European Approaches To International Relations Theory

A well-established community of American scholars has long dominated the discipline of international relations. Recently, however, certain strands of continental theorizing are being introduced into the mainstream. This is a critical examination of European approaches to international relations theory, suggesting practical ways of challenging manistream thought. Freidrichs presents a detailed sociological analysis of knowledge production in existing European IR communities, namely France, Italy and Scandinavia. He also discusses a selection of European schools and approaches. Review: In this engaging and thought-provoking book, Jorg Friedrichs makes a plea for the development of a 'Eurodiscipline' of International Relations (IR). In Friedrichs' view, such a 'Eurodiscipline' would be an effective way of counterbalancing American hegemony in IR and developing a much more pluralistic and self-reflexive approach. ...The discussion of the American hegemony in IR, as well as the French, Italian and Nordic strategies, is a delight to read - informed and informative, persuasive and with an eye for the broader connections between IR and developments in other disciplines. Indeed, this part of the book should become standard reading for anyone studying IR, supplemented by studies of the development of IR in other national contexts, including those outside Western Europe. Thomas Diez, Millennium, Volume 35.2, pp456-459