Topic

Post-Positivism in Studying International Relations and Politics

Instructions

Discuss the role of Post-Positivism in Studying International Relations and Politics.

Answer preview

The approach to International Relations (IR) is often a subject of ontological and epistemological discussions. As Puchala (2013) states, positivism is the mainstream method of studying IR. Positivism holds that ‘genuine’ knowledge of a subject results from experiences of phenomena in its natural settings, it constructs and relations (Caldwell, 2015). This knowledge is interpreted through a sense of logic and reason. Positivists argue that an independent relationship exists between the investigator and the subject of investigation (Manjikian, 2013). However, this approach is critiqued by post-positivists who pursue more objectivity.

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