The Constructive Turn in International Relations Theory

TLDR

Constructivist theory offers a fresh perspective on global politics by emphasizing identity and interest, challenging methodological individualism and materialism, yet it remains underspecified, lacking explanations for the origins, evolution, and cross‑national variation of norms and social structures. The paper seeks to develop substantive theory and an agency focus to answer these gaps and build a productive research program. The review shows constructivism has empirically demonstrated a causal role for norms and social structure in global politics.

Abstract

In recent years, constructivist thinking about global politics has brought a breath of fresh auto international relations. By exploring questions of identity and interest, constructivist scholars have articulated an important corrective to the methodological individualism and materialism that have come to dominate much of IR. As the books under review indicate, constructivism has also succeeded in demonstrating its empirical value—documenting a new and important causal role for norms and social structure in global politics. Theoretically, however, the approach remains underspecified. In particular, constructivists typically fail to explain the origins of such structures, how they change over time, how their effects vary cross nationally, or the mechanisms through which they constitute states and individuals. Missing is the substantive theory and attention to agency that will provide answers to such puzzles, as well as ensure the development of a productive research program.