Ecological Relations Towards an Inclusive Politics of the Earth

About this book

International relations (IR) traditionally theorises the social relationships between different peoples. In so doing, it ignores the ecological bases to life - the ground upon which we walk, the all-encompassing bind of nature. In the current climate of environmental degradation, international relations as a theory must in turn be altered. By broadening the term 'relations' to include this ecological framework, international relations can be approached from a changed perspective. In this book, Susan Board uses a Foucauldian model of power to expand the boundaries of international relations. She argues that 'relations' can include other people or animals, and are not exclusively between states. Such a perspective acts to denaturalise the marginalization of women, animals and indigenous peoples and hence expand the constrained discipline of IR. By rethinking international relations to put ecological foundations first, we are pushed to think and act with consideration of the long-term sustainability of the global environment; an ecological focus reminds us of our interdependence with our environment and all our neighbours. The book raises conceptual and methodological issues that go directly to the heart of current critical engagements within the discipline of IR. As such it will be of great interest to students and researchers in IR, environmental politics and political theory.

Contents

Part 1: The Exclusivity of International Relations 1. IR and International Relations 2. The Fixed Epistemology of IR 3. The Legitimating Praxis of Political Philosophy 4. The Masters of the Metaphysical Assumptions of Politicization in IR 5. The Methodology of Naturalization 6. IR and an Ecological Perspective 7. Concluding the Epistemological Exclusivity of IR Part 2: Understanding of an Ecological Perspective 8. The History of 'Ecology' 9. Ecological Perspective as Paradigm? 10. Ways of Articulating an Ecological Paradigm 11. Elusive Nature: the Difficulty of Politicizing an Ecological Paradigm 12. Re-orientating Values 13. Shall we Paddle or Dive in? Theorizing upon an Ecological Perspective 14. Conclusion Part 3: System Building and 'Game Openings': Seeking an Inclusive Attitude for Excluded Ecological Relations 15. Missing the Relations: Understanding Discourse from the Exterior or Archaeological Perspective 16. Political Rationality: Power, Knowledge, Right - Discourse 17. Power 18. Knowledge 19. Right 20. Discourse 21. The Production of the Subject 22. Finding the Relations: Genealogical Exegesis and the Hold on the Subject 23. Ethos as Prelude to Political Praxis 24. A Methodology for an Ecological Perspective of IR 25. Conclusion Part 4: Ecological Relations: the Case of Women 26. The Objectivication of Women: Life, Language and Labour 27. The Reproduction of Life 28. Language 29. Labour 30. The 'Dividing Practices' 31. Becoming a Subject 32. The Power of the Subject Part 5: Ecological Relations: the Case of Non-Human Animals 33. The Objectification of Non-Human Animals: Life, Language and Labour 34. Life 35. Language 36. Labour 37. The 'Dividing Practices' 38. Becoming a Subject 39. The Individual Animal 40. The Species of Animal 41. All Ecologically and Socially Embedded Vital Beings 42. The Power of the Subject Part 6: Ecological Relations: the Case of Indigenous Peoples 43. The Objectification of Indigenous Peoples: Life, Language and Labour 44. Life 45. Language 46. Labour 47. The 'Dividing Practices' 48. Becoming a Subject 49. The Power of the subject Conclusion: Towards an Inclusive Politics of the Earth

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