A presente dissertação de mestrado busca contribuir para o debate em desenvolvimento sobre a emergência de países do Sul Global, a partir do estudo das relações de poder hierarquizadas em que estes esses países estão inseridos. Nesse sentido, questiona-se como estruturas de assimetria material atuam sobre o comportamento de distintos atores do sistema internacional. As oportunidades e constrangimentos de tais estruturas materiais se manifestam especificamente para distintos atores? Como essa variação se articula com as possibilidades de emergência de países do Sul Global? A partir da resposta a essas perguntas, busca-se propor um caminho para identificar episódios históricos de constituição, por parte de países do Sul Global, de capacidade transformativa de sua posição nas relações internacionais em que se inserem. Para tanto, mobiliza-se um diálogo entre a literatura sobre diferenciação estrutural e sobre a hierarquia nas relações internacionais, como modo de articular analiticamente o processo de socialização entre estruturas políticas e econômicas. Desse diálogo estrutural, pretende-se compreender os mecanismos de exclusão que perpetuam assimetrias materiais no sistema internacional e os meios instrumentalizáveis para sua ruptura. / This master's thesis aims to contribute to the debate on the rise of countries from the Global South, proposing the study of hierarchical power relations that they entail. In this sense, it questions how structures of material asymmetries act conditioning the behavior of actors throughout the international system. Are the opportunities and constraints deriving such structures specifically varying for different actors? How is this variation related to the possibilities of rise in the Global South? From the answers to these questions, it is hoped to propose an alternative to identify historical episodes of constitution, by countries the Global South, of transformative capacity of their position in the international relations that they operate. Therefore, the work mobilizes a dialogue between the literature on structural differentiation and hierarchy in international relations, as a way of analytically articulate the process of socialization of political and economic structures. This structural dialogue focuses on identifying mechanisms of exclusion that perpetuate materials asymmetries in the international system and the means to their rupture.

A presente dissertação de mestrado busca contribuir para o debate em desenvolvimento sobre a emergência de países do Sul Global, a partir do estudo das relações de poder hierarquizadas em que estes esses países estão inseridos. Nesse sentido, questiona-se como estruturas de assimetria material atuam sobre o comportamento de distintos atores do sistema internacional. As oportunidades e constrangimentos de tais estruturas materiais se manifestam especificamente para distintos atores? Como essa variação se articula com as possibilidades de emergência de países do Sul Global? A partir da resposta a essas perguntas, busca-se propor um caminho para identificar episódios históricos de constituição, por parte de países do Sul Global, de capacidade transformativa de sua posição nas relações internacionais em que se inserem. Para tanto, mobiliza-se um diálogo entre a literatura sobre diferenciação estrutural e sobre a hierarquia nas relações internacionais, como modo de articular analiticamente o processo de socialização entre estruturas políticas e econômicas. Desse diálogo estrutural, pretende-se compreender os mecanismos de exclusão que perpetuam assimetrias materiais no sistema internacional e os meios instrumentalizáveis para sua ruptura. / This master's thesis aims to contribute to the debate on the rise of countries from the Global South, proposing the study of hierarchical power relations that they entail. In this sense, it questions how structures of material asymmetries act conditioning the behavior of actors throughout the international system. Are the opportunities and constraints deriving such structures specifically varying for different actors? How is this variation related to the possibilities of rise in the Global South? From the answers to these questions, it is hoped to propose an alternative to identify historical episodes of constitution, by countries the Global South, of transformative capacity of their position in the international relations that they operate. Therefore, the work mobilizes a dialogue between the literature on structural differentiation and hierarchy in international relations, as a way of analytically articulate the process of socialization of political and economic structures. This structural dialogue focuses on identifying mechanisms of exclusion that perpetuate materials asymmetries in the international system and the means to their rupture.

No / The purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance of constraints in the theory of relativity and, in particular, what philosophical work they do for Einstein's views on the laws of physics. Einstein presents a view of local ``structure laws'' which he characterizes as the most appropriate form of physical laws. Einstein was committed to a view of science, which presents a synthesis between rational and empirical elements as its hallmark. If scientific constructs are free inventions of the human mind, as Einstein, held, the question arises how such rational constructs, including the symbolic formulation of the laws of physics, can represent physical reality. Representation in turn raises the question of realism. Einstein uses a number of constraints in the theory of relativity to show that by imposing constraints on the rational elements a certain ``fit'' between theory and reality can be achieved. Fit is to be understood as satisfaction of constraint. His emphasis on reference frames in the STR and more general coordinate systems in the GTR, as well as his emphasis on the symmetries of the theory of relativity suggests that Einstein's realism is akin to a certain form of structural realism. His version of structural realism follows from the theory of relativity and is independent of any current philosophical debates about structural realism.

A number of philosophical questions, all connected to modern research in quantum gravity, are discussed in this dissertation. The goal of research in quantum gravity is to find a quantum theory for gravitation; the other fundamental forces are already understood in terms of quantum physics. Quantum gravity is studied within a number of different research programmes. The most popular are string theory and loop quantum gravity; besides these a number of other approaches are pursued. Due to the lack of empirical support, it is relevant to assess the scientific status of this research. This is done from four different points of view, namely the ones held by: logical positivists, Popper, Kuhn and Lakatos. It is then argued that research in quantum gravity may be considered scientific, conditional on scientists being open with the tentative and speculative nature of their pursuits. Given the lack of empirical progress, in all approaches to quantum gravity, a pluralistic strategy is advised. In string theory there are different theoretical formulations, or dualities, which are physically equivalent. This is relevant for the problem of underdetermination of theories by data, and the debate on scientific realism. Different views on the dualities are possible. It is argued that a more empiricist view on the semantics of theories, than what has been popular lately, ought to be adopted. This is of importance for our understanding of what the theories tell us about space and time. In physics and philosophy, the idea that there are worlds or universes other than our own, has appeared in different contexts. It is discussed how we should understand these different suggestions; how they are similar and how they are different. A discussion on, how and when theoretical multiverse scenarios can be empirically testable, is also given. The reliability of thought experiments in physics in general and in quantum gravity in particular is evaluated. Thought experiments can be important for heuristic purposes, but in the case of quantum gravity, conclusions based on thoght experiments are not very reliable.

The objective of this study is to examine the explanatory capabilities of the international theories, constructivism and structural realism, both separately and complementary. The explanatory capabilities of the theories are examined in the context of explaining the driving forces of Russia's invasion of Ukraine February 24, 2022. This study employs a qualitative research design and a theory-testing method to examine the theories capabilities. This is accomplished by analyzing compiled empirical material from numerous sources. Constructivism posits that the international system is socially constructed and underscores the importance of social norms, shared perceptions and identity in shaping political behavior. Structural realism however, diverges from this perspective and instead highlights the importance of security and power in an anarchic international system. The study concludes that structural realism and constructivism complement each other in their explanatory powers of understanding the driving forces of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Structural realism is however by far the strongest of the theories in independently explaining the driving forces of the invasion.

Empirical educational research enjoys a methodological and theoretical debate that is characterized by a number of unresolved and lively debated controversies. This compilation thesis is an attempt to contribute to this debate using the toolbox of philosophy of science. The thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four essays. In the introductory chapter I identify three methodological and theoretical controversies that are discussed within the field of educational research. These are: 1) the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational research; 2) the controversy between cognitive and sociocultural theories of learning; and, 3) the controversy between realist and constructionist interpretations of theories of learning. I provide in the essays a critical assessment of the claims behind each of these controversies, and argue for an alternative reconstruction of these issues. In Essay I, I criticize a view about the interpretation of human action, labeled in the text as interpretivism. This view posits a sharp separation between the natural and social sciences, to the effect that the methods of the latter cannot be applied to the former. The first controversy seems to rest on this position. As I argue, the arguments in support of interpretivism are contradicted by actual research practice. I conclude that the interpretivistic claims lack support and that the general separation claim appears as problematic. A further debate has fueled the first controversy, that is, the supposed distinction between qualitative and quantitative methods. In Essay II, I argue against this distinction. More specifically, I discuss the concept of empirical support in the context of qualitative methods (for short, qualitative support). I provide arguments that although there are two specific and non-trivial properties of qualitative support, there is no methodological separation between quantitative and qualitative methods concerning empirical support. Considered together, the first two essays indicate two points of methodological continuity between educational research and other scientific practices (such as the natural sciences). I therefore conclude that the controversy concerning the scientific status of educational research rests in large part on unjustified claims. Essay III focuses on the second controversy. In this article I argue that Suárez’ inferential approach to the concept of scientific representation can be used as an account of scientific representation in learning, regardless of whether learning is understood as a cognitive or social phenomenon. The third controversy is discussed in Essay IV. Here, I discuss some ontological aspects of the framework of the actor-network theory. Reflecting on the use of this framework in the research field of Networked Learning, I argue that the assumption of an ontology of relations provides the solution for two puzzles about the ontology of networks. The relevance of my argument for the third controversy is that it suggests a point of connection between constructionist and realist interpretations of the ontology of learning. The last two essays suggest two points of continuities between theoretical frameworks that have been and still are argued to be incompatible. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Manuscript.</p>

In recent years, Japan has shifted its security policy towards something we could call an "active pacifism". It can be noted for an increasing engagement of Japan Self-Defense Forces in multilateral operations and an effort to assume a position of a responsible member of the international community and an ally of the USA regarding the keeping of peace and security not only in the region, but also in a global scope. If Japan is, however, an actor whose goal is the maximisation of its own security, the exacerbation of its Self-Defense Forces could be perceived negatively by its neighbour states and its impacts could thus be counterproductive. The thesis applies the theoretical movement of defensive realism on this issue and on its basis, it evaluates the rationality of Japanese security policy, especially of active pacifism.

The history between the European Union and Russia has been one of interest for the entire world. With the growth in the relationship after the Cold War, it has become one exhaustive field of research and existing literature. Especially characteristic is the field which focuses on energy security and energy dependency and how these constitute the foundations of the relationship. Thus, this thesis follows how the economic relationship between the EU and Russia came to be developed from the dissolution of Soviet in 1922 up until today through a qualitative case study. This was done by starting the analysis with a portrayal of these thirty years and identifying which thematic components of the relationship that could be discerned as dominant and the causations of those. This was done especially in relation to energy as the relationship is largely characterized by energy interdependency. In relation to the components, issues as the challenges within the relationship, and how the actions performed by the EU was aligned with their own goals were discussed. The theoretical framework served as a fundamental part of the thesis, where a “taxonomy of power” was used to identify power structures which served as an explanation of understanding this historical relationship through economic means. Within the analysis it was then used further to find alignments to the traditional IR theories realism and liberalism. This combination of a taxonomy and theory gave opportunity to realize that theory at times certainly is limited and therefore contributed with a critical discussion too. The analysis showed that the relationship can be understood through three phases. The first shows alignment with the liberalist ideas as it focuses on institutional power, agreements, and interdependency right after the dissolution of the Soviet. The two latter, with the start from the Russian annexation of Crimea up until their invasion of Ukraine in February, alignment with realism as these focused on explicit forms of compulsory power as restrictive measures, productive power in using discourses, disinformation, and fears. Through these divisions the critical discussion of EU’s actions towards Russia questioned where the line should be drawn for continuing to rely on liberal values, cooperation and buying natural gas, despite it funding the Kremlins’ treasury.

In light of the recent Swedish's and Finnish's NATO applications, this thesis seeks to examine the motivations and reasoning behind these simultaneous applications by drawing on two theoretical frameworks, liberalism and neorealism. As such, it seeks to answer the research question: In what ways does the interplay of liberal and neorealist motivations in Finland’s and Sweden's NATO applications provide insights into their applications?. To do so, a qualitative comparative case study will be undertaken, focusing on official government documents published between the 13th of May 2022 until 3rd of April 2023. The analysis of both Finland's and Sweden's NATO applications shows the similar intricate interplay between liberal and neorealist motivations. The decision-making processes of both Finland and Sweden involve considerations of international cooperation, shared values, security calculations, and the evolving security environment. The presence of both theories underscores the complexity of these decisions and the multifaceted nature of international relations.

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