Religion and the Realist Tradition: From Political Theology to International Relations Theory and Back

This work seeks to provide a comprehensive and articulate survey of a long ignored field of international relation theory: the influence of religion on the Realist tradition of international thought. This anthology explicitly tests the Realist tradition against its possibilities to grasp religion theoretically in order to understand contemporary Realist international relation theory comprehensively. Although classical Realistic scholars such as Morgenthau hardly rarely mention religion explicitly in their most well known work, the book claims that especially this tradition offers serious ground for taking religion and faith into account. The tradition of Realism is skeptical of modern empiricism and rationalism and points to the limits of reason in the construction of political order instead. In doing so, the tradition focuses on the constructive relational processes of Self and Other. At this point it is indispensable to bring religion in. Religion and faith are essential parts of this relational process of constructing Self and Other. Therefore, the book offers a theoretical view on religion in international relations whilst also evaluating current approaches to dealing with ethical and normative questions of international relations in the aftermath of 9/11, such as the US relationship with "the Muslim world." Offering a fresh perspective on the influence of religion on international relations theory, this work will be of great interest to scholars of religion and international relations, international relations theory and political philosophy.