Any former International Relations students here? What is Constructivism?

[ShaneGR]

As compared to neorealism or neoliberalism. Can you provide a short definition of constructivism and what it means? I'm have a hard time grasping the concept, specifically what its explanation is and what it predicts could happen.

HELP!

[Fovea]

1. I might recommend this as a brief, simple overview.

http://www.unc.edu/depts/europe/conferences/Marks98/regional_regimes/Kono_Daniel.html

[jiacinto]

2. I have an MA in IR and feel like I have to refresh my mind

Neorealism--Robert Keohane is associated with this school of thought. Kenneth Walz is also a major contributor too.

Hollis and Smith, authors of Explaining and Understanding International Relations, state: "The main point to note from our summary in Chapter 2 is that Neo-Realistis used the notion of an international system to explain the economic and political scence of the 1970s. In doing so they have refined the Realist nothion of a system and extended it to include economic issues. . . Waltz's analysis can, therefore, be summarized by saying that the international system acts to determine the behavior of units by virtue of its anarchial structure and its polar structure. Together these operate to set the sitaution within which all units must exist. " (104; 110)

That expalins one of them. The other two I am too tired to look up.