International Relations Theory and Ecological Thought Towards a Synthesis

About this book

Environmental problems are often international in scope, and a substantial body of academic work has evolved as a result, but this is the first book to bring these intrinsically related fields - international relations theory and ecophilosophy - together. This book asks what ecological crisis can teach international relations theorists, and what have they learnt up to date? What ecological perspective have governments and NGOs adopted on the global scene? Eric Laferriere and Peter J Stoett ask whether the environmental crises faced by scholars and policy makers have induced significant changes in perspective, and whether or not international politics theorists have reflected such shifts. Has the fact that environmental problems require international co-ordination affected eco philosophy? The first book to show how international relations theory relates to ecological thought, this groundbreaking book will be a point of departure for all international relations and political theorists, as well those involved with environmental politics and philosophy.

Contents

Part 1 Introduction: unearthing theoretical convergence; introduction divisions of IR theory divisions of ecological thought; an ecological reading of IR theory - some guidelines. Part 2 Ecological thought: a synopsis introduction; utilititarian ecology philosophical roots; utilitarian anti-environmentalism conservation assessment; authoritarian ecology; ecology and the Green leviathan ecofacism; Gaia and misanthropic ecology assessment; radical ecology; selected sources of radical ecological thought; deep ecology; social ecology; the status of ecosocialism; ecofeminism; Part 3 Realism and ecology: evolution of the realist worldview; addressing realist tenets; the realist ontology of conflict realism, and heirarchy realism, and homogeneity materialism, and immutability realism as reductionist epistmeology; an ecological assessment of realist tenets. Part 4 Liberal IR theory and ecology: the evolution of liberal IR theory; addressing key liberal tenets; universalism in liberal IR theory - roots liberal universalism - the contemporary literature; the utilitarian basis of order; state and technocracy in liberal thought; an ecological assessment of liberal tenets. Part 5 Critical IR theory and ecology; IR theory and global process; the normative critique of IR theory; an ecological assessment of critical IR theory; radical ecology as critical IR theory?. Part 6 Conclusion - maintaining a reluctant dialogue: summary of the book; ecology vs mainstream IR - assimilation or dialogue of the deaf?; conclusion - some thoughts on future research.

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