Worlding War as a Primary Institution of International Society

Williams, John

Abstract

Through interaction with decolonial IR this paper develops a research agenda extending recent English School (ES) work engaging a Global IR agenda. It argues recent developments in ES work that look to world history and which substantially improve ES accounts of “primary institutions” of international society can be further enhanced by decolonial concepts and methods. By focusing on war as a major primary institution of international society, and specifically Counterinsurgency and Counter-Terrorism, the paper shows how “worlding” as a decolonial approach can extend ES theory’s critical reach. Key benefits include enriching its account of political space and identifying ways to open research to perspectives and insights from marginalized populations with deep knowledge and understanding of war through lived experience. Decolonial research methods and associated distinctive ontological and epistemological claims can open ES research to additional world histories its present methods close, further invigorating the principal sociological approach to theorizing international relations.

Citation

Williams, J. (2023). Worlding War as a Primary Institution of International Society. Journal of International Political Theory, 19(1), 87-107. https://doi.org/10.1177/17550882221111195

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 14, 2022
• Online Publication Date: Aug 1, 2022
• Publication Date: 2023-02
• Deposit Date: Jun 20, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 14, 2023
• Journal: Journal of International Political Theory
• Print ISSN: 1755-0882
• Electronic ISSN: 1755-1722
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 87-107
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/17550882221111195
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1203508