ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the vexed issue of the relationship between Critical Theory and emancipatory political praxis in more depth, paying particular attention to the role of intellectuals in general, and academics in particular. The discussion of theory and praxis will concentrate on the relationship between Critical Theory-inspired attempts to focus on issues of security and the practices of global security. Whilst proponents of Critical Theory in general have discussed the theory-practice nexus at some length, it has certainly not been dealt with in any systematic way in the work of those scholars attempting to develop Critical International Theory. Proponents of Critical International Theory have been remarkably unreflective as to the relationship between their theories and emancipatory political praxis. Eschewing the statism of mainstream security discourse, proponents of Critical Security Studies recognize that, globally, the sovereign state is one of the main causes of insecurity: it is part of the problem rather than the solution.
