Description
Inspired by recent work in evolutionary, developmental, and systems biology, Systems, Relations, and the Structures of International Societies sketches a robust conception of systems that grounds a new conception of levels (of organization, not merely analysis). Understanding international systems as multi-level multi-actor complex adaptive systems allows explanations of important features of the world that are inaccessible to dominant causal and rationalist explanatory strategies. It also develops a comprehensive critique of IR's dominant conception of systems and structures (narrow, rigid, and unfruitful); presents a novel conception of the interrelationship of the social production of continuities and the social production of change; and sketches models of spatio-political structure that cast new light on the development of international systems, including a distinctive account of the nature of globalization.
Table of Contents
Part I. Systems, Relations, Levels, and Explanations: Foundations For Systemic/Relational IR: 1. Systems and relations; 2. Complex adaptive systems; 3. From levels of analysis to levels of organization; 4. Systems, causes, and theory: explanatory pluralism in IR; Part II. Waltzian Structural Theory: A Post-Mortem: 5. Structural theory; 6. Anarchy; 7. The tripartite conception of structure; 8. Functional differentiation and distribution of capabilities; 9. Ordering principles; Part III. Systems, Relations, and Processes: Reframing Systemic International Theory; Section A. Differentiation and Continuous (Trans)Formation: 10. Relations, processes, and systems; 11. Multiple dimensions of differentiation in assembled international systems; 12. Continuous (trans)formation: producing social continuity and social change; 13. Life sciences and social sciences: co-evolving complex adaptive systems; Section B. Four Excursions in Relational/Systemic IR: 14. Normative-institutional differentiation; 15. Vertical differentiation: stratification and hierarchy in international systems; 16. Levels, centers, and peripheries: spatio-political structures; 17. Continuous (trans)formation of eurocentric political systems (c. 1225 – c. 2025); 18. Afterword: multiple approaches to multidimensional systems of relations.
