Introduction: Marxifying IR, IRifying Marxism

Abstract

Although the neglect of Marxism has been a pervasive characteristic of IR theory, there has been a marked revival of interest in Marxism. Marx’s materialist insights into the general historical development of societies, as well as his critique of capitalism and political economy, have served as alternative starting points for different critical approaches to IR and offers a welcome alternative to neorealism, constructivism, and poststructuralism that have dominated IR for several decades. Marxism provides a redefinition of IR by focusing on changes in material circumstances, historical conditions, and society instead of assuming unchanging and fixed structures of anarchy or the state. Marx’s analysis and insights into the dynamics of international relations have become even more important given the ongoing crisis of neoliberal capitalism, the rise of authoritarianism, right-wing nationalist populisms, and the racial and gendered subordinations accompanying them pointing to the importance of Marxifying IR and IRifying Marxism.

Keywords

Marxism, Critical Realism, Political Marxism, Uneven and Combined Development, Gramscianism, Ecofeminism

Citation

Faruk Yalvaç and Jonathan Joseph, “Introduction: Marxifying IR, IRifying Marxism”, Uluslararasi Iliskiler, Vol. 21, No 82, 2024, pp. 5-20.

Affiliations

Faruk YALVAÇ Professor, Department of International Relations, Atılım University, Ankara E-Mail: [email protected] Orcid: 0000-0002-7788-8672

Jonathan JOSEPH Professor, School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, Bristol University, Bristol E-Mail: [email protected] Orcid: 0000-0002-4578-211X