Systems, Relations, and the Structures of International Societies

Argues that systems approaches are necessary in order to identify and understand important features of the world.

Jack Donnelly (Author)

9781009355209, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 23 January 2025

484 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 1.8 cm, 0.5 kg

'At last: a book about international societies as a genus, a book that starts with wholes as parts of wholes, a book that makes sense of levels and layers, a book that fearlessly dispatches Waltz's structuralism for good. A relentlessly systematic, dauntingly detailed book for the ages.' Nicholas Onuf, Professor Emeritus, Florida International University

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.

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.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]