International Relations and Non-Western Thought

International Relations, as a discipline, tends to focus upon European and Western canons of modern social and political thought. Alternatively, this book explores the global imperial and colonial context within which knowledge of modernity has been developed.

The chapters sketch out the historical depth and contemporary significance of non-Western thought on modernity, as well as the rich diversity of its individuals, groups, movements and traditions. The contributors theoretically and substantively engage with non-Western thought in ways that refuse to render it exotic to, superfluous to or derivative of the orthodox Western canon of social and political thought. Taken as a whole, the book provides deep insights into the contested nature of a global modernity shaped so fundamentally by Western colonialism and imperialism. Now, as ever, these insights are desperately needed for a discipline that is so closely implicated in Western foreign policy making and yet retains such a myopic horizon of inquiry.

This work provides a significant contribution to the field and will be of great interest to all scholars of politics, political theory and international relations theory.

“'One of the most rewarding aspects of the book is its cohesiveness, something often missing from edited collections. There is passion here, and even if it is wholly unfamiliar terrain and theoretically uncomfortable, I would highly recommend that you read this book.' -Lucy Mayblin, International Affairs, Vol. 87, 5, September 2011 'International Relations and Non-Western Thoughtoffers us precious glimpses into the diversity and complexity of the various paths to modernity. A stimulating read, it should help us to overcome many false dichotomies which too often permeate international-relations discourse without our even noticing.'-Survival, Feb-Mar 2011, 188”

'One of the most rewarding aspects of the book is its cohesiveness, something often missing from edited collections. There is passion here, and even if it is wholly unfamiliar terrain and theoretically uncomfortable, I would highly recommend that you read this book.' - Lucy Mayblin, International Affairs, Vol. 87, 5, September 2011

'International Relations and Non-Western Thought offers us precious glimpses into the diversity and complexity of the various paths to modernity. A stimulating read, it should help us to overcome many false dichotomies which too often permeate international-relations discourse without our even noticing.' - Survival, Feb-Mar 2011, 188

Robbie Shilliam is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at Victoria University of Wellington. He is currently working on the interface between the anti-colonial struggles of the indigenous Pacific and those of the Black Americas. He is author of German Thought and International Relations (Palgrave, 2009) and co-editor of Silencing Human Rights (Palgrave, 2008).

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