Dougherty, James E. and Pfaltzgraff, Robert L., Jr. Contending
Theories of International Ralations. Philadelphia: J. B.
Lippincott Company, 1971. Chapter 1.
This chapter reviews theoretical approaches to international relations. The authors' premise is that a review of existing theories will improve understanding. The "utopian" and "realist" schools of thought are compared and contrasted, and the historical shift from idealism to realism after World War II is discussed.
An approach for developing a systematic theory is proposed. The authors stress the need to clarify what it being studied, to determine the level of analysis, examine the relationship between theory and practice, and to clarify what is expected from theory. When developing theory, there is a need to identify recurring patterns. Theory is put in perspective: it is a framework that helps us organize knowledge, but it is a generalization that focuses on what is uniform, not what is unique.
Dougherty, James E. and Pfaltzgraff, Robert L., Jr. Contending
Theories of International Ralations. Philadelphia: J. B.
Lippincott Company, 1971. Chapter 3.
This chapter reviews realist theories and their application at the international level. Realism acknowledges that power and conflict dominate international relations, and that peace is best pursued through power management. The authors examine the works of numerous writers, both critics and advocates, of realism.
Limitations and contributions of realism are discussed. It has been criticized because of its differences with utopianism, and because of differences among its advocates over policies. The authors argue that it is an important attempt to isolate and focus on key variables essential to theories of international relations.
Carr, Edward Hallett. The Twenty Years' Crisis: 1919 -- 1939.
In this study, the author presents a critical examination of the period between the two World Wars in...