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Theory and method

What are the key questions related to theory and method?
Publications
Publications
Chapter

Inter-governmentality: A framework for analysis

This chapter explores the analytical purchase of the governmentality-framework when applied to interactions between polities before the early modern period, what I refer to as inter-governmentality. Starting from the assumptions that: (1) governmentality (historically understood) was always entangled with globality and (2) that governmentality (heuristically understood) can be studied in polities other than the modern state, the chapter establishes a heuristic analytical apparatus for the study of the relation between non-state governmental apparatuses. By being explicitly analytical, the conceptual vocabulary of governmentality allows us to make sense of logics and practices of government across time and space, without assuming sameness. The conceptual apparatus of inter-governmentality (or the analytics of government) provides three clear and interrelated benefits. First, and most importantly, it provides an explicitly analytical framework to the academic subfield of Historical International Relations where the distinction between analytical and practical concepts is central, but often hard to get around. Second, it can direct attention at overlooked issues, such as gift-giving and marriage practices, and help bring meaning to practices which do not make sense to the modern eye. Third, it offers potential coherence to already ongoing research, by suggesting an overarching and integrative analytical framework.

  • Historical IR
  • Historical IR
Paul  Beaumont
Researchers

Paul Beaumont

Senior Research Fellow

Paul Beaumont holds a Ph.D. in International Relations/International Environmental Studies and Development from the Norwegian University of Life S...

  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South and Central America
  • The Arctic
  • The Nordic countries
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Nationalism
  • Oceans
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • The EU
  • Historical IR
  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • North America
  • South and Central America
  • The Arctic
  • The Nordic countries
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Conflict
  • Nationalism
  • Oceans
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • The EU
  • Historical IR
Lucas de Oliveira Paes
Researchers

Lucas de Oliveira Paes

Senior Research Fellow

Lucas de Oliveira Paes is a Senior Research Fellow and a post-doctoral researcher in the Research group on Russia, Asia and international trade at...

  • Globalisation
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • South and Central America
  • Climate
  • International organizations
  • Historical IR
  • Comparative methods
  • Globalisation
  • Regional integration
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • South and Central America
  • Climate
  • International organizations
  • Historical IR
  • Comparative methods
Cristiana  Maglia
Researchers

Cristiana Maglia

Senior Research Fellow

Cristiana Maglia is a senior research fellow at NUPI. She is currently the post-doctoral researcher of the project Ad hoc crisis response and inte...

  • Regional integration
  • South and Central America
  • Nationalism
  • Governance
  • Comparative methods
  • Regional integration
  • South and Central America
  • Nationalism
  • Governance
  • Comparative methods
Publications
Publications
Scientific article

Arjun Chowdhury, The myth of international order: why weak states persist and alternatives to the state fade away

A book review of Arjun Chowdhury's 'The Myth of International Order'.

  • Historical IR
  • Historical IR
Publications
Publications
Book

The Fight Over Freedom in 20th- and 21st-Century International Discourse Moments of ‘self-determination’

This book shows how international discourse citing ‘self-determination’ over the last hundred years has functioned as a battleground between two ideas of freedom: a ‘radical’ idea of freedom, and a ‘liberal-conservative’ idea of freedom. The book offers new insights into the historical times in which ‘self-determination’ was prominently cited internationally since the early 20th century; it also offers a recasting and renewal of international debates on freedom in international discourse.

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Nationalism
  • Human rights
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Historical IR
  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign policy
  • Nationalism
  • Human rights
  • International organizations
  • United Nations
  • Historical IR
Publications
Publications
Book

Hva er Internasjonal Politikk

The term international politics is used both for events and processes in the world around us - and for the study of these. The subject covers obvious topics such as war, trade and diplomacy, but it also deals with more everyday phenomena such as tourism, immigration and how individuals are affected by globalization. This book presents the most important perspectives, theories and debates within the subject. It aims to make the reader more curious and better equipped to reflect on both contemporary and historical international political events.

  • Historical IR
  • Historical IR
Publications
Publications
Book

Utenrikspolitikkens opprinnelse

In this book, Halvard Leira deals with how Norwegian foreign policy originated. He shows that foreign policy is a relatively new phenomenon and that its origins must be sought in the field of tension between royal power and popular power in the second half of the 19th century. The way this happened in Norway at the end of the 19th century had a lasting effect on how people thought about foreign policy in Norway after independence in 1905, and thus on the long lines of Norwegian foreign policy. Leira takes the reader from Norse times to the Danish-led whole state's rule in the 18th century and on to the 19th century, where boundaries were drawn between the affairs of society and the the Storting on one hand, and matters that were the prerogative of the monarchy on the other. Between 1850 and 1880, questions of war and peace became central. From 1880 until the dissolution of the union, it was about how foreign policy should be controlled by the people, and that it should ideally be abolished. Leira draws lines from history up to today's foreign policy discourse, where popular participation is still in a state of tension with the primacy of the executive branch and an extensive secrecy.

  • Foreign policy
  • Historical IR
  • Foreign policy
  • Historical IR
Mathilde Tomine Eriksdatter Giske
Researchers

Mathilde Tomine Eriksdatter Giske

Junior Research Fellow (part time)

Mathilde Tomine Eriksdatter Giske is a Junior Research Fellow in the Research group on Security on Defence, working on the «Re-Engaging with Neigh...

  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Regional integration
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • Nation-building
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • The EU
  • Comparative methods
  • Defence
  • Security policy
  • Regional integration
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • Russia and Eurasia
  • Nation-building
  • Governance
  • International organizations
  • The EU
  • Comparative methods
Articles
New research
Articles
New research

The PREVEX project officially launched in Brussels

Why are some communities more likely to experience violent extremism than others? 

  • Terrorism and extremism
  • The Middle East and North Africa
  • Africa
  • Conflict
  • Insurgencies
  • The EU
  • Comparative methods
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