International Relations Theory: A Critical Introduction

by Cynthia Weber

My answer is that IR theory—a collection of stories about international politics—relies upon IR myths in order to appear to be true. What is an IR myth? An IR myth is an apparent truth, usually expressed in slogan form, that an IR theory relies upon in order to appear to be true.

“Culture is concerned with the production and exchange of meanings—the ‘giving and taking of meaning’—between members of a society or group” (Stuart Hall, 1997) “The social production and reproduction of sense, meaning, and consciousness” (John Hartley, in O’Sullivan et al., 1994)

“an ensemble of stories we tell about ourselves” (Clifford Geertz, 1975)

My answer to these questions is that IR theory relies upon IR myths in order to transform its culturally produced stories about the world into common sense about the world that we take for granted.