On World Politics

This book outlines an idea of world politics as an activity of thinking and speaking about the conditions of world order. World order is understood not as an arrangement of entities but a complex of variously situated activities conducted by individuals as members of diverse associations of their own. Within contemporary International Relations it entails a theoretical position, neotraditionalism, as a reformulation of the initial 'traditionalist' approach in the wake of rationalism and subsequent reflectivist critique.

'Alexander Astrov is a remarkable scholar who has command of two very different literatures - contemporary International Relations theory in all its variants, positivist and non-positivist, and the aesthetically-oriented political philosophy and theories of history of figures such as Collingwood and Oakeshott. In On World Politics he manages to combine these two literatures to create a fascinating study of what International Relations theory could have been and should still be. This is a fascinating and deeply rewarding book, highly recommended to political theorists of all persuasions.' - Chris Brown, Professor of International Relations, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Autorentext
ALEXANDER ASTROV is Assistant Professor in International Relations at the Central European University in Budapest. His research interests include International Relations Theory, International Political Theory, Classical Political Theory, the Scottish Enlightenment and British Idealism.

Inhalt
PART 1: PROLOGUE PART 2: ANOTHER CASE FOR THE CLASSICAL APPROACH Politics Poetry Civilization Tradition PART 3: POLITICS Contemplation and its modes The Scale of Contemplation Action Utility, Rightness, Duty Choices, Practices, Politics Politics and Poetry PART 4: POETRY The Mill-Race Action Contemplation The Dry Wall Action Contemplation Poetry and Civilization PART 5: CIVILIZATION Laws and Manners The Mill-Race The Dry Wall Policy and Politics The Mill-Race The Dry Wall Civilization and Tradition PART 6: TRADITION Word Order Policy and Politics Laws and Manners Word Politics Policy and Politics Laws and Manners Tradition and Neotraditionalism PART 7: NEOTRADITIONALISM IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Tradition Civilization Poetry Politics PART 8: EPILOGUE Notes Bibliography