ABSTRACT
Anarchy is what states make of it, pretty much like all the rest. How do states identify friends and enemies, and why do ideas matter no less than material capabilities? Constructivism provides some answers.
Ontologically constructivism is different from traditional mainstream theories. It rejects positivist approaches and focus attention on mutual impact of ideas and reality in international politics. What we think about international phenomena, and even how we think of them, shapes the way they are. The world is seen not as given, but as socially constructed.
In a world like this, ideas and identities matter. States’ decisions are not neutrally rational, but are often shaped by perceptions, norms and strategic cultures. Foreign policies become much less structurally determined. Within such a framework, soft power capabilities, attractiveness and leading by example gain special importance.
