Thucydides the Constructivist

Abstract

T he most superficial level of Thucydides' history examines the destructive consequences of domestic and foreign policies framed outside the language of justice. His deeper political-philosophical aim was to explore the relationship between nomos (convention) and phusis (nature) and its implications for civilization. Thucydides concludes that nomos constructs identities and channels and restrains the behavior of individuals and societies. Speech and reason (logos) in turn make nomos possible because all conventions depend on shared meanings. The feedback loop between logoi (words) and ergoi (deeds) created Greek civilization but also the international and civil strife (stasis) associated with the Peloponnesian War. International security and civil order depend upon recovering the meanings of words and the conventions they enable. Thucydides should properly be considered a constructivist.

Realist Constructivism

“…Self-proclaimed constructivists often have (or at least are seen to have) worldviews that fall within liberalism, broadly defined, and often accept that categorization. Moreover, some recent constructivist theorizing argues explicitly that constructivism and realism are logically incompatible (for example , Wendt 1999;Patomäki and Wight 2000) or, at least, antagonistic (Lebow 2001). International relations pedagogy is also increasingly defining realism and constructivism as being categorically distinct, as witnessed by the increasing tendency in IR textbooks, even at the introductory level, to define realism and constructivism as two of three or more distinct paradigms in the field (for example, Hughes 2000; Kegley and Wittkopf 2001;Lieber 2001).…”

Bridging the Gap: Toward A Realist-Constructivist Dialogue

“…By stepping back from stereotypes, we can discover ways in which these approaches can contribute in synergistic ways to the study of international relations. An analysis of Thucydides (Lebow 2001) prompted this conclusion, as did a more recent book (Lebow 2003) that resurrects the wisdom of classical realism through readings of Thucydides, Carl von Clausewitz, and Hans J. Morgenthau. All three realists were interested in questions that are often considered the preserve of constructivists; all three maintained that identities and values were more important determinants of policy than the constraints and opportunities of the external environment.…”

Thucydides and Modern Realism

“… 1 Examples of this “cottage industry” include Garst (1989), Ahrensdorf (1997), Lebow (2001), and Thomas (2005). …”