Myth and Narrative in International Politics

This book systematically exploreshow different theoretical concepts of myth can be utilised to interpretivelyexplore contemporary international politics. From the international communityto warlords, from participation to effectiveness – international politics isreplete with powerful narratives and commonly held beliefs that qualify asmyths. Rebutting the understanding of myth-as-lie, this collection of essaysunearths the ideological, naturalising, and depoliticising effect of myths.

Myth and Narrative inInternational Politics:  Interpretive Approaches to the Study of IRoffers conceptual and methodological guidance on how to make sense of differentmyth theories and how to employ them in order to explore the powerfulcollective imaginations and ambiguities that underpin international politicstoday. Further, it assembles case studies of specific myths in different fieldsof International Relations, including warfare, global governance,interventionism, development aid, and statebuilding. The findings challengeconventional assumptions in International Relations, encouraging  academics  in IR and across a range of different fieldsand disciplines, including development studies, global governance studies,strategic and military studies, intervention and statebuilding studies, andpeace and conflict studies, to rethink ideas that are widely unquestioned bypolicy and academic communities.