Conceptualizing International Practices
Directions for the Practice Turn in International Relations

This book provides new directions for international practice theory, demonstrating its key strengths and benefits as an innovative research perspective.

Alena Drieschova (Edited by), Christian Bueger (Edited by), Ted Hopf (Edited by)

9781316511398, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 June 2022

300 pages, 7 b/w illus.
23.5 x 15.7 x 2.2 cm, 0.608 kg

A first-rate volume on the present and future directions of the study of practices by many of its most important exponents. Michael Barnett, Professor of International Relations, George Washington University

This book brings together the key scholars in the international practice debate to demonstrate its strengths as an innovative research perspective. The contributions show the benefit of practice theories in the study of phenomena in international security, international political economy and international organisation, by directing attention to concrete and observable everyday practices that shape international outcomes. The chapters exemplify the cross-overs and relations to other theoretical approaches, and thereby establish practice theories as a distinct IR perspective. Each chapter investigates a key concept that plays an important role in international relations theory, such as power, norms, knowledge, change or cognition. Taken together, the authors make a strong case that practice theories allow to ask new questions, direct attention to uncommon empirical material, and reach different conclusions about international relations phenomena. The book is a must read for anyone interested in recent international relations theory and the actual practices of doing global politics.

List of figures
List of tables
List of contributors
Acknowledgements
Part I. Introduction: Conversations and the Evolution of Practice Theorizing: 1. Conceptualizing international practices: establishing a research agenda in conversations Alena Drieschova and Christian Bueger
2. Critiques of the practice turn in IR theory: some responses Ted Hopf
Part II. Key Concepts of IR Scholarship: 3. Epistemic communities of practice Emanuel Adler and Michael Faubert
4. Practices and norms: relationships, disjunctures and change Steven Bernstein and Marion Laurence
5. The Normativity of international practices Frank Gadinger
6. Resistance as practice: counter-conduct after foucault William Walters
7. For a practice approach to authority: the case of the emergence of central bankers' international authority Joelle Dumouchel
8. Evolution in international practices Vincent Pouliot
Part III. Innovative Concepts: 9. The dynamics of repetition: translocal practice and transnational negotiations Hilmar Schäfe
10. Visibility: practices of seeing and overlooking Jonathan Luke Austin with Anna Leander
Part III. Conclusion: The Future of Practice Theorizing: 11. Practices and a 'theory' of action? some conceptual issues concerning 'ends', 'reasons' and 'happiness' Friedrich Kratochwil
12. Conclusion: The semiotic web of international practice theorizing Alena Drieschova and Christian Bueger
References
Index.

Subject Areas: International organisations & institutions [LBBU], International relations [JPS], Political science & theory [JPA]