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Constructivism meets critical realism: Explaining Pakistan’s state practice in the aftermath of 9/11.

Authors :
Fiaz, Nazya
Source :
European Journal of International Relations. Jun2014, Vol. 20 Issue 2, p491-515. 25p.
Publication Year :
2014

Abstract

This article investigates the theoretical added-value of critical realist incursions into International Relations constructivism. While constructivism focuses on providing multi-causal explanations, its conceptual horizon and subsequent methodological framework fundamentally obscure and limit the opportunity to conceptualize social dialectic and multi-causality in world politics. In this respect, a critical realist meta-theory can provide constructivism with a greatly expanded conceptual framework that transcends material–ideational divisions, and a framework that is able to envision more clearly the process of social dialectic. Second, critical realism affords a methodological diversity that can withstand simultaneous constructivist investigations into the material, agential, ideational, or structural. Using the synthesis of critical realism and constructivism, I illustrate by way of example by employing Pakistan’s participation in the ‘war on terror’ as a case study. While constructivism can show that Pakistan’s role in the war on terror was preceded by a legitimizing narrative, it is a critical realist depth analysis that sheds new light on how a complex social reality was achieved through the convergence of multi-causal explanatory factors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
13540661
Volume :
20
Issue :
2
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
European Journal of International Relations
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
96208733
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1177/1354066112466572