The Rise of Chinese Perspectives in International Relations
Keywords:
International Relations Theory, Political Thought, China, Chinese School, Tsinghua SchoolAbstract
Although there has been a delay in the arrival of International Relations (IR) as a discipline in China, the last few decades have seen significant contributions to the theoretical development of this field within the Chinese academy. Thus, this article aims to examine the introduction of Chinese political thought into International Relations Theory (IRT), scrutinizing the projects for the development of a “Chinese Theory of International Relations”, as well as the contributions and implications that such a theory may have in the field of IR. Based on an essentially qualitative methodology and rooted in the historiographical method, this article explores the ontological and epistemological discussions surrounding these theoretical frameworks, subsequently analyzing four recent theoretical proposals – Moral Realism, Relational Theory, Tianxia, and the “Gongsheng School.” Our conclusion summarizes our findings, highlighting the contributions of Chinese theoretical development, while also leaving open its possible implications for the reinvention of the discipline and for the redefinition of the International Order.
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