Theory as a Hermeneutical Mechanism: The Democratic-Peace Thesis and the Politics of Democratization

Abstract

This article seeks to explain the influence of the democratic-peace thesis on politics by offering a new understanding of theory: as a hermeneutical mechanism of attaching meaning to political concepts. The hermeneutical mechanism is understood as a three-stage model in which theoretical constructions transform into public conventions and then into political convictions. By using discourse-tracing—analyzing the process in which the theoretical discourse was transformed into political discourse—the article explores two case studies in which the democratic-peace thesis played a political role: the Israeli Right and its criticism of the Oslo accords, and the American neoconservatives and their policies in the Middle East. En route, I will apply Antonio Gramsci’s theory of hegemony to reconstruct constructivism from a purely social theory to a sociopolitical theory that considers seriously the political dimension of social reality. The model that is developed here advances our metatheoretical understanding of theory as offering a holistic understanding of reality, rather than a mere limited explanation of specific phenomena; highlights theory’s involvement in real-world politics; and emphasizes theory’s political capital, with the resulting moral responsibility of theoreticians.

From Democratic Peace to Democratic Distinctiveness: A Critique of Democratic Exceptionalism in Peace and Conflict Studies

“…However, the use of the Democratic Peace as a legitimating strategy for the Iraq war caused embarrassment in the Democratic Peace community (cf. Owen 2005;Russett 2005) and triggered a debate on scholarly responsibility (Ish-Shalom 2006). We will come back to this issue in the conclusion of our paper in more detail.…”

“…This caveat has up to date not been adequately heeded (cf. also Ish-Shalom 2006). In addition, most research is disinterested in current debates on the gradual erosion of democratic conditions and principles through processes of globalization and the internationalization of politics.…”

“…After the end of the Cold War, consecutive US administrations have made the promotion of democracy a key strategy of their foreign policy. Democratic peace theory has become democratic practice, with explicit references to scholarly writings by politicians (Grayson 2003;Ish-Shalom 2006;Büger/Villumsen 2007). As far as democracies promote the spread of their regime type by peaceful means, one might not want to object too heavily against this foreign policy strategy, but things look quite different if the "democratic peace" is used as legitimating cover for democratization by war (cf.…”

“…Just as the Democratic Peace lent dubious legitimacy to interventionist security doctrines (cf. Ish-Shalom 2006;Desch 2007/8), the democratic turn in institutional peace analysis may attribute legitimacy to military interventions that, like the Kosovo campaign in 1999, lacks a clear basis in international law but enjoys the support of (most) democracies and of the international institutions they have formed. We will elaborate on this point in the conclusion of this paper.…”

International relations in China and Europe: the case for interregional dialogue in a hegemonic discipline

“…Another strand of research identifies with 'constructivism', not necessarily mainstream 'middle-ground' constructivism, but a multitude of works ranging from social psychology, emotions and affect through Gramscian hegemony theory to studies of coercive rhetoric (Flockhart 2006;Ross 2006;Ish-Shalom 2006;Krebs and Jackson 2007;Lipson 2007). The most cited EJIR articles differ in numerous and important ways and the point is not to homogenize them under the 'European constructivism' or 'reflectivism' straitjacket-such a label would do as little justice to their nuances as would 'Chinese School' to CJIP articles.…”