One should be aware that there is a wide range of different perspectives in international relations, which allow people to understand and look at the major issues from varying angles. In addition, they are critical to deepen and broaden the overall appreciation for the complexity of the field because each of these theories asks a unique set of questions. For instance, constructivism is a claim on the notion of all components of politics, including international relations, are socially and historically constructed. It is a set of collective beliefs, which builds an agreement, where groups adhere to these concepts (Soomo Publishing, 2011). In addition, there are inequality-based views, such as Marxism and feminism, where the main premise is based on class and gender inequality. According to Marxists, the entire history of humanity is a struggle between the wealthy class and the poor one.
However, in the case of feminists, the majority of the world’s problems are the results of men’s dominance and patriarchy. It is stated that such an approach promotes war and violence, and another issue of the given theory is that its efforts cannot be easily observed (Pettman, 2004). For example, feminists made an array of contributions during the post-9/11 period, but their accomplishments were unrecognized by the public (Pettman, 2004). Therefore, the feminist view also plays a central role in facilitating a more improved understanding of international relations. Each alternative theory addresses the problems differently due to the nature of their questions and perspectives being widely varying. Thus, one should strive to learn and fully comprehend the basis of their connotations to have a multifaceted understanding of the field, which will be vital in deriving the key points of strength or weakness.
References
Pettman, J. J. (2004). Feminist international relations after 9/11. Brown Journal of World Affairs, 10(2), 85-96.
Soomo Publishing. (2011). Theory in action: Constructivism [Video]. YouTube. Web.