Hubbry Logo
search
logo

The Anarchical Society

logo
Community Hub0 Subscribers
Write something...
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
See all
The Anarchical Society

The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics is a 1977 book by Hedley Bull and a founding text of the English School of international relations theory. The title refers to the assumption of anarchy in the international system (posited primarily by realists) and argues for the existence of an international society.

Despite its title, the book progresses well beyond the concept of "anarchy." The field of international relations is dominated by the declinist paradigm of inevitable imperial fall and balance of power or "anarchy." This is a Eurocentric perspective based on the case of Rome. The Anarchical Society is one of a few, and one of the earliest, works to break the bonds of Eurocentrism: In “the broad sweep of human history... the form of states system has been the exception rather than the rule” (1977: p 21).

The book also outlines Bull's theory of new medievalism.

See all
User Avatar
No comments yet.