Review – An Unwritten Future
Jonathan Kirshner highlights the persisting relevance of classical realism in world politics today, but his analysis would benefit from a wider range of case studies.
Thinking Global Podcast – Seán Molloy
Seán Molloy speaks about Realist Ethics, E.H.Carr, how Realism is not amoral, the inconsistent ethics of Realism, and where other ‘Realists’ fit into this.
Opinion – Peace through Law? Political Realism and Hans Kelsen
Perhaps a great political realist is one who sees that the political has always been intimately linked to the legal, and that nothing in our dealings with one another is inevitable.
Student Feature – Theory in Action: Classical Realism and Migration
Classical realism accommodates diverse human interests, and the resulting self-reflexivity helps to accept life trajectories influenced by cultural or historical factors.
Review – The Rise and Fall of Peace on Earth
Mandelbaum’s book is an analytically flawed, contradictory and unconventional piece of realist scholarship that considers the instability of the post-Cold War period.
When Hard Power Shrinks: The Midlife Crisis of Realism
Despite significant amendments, realism still suffers from empirical inconsistency. The reason is straightforward: its fundamental principles of power never change.
The Realism of Holy See Foreign Policy
The Holy See adheres to a realism that differs from classical realism in that it succeeds in disconnecting the Church’s theology to its foreign policy practice.
Review – Religion and the Realist Tradition
While assessing how realism addresses religious issues in world politics, this collection also explores the role of religion in the intellectual development of IR theory.
Best Friends Forever? Classical Realism and Critical Theory
Contrary to common belief, classical realism and critical theory share an under-acknowledged historical and intellectual proximity.
Kenneth Waltz: The Man Who Saved Realism
When Kenneth Waltz passed away International Relations lost one of its finest theorists. But, Waltz’s greatest legacy to IR was his revival – indeed, his resurrection – of realism.
