Realist Avenues to Global International Relations

Realism has long been criticized by global international relations (IR), but it can contribute in improving explanations of international relations. Global IR criticizes that realism supposedly applies universally, sidelines non-Western perspectives, and misunderstands much of foreign policy, grand strategy, and international affairs. However, there’s a recent variant of realism that can contribute to a more global understanding of international relations: neoclassical realism (NCR), which allows for contextualization and historicization of drivers of state behavior. Already, it has been used to engage in global questions and cases, perspectives and scholarship. The authors in this article argue that exploring new avenues to explain international relations is a prerequisite for developing a more global IR.