Zed Books Decentering International Relations

Doing International Relations from the Margins seeks to actively confront, resist, and rewrite International Relations (IR), a heavily politicized field that is deeply centered in the North/West and privileges certain perspectives, pedagogies, and practices. Is it possible to break the chain of signifiers that always leads IR studies back to the US and its European allies? Through engagement with a variety of theories (ranging beyond the usual 'mainstream' versus 'critical/alternative' binary), conversations with scholars, activists, and students, and consultation of IR syllabi and conference proceedings, the authors invite the reader to participate in an accessible yet provocative experiment to decentre the North/West when we learn, study and do IR. In particular, they examine how the pressing issues of 'human rights', 'globalization', 'peace and security', and 'indigeneity' are simultaneously normative inventions meant to sustain particular power structures and sites for insurgent and subversive attempts to live IR at the margins. Selbin and Nayak have written a remarkable and provokative re-envisioning of a globally important subject. Review 'The most innovative and urgent book about international relations theory and practice I've read in decades' --Cynthia Weber, Lancaster University 'This superb book audaciously undermines International Relations theory conceived in Western conceit. Without denying Western power, the book asks whether the peoples of the world wake each day forming privileged opinions about us, presuming to give us their prescriptions for what they think we should do?' --Richard Peet, Professor of Geography and author of Geography of Power 'Critical projects in International Relations in recent decades have identified biases and exclusions in the discourse and practice of the discipline. Nayak and Selbin, however, articulate IR as centered in a way that is creative, comprehensive, lucid, and accessible. This book is an impressive contribution for that reason alone, but all the more impressive because it goes further - it not only talks about critical theorizing as a transformative project, but also transforms IR (by decentering) in critical terms. This text is engaging and stimulating, and IR is better off for its existence.' --Laura Sjoberg, University of Florida About the Author Meghana Nayak is Associate Professor of Political Science and teaches in the Women's and Gender Studies Department at Pace University-New York. She has published in International Feminist Journal of Politics, International Studies Review, Women and Politics, and has a chapter in Theorizing Sexual Violence by Renee Heberle and Victoria Grace. Her work focuses on social movements, the politics of gender violence, and feminist and critical approaches to hegemony, security, and identity. Eric Selbin is Professor and Chair of Political Science at Southwestern University and a University Scholar. His books include Revolution, Rebellion Resistance, Modern Latin American Revolutions, and Understanding Revolutions (with John Foran and Jack Goldstone). In 2007 he was selected as one of Southwestern's all-time 'Fav Five' Faculty and received an Exemplary Teaching Award in 2001-2002. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Decentering International Relations By Meghana Nayak, Eric Selbin Zed Books Ltd Copyright © 2010 Meghana Nayak and Eric Selbin All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-84813-238-2 Contents Acknowledgments, vi, 1. Introduction, 1, 2. Indigeneity, 21, 3. Human Rights, 51, 4. Globalization, 91, 5. Peace and Security, 124, 6. Conclusion, 157, Notes, 167, References, 191, Index, 207, CHAPTER 1 Introduction Us, Them, Over There 'What they really need is education.' 'So, what can we do to help?' 'We shouldn't impose our way of life on them, especially when they're not ready and don't want it. Some people just aren't used to democracy and freedo