Post Positivism and Theoretical Debates in International Relations

Abstract

This research deals with the problem of the failure of the positivist-rationalist theories of international relations (realism and liberalism) in predicting the end of the Cold War era and a deep understanding of the transformations that have taken place in the field of international relations. This has paved the way for the post- positivist trends, to show their influence in the fourth debate, and demonstrating their response to the challenges of the fifth debate in IR theories. Post-positivism rejected the using of the standards of proof associated with natural sciences in international relations in order to reach similar levels of interpretation, certainty and prediction. The post-positivists participated in the two last great debates of IR theories by emphasizing a number of points, the most important of which were: re-evaluation of the theories based on rational choice, review of the role and functions of theories: description, interpretation and prediction, Non-linearity as a description of contemporary international relations, and the inability of causation to explain the contemporary international relations.