On the concept of international disorder
| DOI | 10.1177/0047117820922289 |
| Published date | 01 June 2021 |
| Author | Aaron McKeil |
| Date | 01 June 2021 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0047117820922289
International Relations
2021, Vol. 35(2) 197 –215
© The Author(s) 2020
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DOI: 10.1177/0047117820922289
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On the concept of
international disorder
Aaron McKeil
London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
Abstract
International relations today are widely considered to be experiencing deepening disorder and
the topic of international disorder is gaining increased attention. Yet, despite this recent interest
in international disorder, in and beyond the academy, and despite the decades-long interest in
international order, there is still little agreement on the concept of international disorder, which
is often used imprecisely and with an alarmist rather than analytical usage. This is a problem if
international disorder is to be understood in theory, towards addressing its concomitant problems
and effects in practice. As such, this article identifies and explores two ways international order
studies can benefit from a clearer and more precise conception of international disorder. First,
it enables a more complete picture of how orderly international orders have been. Second, a
greater understanding of the problem of international order is illuminated by a clearer grasp of
the relation between order and disorder in world politics. The article advances these arguments
in three steps. First, an analytical concept of international disorder is developed and proposed.
Second, applying it to the modern history of international order, the extent to which there is a
generative relationship between order and disorder in international systems is explored. Third,
it specifies the deepening international disorder in international affairs today. It concludes by
indicating a research agenda for International Relations and international order studies that takes
the role of international disorder more seriously.
Keywords
international disorder, international order, international relations, international systems,
world order
Corresponding author:
Aaron McKeil, LSE IDEAS, London School of Economics and Political Science, Houghton Street, London
WC2A 2AE, UK.
Email: a.mckeil@lse.ac.uk
922289IRE0010.1177/0047117820922289International RelationsMcKeil
research-article2020
Article
198 International Relations 35(2)
Introduction
International relations are widely considered to be experiencing deepening disorder
today.1 Richard N. Haass, for instance, argues they are defined by an increasing state of
‘disarray’.2 Others use the word ‘chaos’.3 Consequently, international disorder is gaining
increased attention and interest.4 Yet, despite this recent interest in international disorder,
in and beyond the academy, and despite the decades-long interest in international order,
there is still little agreement on the concept of international disorder, which is often used
imprecisely and with an alarmist rather than analytical usage. This is a problem if inter-
national disorder is to be understood in theory, towards addressing its concomitant prob-
lems and effects in practice. Surely, what is often called ‘the problem of international
order’, namely how to achieve it, is in one sense the problem of mitigating and circum-
venting international disorder.5 To what extent can international order be understood and
explained, without a corresponding understanding of international disorder? It is a curi-
ously significant conceptual oversight in international order studies and is an important
topic in light of the global scope and potential severity of deepening international disor-
der in practice, including, for instance, the potentiality for war and economic turmoil,
among other serious concerns. As such, this article aims to clarify and advance debates
about deepening international disorder in international relations.
In this article, I identify and explore two ways international order studies can benefit
from a clearer and more precise conception of international disorder. First, I argue it
enables a more complete picture of how orderly international orders have been. That is,
international order studies, by focusing on the substance of orders, have tended to neglect
or obscure the amount and variety of disorder involved in international orders. Second, I
argue that a greater understanding of the problem of international order is illuminated by
a clearer grasp of the relation between order and disorder in world politics. Towards this
second point, I suggest that the relation between international order and disorder has a
generative and deeply historical character. I advance these arguments in three steps.
First, I develop and propose an analytical definition of international disorder. Second,
applying it to the history of modern international orders, I explore the extent to which
there is a generative relationship between order and disorder in international systems.
Third, I clarify and specify deepening international disorder in international affairs today
and consider its reordering effects. I conclude by indicating a research agenda for
International Relations and international order studies that takes the role of international
disorder more seriously.
The concept of international disorder
What does international disorder mean? Whereas international order has been a subject
of sustained and significant interest in International Relations, the concept of interna-
tional disorder surprisingly lacks conceptual scrutiny. Available discussions about inter-
national disorder suggest examples such as war, revolution and economic turmoil, but do
not provide an analysis of the concept itself.6 The concept is often used as an alarmist
provocation, but with little reflection. Its deceptively intuitive meaning, as everything
international order tries to avoid, is, when examined, conceptually vacuous and murky.
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