Overview

Drawing on evolutionary epistemology, process ontology, and a social-cognition approach, this book suggests cognitive evolution, an evolutionary-constructivist social and normative theory of change and stability of international social orders. It argues that practices and their background knowledge survive preferentially, communities of practice serve as their vehicle, and social orders evolve. As an evolutionary theory of world ordering, which does not borrow from the natural sciences, it explains why certain configurations of practices organize and govern social orders epistemically and normatively, and why and how these configurations evolve from one social order to another. Suggesting a multiple and overlapping international social orders' approach, the book uses three running cases of contested orders - Europe's contemporary social order, the cyberspace order, and the corporate order - to illustrate the theory. Based on the concepts of common humanity and epistemological security, the author also submits a normative theory of better practices and of bounded progress.

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9781108419956

Table of Contents

Reviews

Advance praise: 'In this long-awaited, stunning book Emanuel Adler articulates his theory of cognitive evolution, expanding and deepening theoretical insights he has developed over a life-time of path-breaking scholarship. Its jacket should scream 'must-read'.' Peter J. Katzenstein, Walter S. Carpenter, Jr, Professor of International Studies Cornell University, New York Advance praise: 'Emanuel Adler has written a work of extraordinary range and ambition. To say that it contributes to 'grand theory' in international relations tells only part of the story. His evolutionary-constructivist theory offers a new and challenging way to think about stability and change in many kinds of social order. This book will stimulate constructive debate both within and beyond international relations.' Charles R. Beitz, Princeton University, New Jersey Advance praise: `In this long-awaited, stunning book Emanuel Adler articulates his theory of cognitive evolution, expanding and deepening theoretical insights he has developed over a life-time of path-breaking scholarship. Its jacket should scream `must-read'.' Peter J. Katzenstein, Walter S. Carpenter, Jr, Professor of International Studies Cornell University, New York Advance praise: `Emanuel Adler has written a work of extraordinary range and ambition. To say that it contributes to `grand theory' in international relations tells only part of the story. His evolutionary-constructivist theory offers a new and challenging way to think about stability and change in many kinds of social order. This book will stimulate constructive debate both within and beyond international relations.' Charles R. Beitz, Princeton University, New Jersey

In this long-awaited, stunning book Emmanuel Adler articulates his theory of cognitive evolution, expanding and deepening theoretical insights he has developed over a life-time of path-breaking scholarship. Its jacket should scream must-read. Peter J. Katzenstein, Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies Cornell University Emanuel Adler has written a work of extraordinary range and ambition. To say that it contributes to grand theory in international relations tells only part of the story. His evolutionary-constructivist theory offers a new and challenging way to think about stability and change in many kinds of social order. This book will stimulate constructive debate both within and beyond international relations. Charles R. Beitz, Princeton University

Author Information

Emanuel Adler is the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Chair of Israeli Studies and Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, and Honorary Professor at the University of Copenhagen. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and of the European Academy of Sciences. His publications include Security Communities (co-edited with Michael Barnett, Cambridge, 1998) and International Practices (co-edited with Vincent Pouliot, Cambridge, 2011).

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