Psychology and Constructivism in International Relations: An Ideational Alliance

288 Pages·2011·1.49 MB·English

by  Prof. Vaughn P. Shannon

Psychology and Constructivism in
International Relations

Psychology and Constructivism
in International Relations
an ideational alliance
edited by
Vaughn P. Shannon and
Paul A. Kowert
The University of Michigan Press
Ann Arbor
Copyright © by the University of Michigan 2012
All rights reserved
This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including
illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107
and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the
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Published in the United States of America by
The University of Michigan Press
Manufactured in the United States of America
cPrinted on acid-free paper
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A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Psychology and constructivism in international relations : an
ideational alliance / edited by Vaughn P. Shannon and Paul A.
Kowert.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn978-0-472-11799-4 (cloth : alk. paper) —
isbn 978-0-472-02781-1 (e-book)
1. International relations—Psychological aspects. 2. Group
identity—Political aspects. 3. Constructivism (Philosophy)
I. Shannon, Vaughn P. II. Kowert, Paul, 1964–
jz1253.p79 2012
327.101—dc23
2011020858
Preface
Divided by terminology and a certain mutual wariness, constructivists and
political psychologists nevertheless share an interest in many of the same
research questions. Both groups of scholars are convinced that human sub-
jectivity and social identity are central to our understanding of the politi-
cal world. Both have stressed agency and choice as a counterweight,
though not a replacement, for institutional or structural theories. And al-
though it is less widely appreciated, both make an essential contribution to
our understanding of normative constraint.
It is striking, then, how rarely constructivists and political psychologists
speak directly to one another. Constructivists have often been at pains to
stress the ways their arguments are social (and sociological) while charac-
terizing psychology as a purely individualist enterprise and ignoring devel-
opments in social psychology. For their part, political psychologists have
viewed the metatheoretical challenge of late modern and postmodern con-
structivism with suspicion, consequently deriving almost no inspiration
from constructivist scholarship. The unfortunate result has been two paral-
lel and potentially complementary research programs that scarcely bene‹t
at all, in practice, from cross-fertilization and dialogue.
This volume explores the potential for a long-overdue synthesis of re-
search in constructivism and political psychology. We have been engaged
in this dialogue for more than a decade, and we are very much heartened
to see others exploring the ties between these literatures with increasing
frequency. The contributors to this volume participated with us in panels
at the 2008 and 2009 annual meetings of the International Studies Associ-
ation, presenting theoretical and empirical research at the intersection of
psychology, constructivism, and international relations. Their voices add
to a rising chorus suggesting that constructivism and political psychology
vi preface
not only complement each other but are natural allies urging more atten-
tion to subjective or ideational concerns within the broader conversation
of international relations scholarship. There are clearly different views of
the “ideational alliance” within these pages, from those seeking to adjust a
particular constructivist or psychological argument to those seeking a
broader synthesis. We did not expect contributors to this volume necessar-
ily to agree about each point of convergence. Precisely these differences are
likely to be productive as this conversation unfolds.
From its inspiration to its realization, this book was made possible
through the generous help and counsel of many people. Both of the editors
owe a particular debt to the unique community of scholars at Ohio State
University, where Shannon was a doctoral student and Kowert held a post-
doctoral fellowship. Some members of this community (Margaret Her-
mann and Richard Ned Lebow, for example) no longer call Columbus
home, while others (Richard Herrmann and Ted Hopf) remain. Collec-
tively, however, they have provided exceptional training to a generation of
students interested in many of the issues on which this book focuses. We
consider ourselves fortunate to have been a part of this unique intellectual
environment.
We particularly thank Marijke Breuning (also a part of the Invisible Col-
lege of Political Psychology based at the Ohio State University’s Mershon
Center) and Richard Herrmann for conversations and comments that pro-
vided early inspiration for this book project. At the 2008 and 2009 ISA con-
ference panels organized as part of this project, David Brule, Spyridon
Kotsovilis, and Alex Mintz offered illuminating comments and suggestions.
Rose McDermott and Anthony Lopez perform a similar service by con-
tributing an essay to this volume that re›ects critically on the other chap-
ters and on the whole. And anonymous reviewers from the University of
Michigan Press pushed us to re‹ne and clarify the collective and individual
efforts of the project, saving us from many errors along the way.
During the 2008–9 academic year, the Fulbright Program provided sup-
port—and Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, provided a congenial envi-
ronment—for Kowert to continue work on this project. As we prepared the
manuscript for print, Melody Herr at the University of Michigan Press not
only believed in our vision but also fought to make it a reality while en-
couraging us along the way. Wright State graduate assistant Charlene Pres -
ton was immensely helpful in compiling and formatting the bibliography.
preface vii
Finally, as usual, our families suffered for our editorial sins—chief among
them our inability to complete each step more quickly and with fewer dis-
ruptions to their lives. We are in their debt.
Vaughn Shannon
Dayton, Ohio
Paul Kowert
Miami, Florida

Contents
Introduction: Ideational Allies—Psychology, Constructivism,
and International Relations 1
Vaughn P. Shannon
1.Completing the Ideational Triangle: Identity, Choice, and
Obligation in International Relations 30
Paul A. Kowert
part i. identity and the construction of agents
2.How Identities Form and Change: Supplementing
Constructivism with Social Psychology 57
Deborah Welch Larson
3.Norms and the Management of Identities: The Case for
Engagement between Constructivism and the Social
Identity Approach 76
Jodie Anstee
4.Identity and Decision Making: Toward a Collaborative
Approach to State Action 92
Asli Ilgit and Binnur Ozkececi-Taner
part ii. beliefs and the construction of choices
5.Re-Constructing Development Assistance: Analogies, Ideas,
and Norms at the Dawn of the New Millennium 119
Marijke Breuning