importance of theory in international relations

1. ASSINGMENT
NAME ; TAHA AMIR.
SUBMITTED TO,
DR. NAVEED QAISER.
BS-DSS 1ST
SEMESTER EVENING .
COURSE CODE; SPIR100.
TOPIC; IMPORTANCE OF THEORY IN IR.
INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC:
Importanceof theory in international relationsisa very interesting topic to
discuss because it is basic and first key concept through which we get to know
what is international relations? what isthe methodology of understanding and
learning internationalrelations? So, as we know that thedisciplineof
international relationsisbased upon or we can say that is build upon various
theory and theories. We discuss, learn and debate international relationson the
basis of theories. So, this was a littleor you can say my acknowledgement to

2. thistopic. So in order to elaboratethistopic I will discuss firstly that what is
theory? What is the concept of theory? And howit play itsrole in international
relations.
CONCEPT OF THEORY:
Theory is a set of principleson which practiceof an activity, disciplineand
subject is based. We can also say that theory is an ideology, idea or sometimes it
is also known as a doctrine.
The process of forming theory is known as theorizing.
Katharina Glaab (2018) sharesthat theorizing isa process of abstraction.
According to her it is critical and coherent thinking and way of sorting
information.
WHY WE NEED THEORIES?
We need theoriesto organizeknowledgegained based on experienceand
observations, to test hypothesisand to construct newknowledgeand
framework.

3. IMPORTANCE OF THEORY IN
IR/ROLE/SINGNIFICANCE/PURPOSE:
In order to explain theimportanceof theory in IR I will first elaboratethat what
IR theory is?
IR THEORY:
IR theory, at its core, is about making sense of complexity.
Now what is thismaking sense of complexity?
now above I have placed a picture. If now I ask an individual that what is
happening in thepicture? So, as you can see that thereis no context in the
picture. So, what will an individual do? Howwill he explain thispictureto me?
The individual will start to deploy some basic framework of thinking and will
utilizesome basic assumptions and will try to make some sense of it.
So, theory in international relationsisvery similar. IR theory at its coreis the
reason why we rely so heavily on the theory is that international relationsand
study internationalrelationsforcesus to make sense of complexity. Thereare

4. lotsof variables, there area lot of complex thingswhich are happening and we
are trying to make sense why those thingsare happening.
A very famous formulation of theory in IR is offered by a scholar named as
(James Roseau) he said that:
“to thinktheoretically onemust be predisposed to ask about every event , every
situation, or every observed phenomena, ‘of what is thisan instance?’”
So, we know that what’sgoing on in international relationsisnot a single
occurrenceso, if we see a specific event or specific thing that happens, it is not
just one kind of specific event, that is totally random, it isa part of pattern and
thereare particularly other examplesin past history in which that thing is
happened before. So, we are not looking at a war but we are looking at a civil
war, we are not looking at a civil war but we are looking at a particular typeof
civil war and a particular region in theworld with particular set of causes right,
and then once we place that event that concreteobservation in a broader set of
patterns, we have better purchaseon trying to understand why it happened and
to predict howit might turn out or what the eventual outcomemight be, so this
is a question you should be asking yourself if we are discussing current affairs
then we are just concerned about you know what is going on in the world or
happeningsin the world, then simply observing and describing what is
happening in theworld might be enough but we want to go deeper, we want to
thinkabout causes and we want to thinkabout patternsand relationshipsand
the variablesthat cause theworld to look how it looks. So, we should always
ask this question to our self that what is thisinstance? What broader pattern
does this fall under what types of structural explanationsor behavioral
explanationsdrivea certain set of outcomes?

5. IMPORTANCEOF THEORY IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN LIGHT OF SOME
FAMOUS AUTHORS:
Guzzini (2001) presentstwo argumentson significanceof theories in
international relations;
 Logical ‘no empirical analysisis without theoretical assumptions, without
a framework of analysis’ and ‘theory is the condition for thepossibility of
knowledge’
 Educational ‘making futurepractitionersand observersawareof the
constitutivefunction of theoriesfulfilsthecrucial roleof a more time-
independent intellectual education’.

6. Waltz (1979) arguesthat theoriesarecollection or set of laws pertaining
to particular behavioror phenomenon. Being more specific to
international relation theories, waltz elaboratethat theoriesexplain the
law of internationalpolitics or recurring patternsof state’s Behavior.

7. Hollisand smith (1990) believethat theoriesattempt either to explain and
predict Behavior or to understand the world. ‘theories criticizeformsof
domination and perspectives, they reflect on how world ought to be
organized and it also reflect on the process of theorizing itself;they
analyzeepistemological claimsabout human beingsknow the world and
ontological claimsabout what theworld ultimately consistsof’.
Some other major objectivesof theorizing in international relationsisalso
to examineintermittent and ongoing debateswithin IR.
Jackson and Sorensen (2010), statethat ‘therehave been threemajor
debates since IR became an academic subject at the end of the first world
war and we arenow in early stages of a fourth’. According to them, the
first major debate was between utopian liberalismand realism;the
second between traditional approachesand behaviouralism;thethird
between neorealism/neoliberalismand neo- Marxismand the emerging
fourth debateis between established traditionsand post-positivists
alternatives. Arethosetheoriesonly for debates in academia or arethey
significantly useful in real world as well? No, international theoriesare
not only for academic discourse, but essential to understand the real
world.

8. PURPOSEAND IMPORTANCEOF THEORY IN IR;
 It gives us a sense of what dimensionsof international interaction are
worthy of our attention.
 It gives us a sense of what actorsaremost likely to shape events and
outcomes.
 It makes claims about thecharacter of international interaction.
 It enableus to analyze, predict, and take action amidst uncertainty and
complexity.
Theories help us to understand internationalpolitics, world order, global
issues.
They are significantly important in thereal world to organizeknowledge
obtained fromexperienceand observations, to test hypothesis, construct
new knowledge and frameworks and analyzeand predict behavior of
state and other actors.

9. For example, country A,B and C are neighboring countries. Country A is
massively investing on building military capabilities, expanding hegemony
in theregional politics, and using different means of power in order to
maximizepower and influencein neighboring countries’ internal politics.
MeanwhilecountriesB and C can recognizethebehavior of country A.
International theory help themto explain and understand statebehavior
And predict thefutureif country A continuously working for power
maximization. International relation theories suggest that country A’s
activitiesmatch with thebasic features of offensive realism.
Analyzing thebehavior of country A, neighboring countriescan make their
own strategy whether to take defensive approachesand maximize
security or be offensiveand start to develop military capabilitiesand be
ready for any forthcoming hostile situation or chooseother liberal
approachesand harmonizerelationship through internationalinstitutions,
and trade. Being based on international theoriesand availableresources,
capabilities, and instruments, country B and C can make their policiesand
implement for their existence in the region.
CONCLUSION;
Therefore, internationalrelationstheoriesaresignificantly important in
the real world.
To sum up, theorizing in internationalrelationshasboth academic
purpose and practically useful significancein thereal world.
So, I thinktheabove pointswhich I have discussed above arenot enough
to explain theimportanceof theory in IR but they are valid according to
thisplatform.
So, we know that discussionsand debates on this topic could not end, but
that’sfor all. Sir, I hope you will enjoy reading and studying it.
Thank you very much.