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Robert Murray
Reflecting on Kenneth Waltz
As professors, students and lovers of international relations, we walk in the shadows of giants. Our field lost one of its giants yesterday with the passing of the undisputedly influential Kenneth Waltz.
IR Theory and the DPRK
Looking at interpretations of current events through an IR theory lens, it is astonishing at how often claims have been made that war is likely, and that we have no way of understanding what North Korea might do.
Acquiring a Bomb Does Not an Aggressor Make
In yet another example of its limited abilities to impact international outcomes, the UNSC again this week agreed to sanction North Korea in an effort to deter threats of nuclear war.
Academic Territory and the Limits of IR
It is often said that IR has become a complex and diverse field of study. With this expansion has come unclear limits as to what does, or does not, fall within the parameters of the field.
Defending Canada in 2013
As a new year dawns, Canada should accept that the strategies and doctrines of the last 20 years do not apply to the current global context. Relying on outdated concerns makes little sense in 2013 and beyond.
Wanted: A Coherent Canadian Foreign Policy
Between 2006 and 2011, Stephen Harper’s “Restrained Pragmatism” was a shift towards a realist foreign policy strategy, but now he appears lost and this poses risks for Canada in the international state system.
The Role of National Leaders in Foreign Policy
Although it is assumed that individual leaders create and implement their own foreign policies, foreign policy is not nearly as leader-centric as observers tend to believe.
Turkey, the Balance of Power, and the Risks of Article V
Unless there is some sort of extraordinary aggression taken by the Assad regime towards Turkey, NATO’s role should remain focused on harshly worded joint statements and nothing more. Article V invocation would be an overreaction.