Normative Ir Theory

Introduction:

South Africa perceives its prosperity and development as interlinked with that of the African continent. This realization of interdependence, solidarity and interconnectedness stems from stems from the ideologies of a liberation struggle history and an in-debtness to Africa for the role that other countries played during the struggle against apartheid (Moore 2014, 372). South Africa’s democratic foreign policy emerged from apartheid after decades of international isolation to a bastion of African democracy. Under the Mandela administration faced the enormous task of having to establish a stable democracy within the country that was emerging from decades of international isolation under the apartheid regime. South Africa’s foreign

The diversity within Normative IR Theory is demonstrated by the two approaches of cosmopolitanism and communitarian approaches within Normative IR theory. Cosmopolitanism is a form of ethical universalism (Moral reasoning separate from any personal perspective or affiliate) and purports that no person is more important than another person (Erskine 2013, 47). As the moral importance of a person is not dependent on their identity, membership or shared practices. Where people stand in relation to another does not impose a limitation when ethical issues are confronted (Erskine 2013, 42). On the other hand, communitarianism in normative IR is characterized as ethical particularism (Moral reasoning engaged in from the perspective of a specific affiliation or community) treats the morally defining community or state in the same manner (Erskine 2013, 43-47). The community and the state define a person’s moral starting pointing. Here, the idea of communitarianism is uniquely revolved around the state. This state-centric variation is often described as ‘communitarian realism’. (Erskine 2013, 43). Hence, it is often criticized for tending to give preference to citizens. Furthermore, Normative IR theory embraces two key forms of ethical reasoning consequentialism and deontology. Consequentialist ethical reasoning is the idea that choices and actions are judged by the resultant effect or condition that arises from the actions (Erskine 2013, 37). Whereas, deontological ethical reasoning is based on the idea that certain actions are immoral in themselves, irrespective of the consequences, effects or conditions that arise from those actions or choices (Erskine