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Title: Progress in International Relations Theory: Appraising the Field (BCSIA Studies in International Security) by Colin Elman, Miriam Fendius Elman ISBN: 0-262-55041-5 Publisher: MIT Press Pub. Date: 03 January, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3 (1 review)
Rating: 3
Summary: Political Conservatism simulated as Science
Comment: This book, which will find its place in many IR graduate readings lists, is a good study of Lakatos and the Methodology of scientific research programs applied in IR theory. The idea of trying to save a theory, without discarding it- contrary to Popper's philosophy of science, was evident in Lakatos' work. Now we know that Kuhn accused this idea of philosophy of science because it was purely political- that is conservative. I mean political in the sense that not only it sides with academic conservatism but it tries in a heroic fashion to 'save the good king's head'. Everybody knows such arguments on 'saving the king's head' is political, which in return will be paid back once the king is restored to his throne. In this sense Elman and Elman try in an attempt to restore realism in international relations theory so as to get a good payback when once the supposed king is restored.
Every intellectual or member of the academic community knows that the king never sat on the throne because it was never falsifiable (The throne was never there). In this groundbreaking work Elman and Elman, and some of the other authors in respective sections, are trying to show a scientific foundation of realist theory in IR by simply employing Lakatos as the heroic founding father. In other words they are showing to 'us' (we the intellectual community/ or the people questioning the monarchy) that there is a legitimate reason for the king to be the king by simply providing us a simulation of the throne. This throne, in this work, which is transcendental and is supposed to be purely scientific is founded upon the controversial Lakatosian MSRP.
All in all this is a political work, as summed up above, but it is more than sure that it will find it's place in graduate reading lists. But let us not forget its political cry and pledge for the king: Those who serve the king will surely be paid back, be it in the form of being proclaimed as the new governor of a province in the kingdom or receiving a book prize and having a higher academic status.
But for those who remember such political scenes from history, we all know the political deal behind it...
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