting a greater focus on the ideas and norms society conditions onto actors

P2 - constructivism as an investigation of identity - Wendt 1992

• where rationalism focuses on the behaviour of actors in the international system, asserting that all actors behave in the same way, constructivism focusses on identities and interests

• Wendt (1992) we cannot separate identity from structure

• Wendt (1992) genetic and domestic factors are the determinants of state identities

• actors do not behave the same way when they have different backgrounds - helps us to understand the fluctuations in conflict, trade deals, relations etc

P3 - why the individual has become important - Enloe 1989

• Wendt’s assertion that domestic factors impact states means we must closer inspect the individual actors within states as well - we cannot separate a state from its citizens

• Enloe (1989) theorises that even the smallest, most unassuming action can contribute to a change in perceptions, and together we have the power to realign local and international power systems

• empowers everyday people, showing that our identity can have a huge impact on world politics

P4 - links between theories - Wendt 1992

• while constructivism as a stand-alone theory is certainly useful, I believe it is most valuable when used in combination with other theory

• Wendt (1992) theorises that constructivism explains why Neo-liberalism failed - it demonstrates that state identities are not exogenous but rather conditioned by their knowledge

• Neo-liberal and Neo-realist anarchy theory can then be used to show how states are conditioned in the world order

• this proves his statement that “anarchy is what states make of it”