ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter draws together the findings of the preceding analysis by comparing the relative strengths and weaknesses of the 12 IR narratives as competing bids to explain international relations. Instead of attempting to assess the accuracy or probability of materialization of the stories, the chapter summarizes the ways in which the stories make events and actors on the international scene meaningful. The choice of the explanatory story – tragedy, romance/epic, comedy, irony/satire – effects the questions we are directed to ask and the answers we most probably come up with. It highlights certain actors and leaves others in the shadows. The longer and more often a specific plot is employed, the more likely it is to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sensitivity to the traditions of storytelling is an asset to an IR scholar. Contemplating explanations from the point of view of not only the facts but also the narrative force and plot-specific expectations will improve IR theorizing. Understanding the workings of generic plots will hopefully help us deal with their limitations and exploit their possibilities to the full also in stories yet to be written.
