understand the theory of international relations (Pt.1)

What, why, and how of a theory?
• What is theory?
– What makes an idea a “theory”?

• Why do we need theory?
– What can theories do for us?

• How should we use theory?
– What methods are appropriate to use?
– What can we learn?

What is theory ?
THI 2008: repetisi dan pola. Hipotesa dan verifikasi: teori sifatnya ilmiah, ada hipotesa dan bukt empiris, bila setelah diverifikasi lulus, maka teori itu akan sah, vice versa.
Metodologi merupakan cara yang ditempuh untuk membuktikan teori. Sebelum teori ada paradigma, yang merupakan cara kita memandang dunia, yang sebenarnya bisa dijelaskan dengan cara-cara ilmiah. Teori bukan ‘barang’-nya HI, karena awalnya digunakan oleh ilmu alam. HI sebagai ilmu muncul tahun 1919 di Skotlandia dengan tujuan awal ingin membawa perdamaian (misalnya setelah adanya Peang Dunia I)

• Definitions of theory:
– Theories explain laws which identify invariant or probable associations (Waltz) dalam hal ini berarti hukum yang bisa mengidentifikasi ‘partikel’ dalam HI
– To abstract, generalise, and to connect (Hollis and Smith),
– A tradition of speculation about relations between states (Wight),
– Using observation to test hypotheses about the world (empirical theory),
– A representation of the way the world ought to be (normative theory),
– Ideological critique of the present which opens up alternative future paths to change, freedom, and human autonomy (critical theory),
– Reflections upon the process of theorizing, including questions of epistemoogy and ontology (constitutive theory)
Mengapa ada banyak definisi? Karena itu tergantung pada pendapat orang

The role of theory
• In natural science
− Testing hypotheses, proposing causal explanations, describing events, explaining general trends and phenomenona.
– In IR, it is called as EXPLANATORY THEORY (to make better sense of the institutions, events, and processes which exist in the contemporary world).
Applicable to social science?
- Focusing on probabilities, lack of lab (the world is the lab), hard to set up “controlled experiment”, humans are not gas/molecules.
- In IR, it then leads to CONSTITUTIVE THEORY (to examine our own lenses to discover just how controlled or distorted our worldview is – concerned with the importance of human reflection on the nature and character of world politics).
Constitutive Theory lebih banyak berhubungan dengan bagaimana sebenarnya lensa atau cara pandang yang kit pakai itu mempengaruhi kenyataan. Lensa yang dapat dipakai misalnya: budaya, agama, ideologi, dll. Sedangkan Expalanatory Theory melihat realitas di luar sana (the truth is out there), sehingga kita dituntut untuk netral. Antara constitutive dan expalanatory theory memiliki terapan yang berbeda.

Why a theory
• There needs to be some preconception of which facts are significant and which are not – significance. (mana yang penting dan mana yang tidak)
• However true and significant, an event can yield different interpretations. (memberi makna/tafsiran)
• No human agent can rest content with facts alone: all social activity involves more questions, of right and wrong, and these can by definition not be decided by facts. (persoalan norma/moral)
• Theory is both analysis and synthesis (Banks).
• We all use theory to make sense to the world, either implicitly or explicitly; so to ignore the question of theory is simply stupid (Stephen Walt).
Analisa berarti memecah sesuatu menjadi bagian-bagian. Sedangkan sintesis menggabungkan bagian-bagian. Teori, memilah antara yang penting dan yang tidak, yang penting kemudian disintesakan, maka jadilah teori.

How to do a theory
• For example, (memakai) Level of Analysis.
• It is about “where do crucial things happen?”
– Individual Level (first image)
>>> Qualities of State Leadership (misalnya oleh presiden, raja, pemimpin negara)
– Domestic Level (second image)
>>> Qualities of the Domestic Political System (politik domestik—parlemen, birokrasi, dll)
– International Level (third image)
>>> Qualities of the International System (antarnegara itu sendiri)

Levels of Analysis: Individual, Domestic, and international

– Individual level: Characteristics and beliefs of political leaders misalnya karakter Soekarno yang sangat menonjol (nasionalis) pada saat konfrontasi dengan Malaysia tahun 50-an, yang menganggap Malaysia sebagai boneka dari Inggris.

Levels of Analysis: Domestic Level
– Domestic level: (corak rezim—bagaimana negara dikelola dan entitas negara itu sendiri). Misalnya dalam kasus Soekarno, saat iu beliau mengalami delegitimasi oleh TNI yang tidak menyukai kedekatan Soekarno dengan komunisme, oleh karena itu beliau memperkuat posisi dengan mengkonfrontasi Malaysia (yang disepakati oleh TNI)
– Characteristics of the political system (democracy or autocracy),
• Democracy: which party is in power?; which major lobby interests exist?; bureaucratic politics; how close are elections?
• Autocracy (Cuba, Iraq under Saddam Hussein; Libya):
• Totalitarian and Authoritarian political systems
– Level of economic development,
– Religious state?
– Ethnic conflict?

Levels of Analysis: International
• International level
– Realism: Anarchy (ketiadaan aturan bersama, damai adalah karena keseimbangan balance of power)
• Is the international system multipolar (before WW I), bipolar (after WW II), or unipolar (after 1989/91)?
• Most unstable: multipolar system
– Idealism: International Law and Norms
Neorealisme=realisme struktural, di mana negara-negara (mau perang ato damai) dipaksa oleh suatu sistem/struktur internasional. Idealisme munculnya sebelum realisme.

Why did the European Community/Union emerge?
• Individual level
– European leaders believed that integration was the only way to prevent another war and to integrate Germany (Jerman dianggap sebagai pihak pemulai perang)
– Shock of the Holocaust (pembantaian itu mengilhami negara-negara Eropa untuk tidak saling mengisolasi diri)
• Domestic level
– Intra-European trade grew and businesses began to press for lower trade barriers and economic integration
• International/Structural/Systemic level
– The United States forced European countries to integrate
– The Soviet block threatened Western Europe and became a major cause for integration

From “Levels of Analysis” to Theories
• Knowing where things happen is a step towards understanding why and how things happen.
• International relations theories tell us three things:
– Who are the main actors?
– What are those actors main motives/interests?
– What are the main causal mechanisms?