“Contrapuntal Reading” as a Method, an Ethos, and a Metaphor for Global IR

TY - JOUR

T1 - “Contrapuntal Reading” as a Method, an Ethos, and a Metaphor for Global IR

AU - Bilgin, Pinar

PY - 2016/3/1

Y1 - 2016/3/1

N2 - How to approach Global International Relations (IR)? This is a question asked by students of IR who recognize the limits of our field while expressing their concern that those who strive for a Global IR have been less-than-clear about the “how to?” question. In this article, I point to Edward W. Said’s approach to “contrapuntal reading” as one way of approaching Global IR that embraces diversity and reflects multiple and overlapping experiences and perspectives of humankind. More specifically, I suggest that contrapuntal reading offers students of IR a method of studying world politics that focuses on our “intertwined and overlapping histories,” past and present; an ethos for approaching IR through raising the “contrapuntal awareness” of its students and offering an anchor for those who translate the findings of different perspectives; and a metaphor for thinking about Global IR as regional and global, one and many.

AB - How to approach Global International Relations (IR)? This is a question asked by students of IR who recognize the limits of our field while expressing their concern that those who strive for a Global IR have been less-than-clear about the “how to?” question. In this article, I point to Edward W. Said’s approach to “contrapuntal reading” as one way of approaching Global IR that embraces diversity and reflects multiple and overlapping experiences and perspectives of humankind. More specifically, I suggest that contrapuntal reading offers students of IR a method of studying world politics that focuses on our “intertwined and overlapping histories,” past and present; an ethos for approaching IR through raising the “contrapuntal awareness” of its students and offering an anchor for those who translate the findings of different perspectives; and a metaphor for thinking about Global IR as regional and global, one and many.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - international relations theory

KW - Edward Said

KW - postcolocnial IR

KW - critical IR

KW - global IR

U2 - 10.1093/isr/viv018

DO - 10.1093/isr/viv018

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1521-9488

VL - 18

SP - 134

EP - 146

JO - International Studies Review

JF - International Studies Review

IS - 1

ER -