Tragedy, Politics and Political Science

Lebow, Richard Ned

doi:10.1177/0047117805055410

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“…While perpetual peace is not to be expected, Morgenthau does not necessarily argue that men are endlessly condemned to repeat past mistakes. In fact, it is essential for man to be aware of the tragic nature of politics in order to learn how to mitigate it (Lebow 2005:333). In particular, such knowledge constitutes the best antidote against hubris, which always ends up in murderous ideological crusades in an attempt to impose one’s values upon others.…”

Section: Hans Morgenthau On Politics Ethics and The Future Of Internmentioning

What Lies Ahead: Classical Realism on the Future of International Relations

Cozette

2008

International Studies Review

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Realism contends that politics is a struggle for power and/or survival, and consequently depicts international politics as a realm of recurrent conflicts among states with very little prospect for change. It is therefore not traditionally regarded as an approach which entertains an idea of progress. E.H Carr famously rejected “pure realism” as an untenable position precisely because it fails to provide “a ground for action,” and advocated finding a delicate balance between realism and utopia, as meaningful political action must include both. While realism certainly entails a degree of pessimism, it is far fetched to claim that realist scholars are radically sceptical about the future of international relations. The article investigates Hans Morgenthau and Raymond Aron, two leading classical realist scholars, and argues that neither advocated a strict version of power politics. On the contrary, they both attempted to find the balance Carr suggested between realist concerns and ideals necessary to spur political action. Both were also very aware of the dangers of nihilism, and upheld hope in the future of humankind, even if this hope remains tempered by pessimism as to whether it will ever realize its destiny.

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Section: Hans Morgenthau On Politics Ethics and The Future Of Internmentioning

What Lies Ahead: Classical Realism on the Future of International Relations

Cozette

2008

International Studies Review

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“…figure prominently.Richard NedLebow (2005) situates his position close to Frost's. He, too, considers tragedy central to international relations: the potential for tragedy is omnipresent and powerful leaders, especially, may succumb to hubris, forget their limitations and become blind to risks.Lebow argues that both Thucydides and Morgenthau combined sensitivity to the causes and consequences of tragedy with a belief in progress, however strongly tempered.…”

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Comparing IR plots: dismal tragedies, exuberant romances, hopeful comedies and cynical satires

Kuusisto

2017

Int Polit

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In a world where convincing explanations take narrative form, IR theories, too, resort to the basic plot alternatives of tragedy, romance, comedy and irony/satire. While the tendency to view the human condition as tragic pertains especially to the so-called realist school, romantic IR storytellers dwell, for example, among liberals, Marxists and peace researchers. This paper focuses on the lesser analyzed plots of comedy and irony/satire, finding comic traces in normative, constructivist and critical IR research, and the ironic/satiric mood in poststructural studies. Using the criteria of nonviolence, flexibility, self-reflection and innovativeness, the paper evaluates the relative merits and downsides of the different plots, and takes a stand in favor of comic IR theories. The paper argues that comic theories are best equipped to come up with novel solutions to grave world political problems. Mildly hopeful comedies steer clear of tragic despair, exuberant romantic optimism and satiric cynicism. International relationsboth in theory and practiceoften seem chaotic enough: events are difficult to explain afterwards, let alone to predict beforehand, and contradictory interpretations abound. As individual happenings, international relations, as any other human activity, would be incomprehensible. As part of a story though, we can bring some order and meaning into the chaos, and as various stories we can at least compare the competing explanatory bids. Stories turn mere motion into purposeful action, physical movement into something symbolically communicable. In narratives about international relations, state actors often have clear roles and moves are usually made for a reason. What might appear as random bustle is transformed into clear-cut endeavours with beginnings and endings. This paper studies different plot structures used in framing international relations in scholarly discourses. First, attention is given to the role of the narrative in general and the basic plot alternatives. Then, choices explicitly made and discussed in IR researchnamely, references

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Tragedy, Politics and Political Science

What Lies Ahead: Classical Realism on the Future of International Relations

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What Lies Ahead: Classical Realism on the Future of International Relations

Comparing IR plots: dismal tragedies, exuberant romances, hopeful comedies and cynical satires

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