Is Teaching IR/Political Theory Always for Western White Straight Men and for Their Purposes?
The British International Studies Association (BISA) 44th Annual Conference, London, İngiltere, 12 - 14 Haziran 2019, (Yayınlanmadı)
- Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Yayınlanmadı
- Basıldığı Şehir: London
- Basıldığı Ülke: İngiltere
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the students’ responses to the contemporary problems of teaching international relations and political (IR/P) theory. Robert W. Cox once said “theory is always for someone and for some purpose”. Reflecting on this point, can we address the limits of teaching IR/P theory in the non-West? Does the fact that, as Ellen M. Wood highlighted, the canonical books of political theory were written by “Dead White Males” have any impact on the teaching such theories? Do IR/P theories operate to provide more power to the dominant one? Based on over 300 student surveys from eight different level modules (6 second, third, fourth year undergraduate modules and 2 postgraduate MA modules), interviews, and personal observations, this study problematises four aspects of teaching IR/P theory: Colonialism, Eurocentrism, Sexism, and Racism. Do any of these aspects have any positive/negative impact on the quality of teaching IR/P theory? The results will unravel the nature of those four aspects in teaching IR/P theory in the non-West. As this year the centennial birth of IR as a discipline, it is time to rethink the teaching of this discipline beyond the West.