Weber Chapter 4: Constructivism

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Weber Chapter 4Constructivism

• anarchy is what states make of it

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Intro to Constructivism

• The issue is not the core nature of states
  (e.g., good or bad). The issue is whether how
  states act and why they do so (see 60).
• In other words states determine the nature
  of international anarchy (60).
• what states do depends on what their identities
  and interests are, and identities and interests
  change (60).
• Weber notes a contradiction one identity that
  cannot change is the identity of decision-maker.

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Intro to Constructivism (contd)

• Favors process over structure.
• Rejects rationalism
• Rejects the notion of international anarchy
• Wendt focuses on the role of practice over
  structure.
• If we focus on practice and process, then
  anarchy is what states make of it.

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Box 4.1 Whats Wrong with Rationality?

• Rationalism takes the identities and interests of
  states as given because it only recognized
  changes in state behavior but not changes in the
  states themselves (i.e., their identities and
  interests)
• Rationalism also takes the identities of and the
  interests generated from international anarchy as
  given. For rationalists, neither the structure
  of international anarchy nor the self-help system
  it is said to produce can be changed.
• Overall, rationalism limits theoretical
  understandings of change in agents and structures
  because it only examines changes in behavior and
  excludes an examination of changes in identities
  and interests.

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Box 4.2 Three Fundamental Principles of
Constructivist Social Theory

• People act toward objects, including other
  actors, on the basis of the meanings that the
  objects have for them SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE
• The meaning in terms of which action is
  organized arise out of interaction SOCIAL
  PRACTICE
• Identities and interests are produced in and
  through situated activity SOCIAL IDENTITIES
  AND INTERESTS
• Source Wendt 1995 (Weber, 65)

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