ABSTRACT
This chapter studies both conflictual and cooperational building metaphors for international relations: everything from descriptions portraying international relations as constructing fortresses against various threats to descriptions of international relations as building a house with room for everybody. After sketching associations that we attach to building in general, it gives examples of expert usage relating to international relations: excerpts from IR theories, speeches of foreign policy leaders and media coverage of world news operating with the terms and logic of building projects. In addition to demonstrating how building metaphors work in practice, it analyzes recommendations that these metaphors carry with them. It outlines policy choices that seem appropriate in the context of international construction and demolition – both along the conflictual lines of attempting to destroy the security architecture of an area and in the cooperational version of building international institutions and peace.
