Conceptualizing International Practices: Directions for the Practice Turn in International Relations

This book brings together the key scholars in the international practice debate to demonstrate its strengths as an innovative research perspective. The contributions show the benefit of practice theories in the study of phenomena in international security, international political economy and international organisation, by directing attention to concrete and observable everyday practices that shape international outcomes. The chapters exemplify the cross-overs and relations to other theoretical approaches, and thereby establish practice theories as a distinct IR perspective. Each chapter investigates a key concept that plays an important role in international relations theory, such as power, norms, knowledge, change or cognition. Taken together, the authors make a strong case that practice theories allow to ask new questions, direct attention to uncommon empirical material, and reach different conclusions about international relations phenomena. The book is a must read for anyone interested in recent international relations theory and the actual practices of doing global politics.

Alena Drieschova is Assistant Professor in International Relations at the University of Cambridge. She is currently working on her book manuscript, which provides a macro-historical analysis of international order stability and change based on changes in material culture.

Christian Bueger is professor of international relations at the University of Copenhagen, honorary professor at the University of Seychelles and a research fellow at the University of Stellenbosch. He is the author of International Practice Theory (2018 with Frank Gadinger).

Ted Hopf is a Research Fellow at the Helsinki Collegium of Advanced Studies. His main fields of interest are international relations theory, qualitative research methods, and identity. His article, "Change in International Practices," published in the European Journal of International Relations, received the European International Studies Association Award for Best Article in EJIR, in 2017.