“Vision of Itself” in Foreign Policy Analysis: From the Role of Ideas to Identity and Recognition

For Henry Kissinger, a stable international order is not only based on balance of power, but also identities, “visions itself ”. How do our observational theories relations come to understand this practical maxim? This article shows that rationalist theories, methodological underpinnings fall short satisfactorily addressing the issue, while constructivism’s and post-structuralism’s social ontology relational understanding identity provide better starting point. And yet, when we return from level explanatory theory back foreign policy practice, constructivist theorizing, precisely for its focus identity, risks being abused purpose nationalist apologies very kind makes identities impossible.