Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Africa(ns) are currently marginalised within the discipline of International Relations. This
thesis explores the possibility that employing a constructivist approach could facilitate the
inclusion of Africa as an object of study and Africans as potential agents of IR knowledge
within the discipline by bridging a theoretical abyss.
Two discourses, namely the rationalist and Africanist, are identified. They frame the sides
of the theoretical abyss to which Africa(ns) have been marginalised within IR. These
discourses adhere to the opposing analytical approaches which constitute the Third
Debate, namely rationalism and reflectivism. This thesis proposes two theoretical
reconstructions that can facilitate the bridging of this theoretical abyss. The theoretical
reconstructions are explicated by employing different research stances. The researcher is
situated within the intellectual space afforded by the boundaries of the discipline in order to
propose the first reconstruction. The second theoretical reconstruction is proposed by
problematising the boundaries the discipline of IR.
This study found that constructivism facilitates the process of establishing the middle
ground between rationalism and reflectivism and in so doing could include Africa as an
object of study. It also found that the intervention of constructivism facilitated a necessary
change in the culture of the discipline to create the possibility of extending the notion of
engaged pluralism and re-imagining the discipline as a disciplinary community of
difference. This leads to the opening up of the necessary dialogical space to include
Africans as potential agents of IR knowledge. Constructivism is therefore the mutually
constituting link between the two proposed theoretical reconstructions as they are made
possible by its intervention in the discipline. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Afrika(ne) word huidiglik gemarginaliseer binne die dissipline van Internasionale
Betrekkinge. Hierdie tesis ondersoek die moontlikheid dat die gebruik van ‘n
konstruktiwistiese benadering die insluiting van Afrika as ‘n onderwerp van studie of
Afrikane as potensiële agente van IB kennis deur die oorbrugging van ‘n teoretiese kloof
kan fasiliteer.
Twee diskoerse, naamlik die rasionalistiese and die Afrikanistiese, word geïdentifiseer.
Hierdie diskoerse stel die sye van die teoretiese kloof voor waarin Afrika(ne)
gemarginaliseer word binne IB. Hulle hou verband met die twee opponerende analitiese
benaderings van rasionalisme en reflektiwisme wat die Derde Debate uitmaak. Hierdie
tesis stel twee teoretiese rekonstruksies voor wat die oorbrugging van die teoretiese kloof
kan fasiliteer. Hierdie teoretiese rekonstruksies word ontvou deur verskillende
navorsingsposisies in te neem. Die navorser plaas homself binne die intellektuele spasie
wat deur die grense van die dissipline toegelaat word om sodoende die eerste
rekonstruksie voor te stel. Die tweede rekonstruksie word voorgestel deur die
problematisering van die grense van die dissipline.
Hierdie studie het gevind dat konstruktiwisme die proses van die opstelling van ‘n
middelgrond tussen rasionalisme en reflektiwisme fasiliteer en sodoende Afrika as ‘n
onderwerp van studie kan insluit. Die studie het ook gevind dat die toetrede van
konstruktiwisme die nodige verandering aan die kultuur van die dissipline veroorsaak het
wat die moontlikheid skep dat die begrip van ‘engaged pluralism’ uitgebrei en die
hervoorstelling van die dissipline as a dissiplinêre gemeenskap van diversiteit kan word.
Hierdie hervoorstelling lei tot die skepping van die nodige dialogale spasie om Afrikane as
potensiële agente van IB kennis in te sluit. Konstruktiwisme is dus die onderliggende
skakel wat die twee voorgestelde teoretiese rekonstruksies moontlik maak deur die
benadering se toetrede tot die dissipline.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/4066 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Oswald, Rikus |
| Contributors | Smith, Karen, University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | x, 142 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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