How is war understood in the Realist theoretical tradition - Outline Example

It is established in this analysis that the Realist theoretical tradition has been the most pertinent theoretical perspective on the subject of war and conflict in the post-Cold War order in the world. Realism is one of the most important positivist theories which focus on state security and power Introduction The end of Cold War brought about an inevitable focus on the concept of war and conflict in the study of international relations and several significant theoretical perspectives emerged.

It is essential to realize that the realist, liberal, and radical traditions have been the most significant theoretical perspectives dealing with war and conflict in the international relations theory. Significantly, the realist theoretical tradition of war maintains that there is an enduring propensity for conflict between states in the international relations, whereas the liberal theoretical tradition identifies various ways to alleviate the conflictive tendencies and the radical theoretical tradition emphasizes on the of transformation of the entire system of state relations.

As Little and Smith (2006) maintain, the realist theoretical tradition was the most dominant theoretical perspective all through the Cold War. . ures of the American-Soviet rivalry.”1 It is pertinent to establish that state security and power above other states are the essential components of the realist theoretical tradition regarding war and conflict. Significantly, realism is not a single theory and it has several classifications which evolved considerably during the Cold War period. In an examination of how war is understood in the realist theoretical tradition, it becomes evident that the intellectual construct called ‘realism’ focuses on international anarchy, insecurity, and the state, and it provides an effective way to deal with the contemporary world politics.

As it remains the overriding paradigm in the study of international relations, it is fundamental to analyze how the realist theoretical tradition explains war. Significantly, the realist theoretical tradition relies heavily on the structure of the international system or the distribution of power as the major element in explaining foreign policies and international outcomes. “If realism provides a worthwhile explanatory framework, then propositions derived from it should yield insights about state strategies and behavior in light of this shift in the global distribution of power… Realism remains a powerful and valuable explanatory framework, the end of the Cold War notwithstanding.

”2 Therefore, it is important to recognize that the role of the realist theoretical tradition remains unquestioned even in the contemporary international relations and world politics, and an analysis of the realist interpretation of the concept of war is most warranted. Scope of the Study In a world threatened by the realities of war in spite of the existence of several theoretical frameworks for international relations, it is fundamental to be aware of the