Critical Theory in International Relations and Security Studies：Interviews and Reflections

Scholars of international relations, most from the former British Empire, explore critical thinking in the discipline today, asking whether it has become mainstream, whether the label even needs to be used anymore, and whatever happened to the old uncritical thinking anyway. They begin by interviewing venerable scholars Robert W. Cox, Andrew Linklater, Ken Booth, and Richard Wyn Jones. Then they discuss rethinking the origins, debating the limits, and future directions. Among the topics are the competing critical theories of Cox and Linklater, Orientalism and The Poverty of Theory three decades on, the continuing appeal of critical security studies, the post-colonial tradition and the restructuring of critical international relations theory, and the potential and perils of opposition. Annotation Ac2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Shannon Brincat is the co-editor for the journal Global Discourse. He received his doctorate from the University of Queensland.

Laura Lima has recently submitted her doctoral thesis at the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University.

Joao Nunes is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Warwick.