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Chinese concepts and Relational International politics
Kavalski, Emilian
Kavalski, Emilian
Author
Abstract
The rise of China troubles the taken-for-granted epistemological and ontological constitution of International Relations (IR) theory. The Greek term ‘theoria’ implied travelling to foreign locales with the aim of gaining illumination that can then simultaneously inform and transform the ‘home’ of the traveler. Yet, instead of travelling, IR theory engages in silencing. This paper undertakes an interpretative journey of China’s IR concepts. In particular, it looks at the notion of guanxi – one of the two terms that goes into the Chinese phrase for International Relations (guoji guanxi). The contention is that ‘relationality’ renders a more accurate translation of guanxi in English. In the process, the paper uncovers the practices of ‘international relationality’ as an opportunity to redefine the ‘international’ as a co-dependent space where two or more actors (despite their divergences) can interface into a dialogical community.
Keywords
Guanxi, relationality, post-Western international relations, Chinese international relations, relational international relations
Date
2018
Type
Journal article
Journal
All Azimuth
Book
Volume
7
Issue
1
Page Range
87-102
Article Number
ACU Department
Collections
Relation URI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
File Access
Controlled