The three mainstream International Relations theories that have arisen in the past thirty years, structural realism, neo-liberal institutionalism and structural constructivism, have all missed an important dimension, ...The three mainstream International Relations theories that have arisen in the past thirty years, structural realism, neo-liberal institutionalism and structural constructivism, have all missed an important dimension, i.e., the study relational complexity in international society. of processes in the international system and of This paper, informed by social constructivism and Chinese philosophical traditions, aims to make up for this missing link and develop a theoretical model of processual constructivism by incorporating and conceptualizing two key Chinese ideas - processes and relations. ＂Process,＂ defined as relations in motion, can stand on its own, has its own dynamics, and plays a crucial role in international relations. The core of process, by definition, consists in relations. If ＂rationality,＂ rooted in individuality, has been a key concept for Western society, then its counterpart in Chinese society can be ＂relationality.＂ Conceptualizing relationality and treating it as the theoretical hard core, processual constructivism holds that relational networking in international society helps nation-states form their identities and produces international power. Processual constructivism is an evolution theory at systemic level, focusing on interactive practices among states and emphasizing the independent ontology of social processes which play a meaningful role in constructing international norms and state identities.展开更多
文摘The three mainstream International Relations theories that have arisen in the past thirty years, structural realism, neo-liberal institutionalism and structural constructivism, have all missed an important dimension, i.e., the study relational complexity in international society. of processes in the international system and of This paper, informed by social constructivism and Chinese philosophical traditions, aims to make up for this missing link and develop a theoretical model of processual constructivism by incorporating and conceptualizing two key Chinese ideas - processes and relations. ＂Process,＂ defined as relations in motion, can stand on its own, has its own dynamics, and plays a crucial role in international relations. The core of process, by definition, consists in relations. If ＂rationality,＂ rooted in individuality, has been a key concept for Western society, then its counterpart in Chinese society can be ＂relationality.＂ Conceptualizing relationality and treating it as the theoretical hard core, processual constructivism holds that relational networking in international society helps nation-states form their identities and produces international power. Processual constructivism is an evolution theory at systemic level, focusing on interactive practices among states and emphasizing the independent ontology of social processes which play a meaningful role in constructing international norms and state identities.
