Interpreting International Politics

Cecelia Lynch is a professor in the department of political science at the University of California, Irvine. She is one of the original members of the "Methods Cafes" at the American Political Science Association, a forum for discussing interpretive methodologies and acted as a faculty mentor at the NSF-funded Interpretive Methods and Methodologies workshop. Lynch is the author of the award-winning book, Beyond Appeasement: Interpreting Interwar Peace Movements in World Politics, and co-editor of Law and Moral Action in World Politics and On Rules, Politics and Knowledge: Friedrich Kratochwil, International Relations, and Domestic Affairs.

"A major triumph—and an essential text. Lynch not only demystifies interpretivism and illuminates its longstanding presence in IR and contributions across the discipline’s subfields, but also presents original–and urgently needed–work on race and religion in international politics. The text’s exceptional clarity and accessibility will please students, facilitate teaching, and impress scholars; hence, a welcome and timely addition to IR."—V. Spike Peterson, University of Arizona"This impressive book comprehensively surveys the contribution interpretive scholarship has made to the discipline of International Relations. Furthermore, it critically evaluates how a range of interpretivist concerns have been pushing forward the boundaries of our theoretical, conceptual, and empirical knowledge across a range of IR's established and emerging subfields."—Oliver Daddow, University of Leicester"In Interpreting International Politics, Cecelia Lynch compellingly illustrates the intellectual and political importance of interpretivism in all areas of International Relations (IR) while documenting both the longstanding and the contemporary achievements of interpretivist IR. This excellent volume is a ‘must read’ both for those teaching and studying interpretivist IR and for those conducting interpretivist IR research."—Jutta Weldes, University of Bristol"The book provides the validation that comes with decades of interpretive interventions in IR, showing that there is a distinct interpretive tradition in IR. It empowers researchers to locate their own work in that tradition and to respond to those who remain skeptical of the legitimacy, rigor or purpose of interpretivism. Lynch’s clarion call should inspire scholars to continue the rich tradition of interpreting international politics."—Deepa Prakash, International Journal of Feminist Politics

• Introduction 1. Interpretive Concepts, Goals and Processes in International Relations 2. Interpreting International Security 3. Interpreting International Political Economy 4. Interpreting International Organization and Law 5. Race, Religion, Histories and Futures of International Relations. Concluding Thoughts: Politics and Engagement in International Relations.