Which Synthesis? Strategies of Theoretical Integration and the Neorealist-Neoliberal Debate

Abstract

Despite growing interest in the promises and problems of theoretical synthesis among political scientists, frameworks for assessing the potential advantages of different pathways to theoretical integration are scarce. We build on the conceptualization of alternative strategies for synthesis proposed by Jupille, Caporaso, and Checkel and assess the implications of two criteria — parsimony and empirical fit — for understanding the relationship between two influential strands of international relations theory, neorealism and neoliberalism. Neorealists present concerns about relative gains as evidence of the limited scope of the neoliberal theory of international cooperation. We argue that, on the contrary, neoliberalism provides theoretical tools that are indispensable to determine when and why relative-gains concerns thwart international cooperation, and that this provides a strong case for subsuming neorealism under neoliberalism in a parsimonious synthesis. We apply this framework to explain an empirical puzzle: why two arch-rival states — Austria and Prussia in the second half of the 18th century — succeeded in cooperating in some cases but failed in others.

The Neorealism and Neoliberalism Behind International Relations During Covid‐19

“…Balance of power theory highlights the struggle for power in international politics ( Eilstrup-Sangiovanni 2009 ; Wu 2018 ). It highlights that—after the Second World War—the world changed from multipolarity to bipolarity and, since the fall of the Soviet Union, unipolarity has predominated ( Jervis 1999 ; Tarzi 2004 ; Andreatta and Koenig-Archibugi 2010 ). Neorealism proposes that countries’ self-interest and desire for power hinders cooperation ( Andreatta and Koenig-Archibugi 2010 ; Rho and Tomz 2017 ).…”

“…It highlights that—after the Second World War—the world changed from multipolarity to bipolarity and, since the fall of the Soviet Union, unipolarity has predominated ( Jervis 1999 ; Tarzi 2004 ; Andreatta and Koenig-Archibugi 2010 ). Neorealism proposes that countries’ self-interest and desire for power hinders cooperation ( Andreatta and Koenig-Archibugi 2010 ; Rho and Tomz 2017 ). Yet, if we are to accept the claim that states act in accordance with their self-interest and perceive that their military power protects their interests, then we also have to deal with the issue of relative gains.…”

Conceptualizing environmental governance on the GBM basin

“…This section examines the case of GBM based cooperation with the analytical framework of Rittberger and his colleagues' model of three conditions: Problem, Cognitive and Hegemonic conditions (Andreatta and Archibugi 2010), which are empirically used as a prerequisite for the emergence of an international organization. The study advocates for basin based cooperation that can address ecological alteration and resource degradation.…”

Political Philosophy in Political Science: Sixty Years on

“…Even the shortcomings highlighted, somewhat excessively, by those who denounce the 'new scholasticism' (overspecialization, methodologism, systematic search for rigorous inferences, use of data bases, focus on scientific literature rather than on what real actors say and do; Mead, 2010), which recalls Strauss's critiques 60 years back, serve the greening of political philosophy. If the good polity made by good citizens, good institutions and good rulers is to be from now on beyond the reach of empirical political science despite the valuable efforts made to work out new theories of government both descriptive and prescriptive (Levi, 2006) or to reach 'theoretical integration' of opposed views of international relations (Andreatta and Koenig-Archibugi, 2010), it remains nevertheless a highly relevant endeavour, and philosophy, at least in its practical and prudential form, has to thrive again to restructure political space in order to annul for a moment political time (I borrow the expression from John Gunnell without espousing his derogatory flavour; Gunnell, 1979: 145). So political philosophy has revived what was called with some contempt the 'traditional theory' (for a still valid critique of the idea of 'tradition' as an imaginary reconstruction, see Gunnell, 1979) combining 'perennial' questions (What should man be, for the political order to be livable?…”