Integrating Foreign Policy Analysis and International Relations through Role Theory

Abstract

We argue that role theory offers the possibility of integrating Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA) and International Relations (IR) theory. While role theory was originally adapted for use by U.S.-based FPA scholars, it was later picked up by European scholars as well as the Constructivist IR community. The ISA Workshop that generated this special journal issue was designed to bring together scholars from these various research traditions to pursue integration and synthesis. The resulting papers contained in this issue have set the stage for a productive conversation that has continued well beyond the initial workshop. Role theory does appear to offer the possibility of integration and even synthesis across FPA and IR as demonstrated in the following papers. We believe that this special issue highlights numerous avenues to continue the fruitful development of this research program.Role theory has had an intermittent presence in the study of foreign policy analysis (FPA), though it is largely unfamiliar to scholars in international relations (IR). Yet, it is uniquely suited to integrating FPA and IR. Role theory is premised on explaining and understanding the interaction between agents and structure. This may sound familiar to constructivist IR scholars but as the papers in this special issue of Foreign Policy Analysis show, role theory tends to focus on the agent-structure debate from a slightly different, albeit complementary, vantage point.The papers in this issue were prepared for a workshop organized by Cameron Thies at the 2010 meeting of the International Studies Association (ISA) funded by ISA's Workshop Grants program. The workshop brought together an international group of scholars from disparate research traditions, most of whom had little or no prior connection with one another. The discussion that began with the workshop papers has continued to produce a fruitful dialogue. The papers in this issue are the result of that dialogue and several rounds of revisions, a process that would not have been possible without the opportunity provided by ISA.This special issue demonstrates the potential for role theory to weave tighter connections between disparate research traditions. Although role theory shares a natural affinity with (constructivist) IR theory, few scholars in this tradition have made explicit use of role theory's well-developed conceptual apparatus. Role

A Foreign Policy Analysis Perspective on the Domestic Politics Turn in IR Theory

“…With the increased attention to domestic politics and decision making in IR theories, FPA is ideally situated to provide insights to further develop liberalism, constructivism, and realism. Indeed, many have started to link FPA research with each of these traditions in IR theory (for example, Walker and Schafer ; Houghton ; Ashizawa ; Clunan ; Ripsman ; Thies and Bruening ). This ad hoc supporting role is one that FPA can certainly play.…”

Between conflict management and role conflict: the EU in the Libyan crisis

“…The key promise of role theory is that it bridges agency and structure (Aggestam 2006, Cantir and Kaarbo 2012, Thies and Breuning 2012. In line with Giddens' (1984) theory of structuration, foreign policy behaviour is assumed to be shaped by reason and predisposition.…”

The Contested Selection of National Role Conceptions

“…The recent renewal of interest in foreign policy role theory has naturally led scholars to begin to revise and strengthen many of its foundational concepts (Thies 2010;Harnisch, Frank, and Maull 2011;Thies and Breuning 2012). The basic concept upon which role theory relies for its use in studies of foreign policy is the NRC.…”