With the collapse of the Soviet Union the United States benefitted from an unprecedented unipolar moment in its establishment of unilateral hegemony, be that in the form of a modern empire as Johnson (2000) and Todd (2004) argue, as an empire by invitation (Lundestad, 2003), or as liberal hegemon (Ikenberry, 2011). All of these authors feature vast disagreements regarding hierarchy and coercion in American hegemony but accept the same premise: a post-Cold War unipolar American world order. Many argue that as the unipolar moment is waning, American hegemony, and the norms, practices, and institutions of international society it has so predominantly shaped, are being challenged, however, by both the rise of other actors, first and foremost China but also a re-emerging Russia, and the endogenous deconstruction of American hegemony (see Todd’s (2004) argument on demographics and social norms and most recently the advent of power by a protectionist, isolationist nativism). In this paper I will add to that debate by evaluating the extent to which China has been socialized into international society since the end of the Cold War and, on that basis, examining what is to be expected for the future both in terms of China’s course and the implications thereof for international society. I will do so by amalgamating many different approaches and schools of thought in an attempt to be ‘paradigmatically prudent’ (cp. Monteiro & Ruby, 2009). First, I will sketch the discussion in the literature on China’s rise and contrast it by means of a syncretic framework of intentions and outcomes based on Schweller & Xiaoyu (2011) and Goh (2005). Within that framework, I present optimist and pessimist approaches derived from realism, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism and the various analytical categories they place emphasis on. I will then argue that an integration of these polarized perspectives is necessary to provide an accurate and realistic account of China’s past, present, and future role in international society that places particular importance on differentiated spheres of geopolitical influence.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Framework
2.1 Realist Perspectives
2.2 Liberal Institutionalist Perspectives
2.3 Constructivist Perspectives
2.4 Synthesis: A Realistic Constructivism
3. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The paper evaluates the extent to which China has been socialized into international society since the end of the Cold War and explores the implications of China's rise for the future of the international order.
- Analysis of China's engagement with international society via different theoretical schools.
- Examination of the dichotomy between Chinese intentions and strategic outcomes.
- Distinction between China's global behavior and its regional revisionist tendencies.
- Integration of realist, liberal, and constructivist approaches.
- Evaluation of China's role in global governance versus regional spheres of influence.
Excerpt from the Book
W6Q1. Has China been socialized into international society in the post-Cold War period?
With the collapse of the Soviet Union the United States benefitted from an unprecedented unipolar moment in its establishment of unilateral hegemony, be that in the form of a modern empire as Johnson (2000) and Todd (2004) argue, as an empire by invitation (Lundestad, 2003), or as liberal hegemon (Ikenberry, 2011). All of these authors feature vast disagreements regarding hierarchy and coercion in American hegemony but accept the same premise: a post-Cold War unipolar American world order. Many argue that as the unipolar moment is waning, American hegemony, and the norms, practices, and institutions of international society it has so predominantly shaped, are being challenged, however, by both the rise of other actors, first and foremost China but also a re-emerging Russia, and the endogenous deconstruction of American hegemony (see Todd’s (2004) argument on demographics and social norms and most recently the advent of power by a protectionist, isolationist nativism).
In this paper I will add to that debate by evaluating the extent to which China has been socialized into international society since the end of the Cold War and, on that basis, examining what is to be expected for the future both in terms of China’s course and the implications thereof for international society. I will do so by amalgamating many different approaches and schools of thought in an attempt to be ‘paradigmatically prudent’ (cp. Monteiro & Ruby, 2009). First, I will sketch the discussion in the literature on China’s rise and contrast it by means of a syncretic framework of intentions and outcomes based on Schweller & Xiaoyu (2011) and Goh (2005). Within that framework, I present optimist and pessimist approaches derived from realism, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism and the various analytical categories they place emphasis on. I will then argue that an integration of these polarized perspectives is necessary to provide an accurate and realistic account of China’s past, present, and future role in international society that places particular importance on differentiated spheres of geopolitical influence.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the rise of China within the context of post-Cold War American unipolarity and defines the paper's goal of evaluating China's socialization into international society.
2. Theoretical Framework: Examines the diverse spectrum of academic views including Realism, Liberal Institutionalism, and Constructivism, and proposes a syncretic approach to analyze China's intentions and outcomes.
3. Conclusion: Synthesizes the debate by arguing for a realistic view that distinguishes between China's participation in global institutions and its revisionist behavior in regional spheres of influence.
Keywords
China, International Society, Socialization, Unipolarity, Realism, Liberal Institutionalism, Constructivism, Spheres of Influence, Hegemony, Power Transition, Global Order, Regionalism, International Institutions, Intentions and Outcomes, Geopolitics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental topic of this paper?
The paper examines whether China has been successfully socialized into the established international society since the end of the Cold War or if it acts as a revisionist power challenging the existing order.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The core themes include the rise of China, the nature of American hegemony, the evolution of international norms, and the distinction between global and regional geopolitical behavior.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to evaluate the extent of China's socialization and determine future expectations for China's trajectory and its impact on the international system.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author uses a syncretic analytical framework that integrates disparate schools of thought—realism, liberal institutionalism, and constructivism—to map Chinese intentions against strategic outcomes.
What is addressed in the main body of the text?
The main body contrasts optimist and pessimist approaches regarding China's rise, analyzes its role in institutions like the WTO and the AIIB, and differentiates between global and regional spheres of influence.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include international society, socialization, power transition, hegemony, spheres of influence, and revisionism.
How does the paper differentiate between China's global and regional roles?
The author argues that while China often acts as a stakeholder on the global stage, it exhibits a more revisionist, assertively regionalist stance in its immediate geopolitical sphere, such as in the South China Sea.
What is the significance of the "hierarchical duet" concept?
It represents a realistic assessment where China and the U.S. find a compromise, allowing China to be integrated into global society while transforming some rules, alongside China carving out its own regional space.
Does the author conclude that conflict is inevitable?
Not necessarily; the author suggests that the outcome depends on U.S. reactions, signaling, and the strategic choices made by regional competitors like Japan and South Korea.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Jan-David Franke (Autor:in), 2016, Has China been socialized into international society in the post-Cold War period?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/411978
