Identity-Role Relationship in Intetrnational Relations and Foreign Policy: Ontology, Epistemology and Methodology

Abstract

The aim of this article is to enable a comprehensive insight into key theoretical debates on the relationship between identities and roles in International Relations (IR) and Foreign Policy Analysis (FPA), with a particular focus on theoretical approaches of social constructivism and foreign policy role theory. Given the lack of interest in this research approach the post-Yugoslav IR literature, I systematize ontological, epistemological and methodological dimensions of studying foreign policy and security roles of states. In this research path-breaking effort, a special emphasis is on the role of small states in world politics between structural imperatives and possibilities of agency. Role theory is reviewed in its relationship toward constructivist FPA, whereas the key notions of role theory, interpretive methodology and some examples of research on discursive construction of state identity and roles are presented. In the conclusion, I reflect on some further questions and a research agenda of identity and roles in IR.

Keywords

• International Relations Theory
• Foreign Policy Analysis
• Constructivism
• Role Theory
• Small States