The Importance of Identity in defining the National Interest (original) (raw)
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Within the field of International Relations, the term 'national interest', has become a contested, and, as Joseph Nye put it, a 'slippery' concept, as no clear definition or meaning of it has been agreed upon by scholars (Nye, 1999). Historically, the term national interest first appeared in Italy in the late 16th century, with the publication of 'Ragion di Stato' (Reason of State) by Giovanni Botero, an Italian diplomat, who defended the right of the state to act in whatever way and by whatever means, in order to preserve and increase the power and dominion of the state. Today, both Neo-Realists and Liberal scholars have come to a consensus, albeit limited, that the national interest, at base, has to do with the security of one's state (Baldwin, 1993). More broadly speaking though, the national interest is about doing what is best for the country, i.e. preserving national sovereignty, building diplomatic relations with other states, increasing state prosperity, increasing safety and wellbeing and so on. If the national interest, or the interest of the state, which is usually defined by the government, is put into peril by another player in the anarchic system, the government will undoubtedly react, and attempt to protect or promote its interests. Both Neo-Realists and Liberal scholars, although from different perspectives, agree with this and
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This advanced module explores how an identity perspective can be useful for understanding world politics. It unpacks the concept of identity and its sources – parameters forming conceptions of Self and Other – and discusses how they shape the ontology of various actors, their behaviour and relationships. Building on the tradition of constructivist scholarship in International Relations (IR), this course has two main aims: First, to conceptually explore the different ways identities form and how this process affects socio-political life, drawing on insights from philosophy, social theory and psychology. This will introduce students to various parameters and processes of identity politics like bordering, bonding, discrimination and socialisation. Second, to discuss how these processes play out in phenomena of conflict/violence and cooperation/integration in various sites of international relations, foreign policy and nationalism. Throughout, students will be asked to also consider the ethical dimension of identity politics.
The National Interest Concept in a Globalised International System
Indonesian Journal of International Relations, 2020
Globalisation creates changes at the national level and also in the international system. The concept of state along with its national interest are challenged by globalisation process. As a significant part of foreign policy, the national interest concept needs an adjustment in this modern era. The emergence of non-state actors also contribute to the transformation of global community. The large number of states integrate in international or regional organisations cause a tension between national interest and collective interest of a state. Therefore, this article suggests that a state needs to reconsider its concept of national interest since there are many changes occur in the globalised international system. The “old ideas of national interest” proposed by realists could be irrelevant in the today’s world.