Realism and Political Normativity

Abstract A prevailing understanding of realism, chiefly among its critics, casts realists as those who seek a ‘distinctively political normativity’, where this is interpreted meaning nonmoral in kind. Moralists, on account, are reject and believe that normativity remains moral. Critics have then focused much their attention demonstrating the search for doomed to fail which, if right, would seem fatally undermine realist endeavour. This paper makes case casting difference between realism moralism these terms mistake, one which overlooks substantial body work clear it has no such aspirations develop normativity. The hope drawing mistake line can be drawn under unhelpful debates, we move more fruitful constructive critical discussions critics.