Critical Theory and International Relations

Critical theory is one of the most important and exciting areas within the study of international relations. Its purpose is not only to describe how the world operates but also to help us imagine how things might be different and how we might achieve a more equitable and sustainable way of life. This book provides a cutting-edge introduction to the field.

Presenting key concepts and thinkers, the book suggests how critique can help us confront the challenges of the twenty-first century. It evaluates the foundations on which critical theory has been built and illustrates how ideas that developed outside of international relations theory have been adopted and adapted within the discipline. The book focuses on essential questions for the critical project: what can we know, how does power operate and how should we live? It draws on recent developments in philosophy and on posthumanism as an area of study that can provide a critique of western thought.

As the human species confronts mounting international tensions and the ongoing climate crisis, this book argues for a new direction for critical theory in international relations, one that engages with thinking outside of the western tradition.