Philosophical issues in the English School of international relations
| Published date | 01 June 2023 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/17550882231151983 |
| Author | Mark Bevir,Ian Hall |
| Date | 01 June 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Debate |
https://doi.org/10.1177/17550882231151983
Journal of International Political Theory
2023, Vol. 19(2) 242 –250
© The Author(s) 2023
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DOI: 10.1177/17550882231151983
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Philosophical issues in the
English School of international
relations
Mark Bevir
University of California, USA
Ian Hall
Griffith University, Australia
Abstract
This article responds to Charlotta Friedner Parrat’s critique of our argument that
the English School of international relations should embrace a more thoroughgoing
interpretivism. We address four of Friedner Parrat’s objections to our argument:
that our distinction between structuralism and interpretivism is too stark; that our
understanding of the relationship between agency and structure is problematic; that
our approach would confine the English School to the study of intellectual history;
and that the English School should eschew explanation. We argue that if the School
is to use structuralism, it must be clearer about how it understands structures and
their relationships to agents. We argue too that interpretivism not only offers a better
account of situated agency, but also that it provides the English School with one way to
move beyond the description and classification of institutions in international society
towards better explanations of international relations.
Keywords
English school, international society, interpretive theory, interpretivism, structuralism
We are grateful to Charlotta Friedner Parrat for her thoughtful response to our work
(Friedner Parrat, 2022; cf. Bevir and Hall 2020a, 2020b). Among the main points on
which we agree with her, the most important is surely that the English School of interna-
tional relations would benefit from greater reflection on philosophical issues. Although
we disagree with some of the philosophical positions she stakes out, we are pleased to
Corresponding author:
Ian Hall, Griffith University, 170 Kessels Road, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia.
Email: i.hall@griffith.edu.au
1151983IPT0010.1177/17550882231151983Journal of International Political TheoryBevir and Hall
research-article2023
Debate
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