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Historiography Of International Relations Summary

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Brian C. Schmidt’s (2002) chapter, “The History an Historiography of International Relations”, covers detailed aspects of the field of International Relations regarding its history and problems it has faced over its evolution. This essay will argue that Schmidt is able to effectively identify and address difficult issues posed in the International Relations field of work. This essay begins with a brief summary of Schmidt’s work and ideas. Next, the essay will discuss Schmidt’s views on the specific evolutionary issues of lack of coherency and identity behind the history of International Relations. Leading on from here, the essay will display Schmidt’s ideas on presentism and its impact on International Relations. In the final section of the …show more content…

As the chapter leads on it explains the history of International Relations and the importance that should be placed on it and how it has developed. Schmidt discusses the complications with modern day information is not necessarily “new” (2002, 4) but has actually derived from the past, and along with this comes his ideas of how we should “approach writing the history of the field” (4). Following from this, Schmidt goes into detail about International Relations as an academic field of study and the challenges, common misconceptions and mistakes that result of modern day teaching. Schmidt covers an area on Historiography of the International Relations and the problems that have come about. The author to cover topics such as Presentism as well as paradigms and the historiography of International Relations mainly focusing on Realism. Towards the end of Schmidt’s chapter, he discusses the key ideas regarding the three Great Debates and the issues with the image of the Great Debates. Schmidt finishes off his work with a conclusion to present views of improvement and issues that are still present in the discipline of International …show more content…

He identifies issues as to why there is a lack of coherency and understanding in the history of the field and provide answers to his opposing questions. Schmidt perceives there to be too much emphasis of the present times of the discipline and as a result, the fields history is becoming distorted by those who only seek out particular points in history to support their theory. He finally not only was able to address and effectively restate the events of the Great Debates, but makes light of the complications that quietly surround these debates. In all, Schmidt’s chapter raises the complex and hard to grasp issues of the field, but provides answers and different opinions in order to expand further thinking of the field of International

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