Theory in Action: Realism

As part of the "Theory In Action" video series, we interviewed top International Relation theorists and asked them to explain theory using terms we could understand. In this video, Professor Randall Schweller tells us about Realism and the role of power in international relations.

Soomo Learning

Shot in Columbus, OH in the spring of 2011

Directed & Edited by
Tim Alden Grant

Cinematography by
Adam Hobbs
Ed David

Written by
Zara Elizabeth Crockett
Nina Kollars

[Wellbeingmorocco]

i just love to hear this man speaking, i always come back to watch this video once in a while i just love this professor

[annapeters]

I adore this man - I sat in his lecture hall at The Ohio State University in complete awe. An amazing thinker, a captivating storyteller, a beautiful writer and a brilliant mind. He is outstanding in his field. I think of him fondly and often. A true gem.

[Idalych]

“Realists aren’t angels but in the real world most angels are brutes”

I love it! Haha.

[YangmaliSahadevRai]

He is so articulate.. I really wish i could take some class with him

[imathamjesse]

'I tried to type everything that I heard' Realist work into a bar and order half empty glass of vodka, the term realism I think is on people skin harder to complete with power, perspective that called realism and so then you become an idealist, The idealist would walk into the bar and order half four glass of vodka, realism is a theory essentially about power and security, states will seek power and security because they exist in the self help system, they security, prestige, most of all a realist would say you seek autonomy, because in a world where you can never trust anyone. you don't want to be interdependent .Liberals believe in interdependence, think that it leads to peace.But realist tend to be very skeptical about interdependence, because who want to be mutually dependent in a world that's very dangerous essentially, todays's friends could be tommorow's enemy .And to the extent that that's true, you never know who's gonna be aligned against you down the road, or who's making plans against you now. So you can never have enough power. Like how much is enough power? I don't know, who's gonna be lined up against me in ten years?Realist don't believe in sort of Utopian muddle-headed schemes that would provide a perpetual peace in the world, based on some notion of a natural harmony of interests among states. Instead, realists see the world in terms of tragedy and evil, and essentially, the best you can hope for is that people choose the lesser evil and try to be as good as they can be in an evil world. I guess the bottom line is that realists may not be angels, but in the real world, angels often turns out to be brutes.Because if you are moralising, crusading saying we don't like your humans right policies and we don't like your regime the way, It's not democratic enough, It's not liberal enough, well then you can get involved everywhere and the problem with promoting democracy is it doesn't work , first of all, and second of all it almost always leads to a quagmire. Again there is no natural harmony interests in the world.
Realist understand that so you just have to live with destiny and I think liberals don't understand that .
Most of American war have been and particularly since the end of Cold War, have been all about promoting democracy and human rights .
And liberals would actually say that the only just war is one that promotes human rights,
Whereas a realist would say the only just war is one that promotes national interests.
And if there are no treats in the environment, well then you retrench. So essentially if I had to give one sort of view of how realism sees the world, It would be sort of a Hobbesian war of all against all, in state of nature
The state of nature meaning there is no 911, there is no world government, is just everyone out for themselves.
which doesn't mean that war always occurs, it just means that the danger of war is always lurking in the back ground of all international politics.

[rv]

It's a ritual for me to come back and watch this every now and again

[SaraMarieBrenner]

I had Schweller for several classes at Ohio State. This guy is brilliant.

[ashleigh]

This series has been really helpful to me in studying for my international relations midterm!

[AANasseh]

This was probably the best definition and collective explanation of the theory, spoken as succinctly as possible. For more details, see any of the lectures by John Mearsheimer.

[opheliadunn]

Honestly wish he was my lecturer. Explained it so simply yet so complex. Love it!

[mohammedm.obaidshwani]

This video has become a habit for me to review from time to time for years now. I know the material well but watching him talk is very relaxing so I keep getting back to it!

[ismailjobiullah]

I really like the way of his spontaneous speech on realism

[babanlava]

Randall Schweller is so well-spoken and eloquent. I would love to attend some of his classes.

[Noissimsarm]

A realist walks into a bar and orders a full glass of vodka to forget how bad the real world is.

A constructivist would walk into a bar and order a full glass of vodka, because he can.

[elizabethpanos]

So well spoken and articulate, I love listening to him talk

[nasrullahmuzafar]

I love to watch this man. The ways he explain the term realism is just OWESOME...

[FLOWLEDGE]

As great Thomas Hobbes used to say: a realist walks into a bar and a war of all against all starts

[zylo]

I'm writing a political science paper applying the realist perspective. This was very helpful, thanks!

[edwigeolivier]

The casual way he says the truth about realism is what captures my attention. Simply put, realism is; every man for himself, God for us all.