Social Theory of International Politics (Cambridge Studies in International Relations, Series Number 67)

This book was very crucial for the development of my own theory work and my research, I wouldn't have gotten far without it (especially given the whole merging it with other theories to make a new lens). Anyway I highly encourage this book for anyone in IR or Political Science or some other field for any level of education. It's a quality read and very interesting. I even got to speak briefly with the author via email, quite a nice individual and treated me with respect and overall good interactions. Good book great author, highly recommend for students interested in Theory!

This is an important book of constructivism. The good things are that: (1) Wendt seeks to find some common ground for radical criticism and mainstream scientific rationalism, so the book is not typically something that topples your common sense. (2) Wendt provides a nice summary himself to make his points clear. (3) He indeed has some good points about how perception works in international politics.

Already one of the classic works on the theory of international relations.

It's an important work on IR and a "standard on graduate reading lists", as Keohane recommended it. But as a Professor of IR Theories, I always find it difficult for my students to read and have to summarize it for them, then risk to oversimplify it, beaucause the Wendt's approach is too philosophical. A must-read difficult to read! There is still a small problem: its cover start to degrade over around a half of year of (normal, not intensive) use. It's obvious that the material quality of the book isn't paid enough attention to, perhaps because the constructivism Wendt took is idealistic!

I got it for a class, but the book was actually very interesting

Great!

Great

Alexander Wendt's "Social Theory of International Politics" is probably the most important book for the field of International Relations since Keohane's "After Hegemony." For that reason alone it is worth the read. In the early chapters Went carefully justifies his epistemology and examines if his constructivist theory really is "ideas all the way down." Later, he includes his view of the role of institutions, peace and conflict, and change within the international system. It is a comprehensive view of the constructivist ideology. Although I believe Wendt's discussion of institutional change is probably the weakest part of the book, it is still an overall compelling and engaging argument.

Socia Theory is the founding text of Construcivism in International Relations. A fundamental text for understanding international politics, rich in clarity and examples

Wendts Werk gehört mittlerweile zum Standard in den Internationalen Beziehungen, und das mit Recht. Es ist sehr schlüssig geschrieben und erarbeitet von Grund auf seine Theorie des Konstruktivismus. Dieses Buch ist für politikwissenschaftliche Verhältnisse eher philosophisch, ohne dabei nur für studierte Philosophen verständlich zu sein.

国際関係論におけるコンストラクティヴィズムの理論枠組み構築を試みた本です。 本書はコンストラクティヴィズムの文献として最も受け容れられたものの一つとなっているようですが、本書が理論としてどれほど成功しているかはかなり疑わしいものがあるように思われます。従来の国際関係論の基礎となっている考え方に対して、基本的な面で異なるような現代の哲学・社会学を多く参照してはいますが、実際には両者の間を行き交おうとして、両者を折衷したというより同じところに詰め込んだという感じで、レヴュアーの能力不足もあるのでしょうが、結局は従来的な理論の延長にあるようで、時々それを超えている面もあるようなよく分からないことになっているという印象です。 また、仮にそうした点を許容するとしても、理論の具体的な仕組み自体、扱われているアイデンティティーなどの要素が理論メカニズムの中でどう作用しているのかは不明確です。おそらく本書は、この枠組み自体を具体的な分析に適用していくよりも、批判的に検討していくべきものではないかと思います。その点では、本書は量的な面から見て豊富な材料を提供しており、出発点・批判対象として意味を持つでしょうし、また、何にしても、国際関係論の中でこうした哲学的な書をある程度普及させたことには意義があるかもしれません。