A Relational Theory of World Politics

A reinterpretation of world politics drawing on Chinese cultural and philosophical traditions to argue for a focus on relations amongst actors, rather than on the actors individually.

Yaqing Qin (Author)

9781316634257, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 5 April 2018

412 pages, 8 b/w illus. 2 tables
22.8 x 15.1 x 2.2 cm, 0.59 kg

'Overall, this book makes a considerable contribution to the global IR literature, which is still considered immature, and will be well received by its intended audience: academics and IR students with a background knowledge of IR theory. The book also provides a reference for those who wish to understand China's role in IR theory.' Özge Taylan, Rising Powers Quarterly

Drawing on Chinese cultural and philosophical traditions, this book offers a ground breaking reinterpretation of world politics from Yaqing Qin, one of China's leading scholars of international relations. Qin has pioneered the study of constructivism in China and developed a variant of this approach, arguing that culture defined in terms of background knowledge nurtures social theory and enables theoretical innovation. Building upon this argument, this book presents the concept of 'relationality', shifting the focus from individual actors to the relations amongst actors. This ontology of relations examines the unfolding processes whereby relations create the identities of actors and provide motivations for their actions. Appealing to scholars of international relations theory, social theory and Chinese political thought, this exciting new concept will be of particular interest to those who are seeking to bridge Eastern and Western approaches for a truly global international relations project.

Part I. Culture and Social Theory: 1. Social theory and the multicultural world
2. Theoretical hard core
3. Culture and theoretical innovation
4. Individualistic rationality and mainstream IR theory
Part II. Relation and Relationality: 5. A world of relations
6. Meta-relationship and the zhongyong dialectics
7. The logic of relationality
Part III. Power, Cooperation, and Governance: 8. Power and relation
9. Cooperation in a relational world
10. Governance: rule, rules, and relations.

Subject Areas: International institutions [JPSN], International relations [JPS], Social theory [JHBA]