Opening up the debate over ‘non-western’ international relations
| Date | 01 February 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0263395718805401 |
| Author | Yong-Soo Eun |
| Published date | 01 February 2019 |
| Subject Matter | Special Section Articles |
https://doi.org/10.1177/0263395718805401
Politics
2019, Vol. 39(1) 4 –17
© The Author(s) 2018
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DOI: 10.1177/0263395718805401
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Opening up the debate over
‘non-western’ international
relations
Yong-Soo Eun
Hanyang University, South Korea
Abstract
This opening article maps the terrain of the ongoing debate over various forms of ‘non-Western’
International Relations (IR) theory-building enterprise with the aim not only of providing contextual
background for the Special Section, but also, and more importantly, of identifying what is missing
in the overall debate. It is often pointed out that IR as a discipline is ‘too Western centric’, and
that much of mainstream IR theory is ‘simply an abstraction of Western history’. In this respect,
many IR scholars have called for ‘broadening’ the theoretical horizon of IR while problematising
the Western parochialism of the discipline, and it is increasingly acknowledged that IR needs
to embrace a wider range of histories, experiences, and theoretical perspectives, particularly
those outside of the West. However, despite such a meaningful debate over non-Western IR
theorisation and its recent contributions, several critical questions and issues still remain unclear
and under-explored. I suggest that there are (at least) three sets of questions that require more
careful attention in our discussion. First, does IR need to embrace theoretical pluralism? Second,
to what extent has contemporary IR become pluralistic? Third, should IR pursue the promotion of
dialogue and engagement across theoretical and spatial divides? Of course, each of these questions
invites several subsequent questions. This discussion will serve as a useful point from which more
substantial and exciting bearings may be taken in enriching the ongoing debate and moving IR
towards becoming a more pluralistic discipline.
Keywords
Diversity, ‘Global IR’, IR theory, ‘non-western’ international relations, West-centrism
Received: 5th August 2018; Revised version received: 4th September 2018; Accepted: 12th September 2018
International Relations (IR) ‘marginalizes those outside the core countries of the West’
(Acharya, 2014: 647). That is, IR as a discipline is ‘too Western centric’ (Acharya, 2016;
Tickner, 2013). IR scholarship has long been focused on questions of ‘importance to the
great powers of the Eurocentric Westphalian system’ (Tickner, 2016: 158); much of
mainstream IR theory is ‘simply an abstraction of Western history’ (Buzan, 2016: 156).
Corresponding author:
Yong-Soo Eun, Department of Political Science & International Studies, Hanyang University, Wangsimni-ro,
Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, South Korea.
Email: ysir@hanyang.ac.kr
805401POL0010.1177/0263395718805401PoliticsEun
research-article2018
Special Section Article
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