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Fantastic Theories and Where to Find Them: Rethinking Interlocutors in Global IR
[journal article]
Abstract How can we appreciate non-Western agency in theorising world politics without reintroducing parochialism and exceptionalism, thus reproducing the very problem that motivated global international relations (IR) in the first place? In this article, I explore an alternative approach to engaging with no... view more
How can we appreciate non-Western agency in theorising world politics without reintroducing parochialism and exceptionalism, thus reproducing the very problem that motivated global international relations (IR) in the first place? In this article, I explore an alternative approach to engaging with non-Western IR theories, which I refer to as the embedded observer approach. First, taking the scholarship on Chinese IR as an example, I argue that the present predicament of global IR is in part attributable to the way scholars engage with non-Western political thought. Drawing from discussions in critical IR and Comparative Political Theory, I propose a methodological adjustment for the study of non-Western theories. Specifically, I argue that by shifting focus from isolated scholars and texts to critical dialogues among autochthonous intellectuals, the researcher has the chance to learn about and appreciate the clashes of ideas, analytical perspectives, and methodological tools that together constitute the living intellectual tradition in a non-Western society. As a demonstration, I analyse the People’s Republic of China (PRC) scholars’ critical reaction to Zhao Tingyang’s Tianxia System through the lens of three key topics in the debate over the thesis. The discussion highlights the need to rethink interlocutors in global IR and the utility of an embedded observer approach for engaging with knowledge traditions beyond the West, both in IR and beyond.... view less
Keywords
China; international relations; international politics; political theory; globalization; world order; methodological research; discourse theory
Classification
International Relations, International Politics, Foreign Affairs, Development Policy
Free Keywords
Nichtwestliche Welt; Wissenschaftlicher Dialog
Document language
English
Publication Year
2023
Page/Pages
p. 700-729
Journal
Millennium: Journal of International Studies, 50 (2023) 3
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/03058298221110923
ISSN
0305-8298
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed