Abstract
This chapter sets the overarching focus of this book which is, what is non-Western theory? What is it all about? It will begin by outlining key Western theories in IR and the criticisms which have arisen of them. It emphasises omissions of history, context, individuals and culture in the theoretical approaches dominating international relations, and how this has contributed to calls for greater understanding of the international system and the multitude of experiences and perspectives which operate within it. It raises key questions designed to encourage students to think more about how different countries engage with these theories, whether they are understood in the same manner as their Western counterparts, and what the challenges posed to, and by, the dominance of Western-centric discourses means for broader understandings of international relations.
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Further Readings
Acharya, A., & Buzan, B. (2007). Why is there no non-Western international relations theory? An introduction. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 7(3), 287–312.
Acharya, A., & Buzan, B. (2017). Why is there no non-western international relations theory? Ten years on. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 17(3), 341–370.
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Milner, A., & Kasim, S. M. (2018). Beyond sovereignty: Non-Western international relations in Malaysia’s foreign relations. Contemporary Southeast Asia, 40(3), 371–396.
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Tickner, A. B., & Smith, K. (Eds.). (2020). International relations from the global South: Worlds of difference. Routledge.
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Classroom Activities
Classroom Activities
Classroom Activity 1
Choose one of the study questions from the beginning of this chapter and get participants to come up with their best answer. Once they have done this, get them into pairs and get them to agree on an answer. Then put two pairs together and repeat this process until you have 2 large groups. Get the groups to present and defend their answers. How did they get to that point? Do they agree with the other groups answer? Why (not)?
Classroom Activity 2
Split the class into groups of no more than 4 and allocate each group a core concept from this chapter. Give them some time to brain-write their ideas before bringing them back to their group. They need to think about how they understand the concept and how it relates to IR theory and its repositioning. They should also consider whether their own understanding of the concept has changed since, if so how? Once each group has their ideas, get them to write their ideas on a whiteboard/flipchart paper. Each group will then move around the other groups work. They may add to what the other group has written, but nothing can be removed. By the end of the session, you will have comprehensive understandings and reflections on these concepts. Encourage students to take photographs of these or take photos yourself and upload them to a VLE site if you are using one.
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Cooke, S. (2022). Introduction: Refocusing International Relations. In: Cooke, S. (eds) Non-Western Global Theories of International Relations. Palgrave Studies in International Relations. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84938-2_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84938-2_1
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