The article Hegemony and After: What Can Be Said About The Future of American Global Leadership, by Robert O. Keohane, perfectly demonstrates the ideology of American exceptionalism in International Relations. Keohane critiques various works, and argues against the declinist debate, which does not allow us to distinguish between the known and unknowable. He argues that certain things are and should be known. For example, Keohane states there is certainty in the fact “that among democracies in the world today, only the United States has the material capacity and political unity to exercise consistent global leadership. It has shown a repeated ability to rebound from economic and political difficulties. The size, youth and diversity ofc its population; the stability and openness of its political institutions; and the incentives that its economic system creates for innovation mean that it remains the most creative society in the world”. From this quote, the ideology of American exceptionalism is conveyed to readers, and we understand that the United States is the exception to the rule of the world; that the United States has the greater ability to maintain world peace considering its greater economic, material, and political power. Keohane goes on to suggest that the United States is responsible for the promotion of global peace, prosperity, and political liberalization. This article and the ideology of American exceptionalism are key in understanding why many believe that International Relations is an American discipline. This is a theme repeated in our class discussions, and it is significant to recognize while studying international relations, as such biases within the discipline shape our understanding of it. The United States has, admittedly, played a large role in the development of the world, however a parochial worldview limits the study of international relations because it narrows our approaches to it.

Although Keohane’s arguments very much align with American exceptionalism, he does a good job in emphasizing the uncertainty of the future of international politics, saying that we cannot rely on assumptions for emerging powers and by stating that leadership may not be sustainable. He also states the importance of multilateral institutions in maintaining world peace. Such institutions provide a stable and reliable platform for international cooperation, and have played a major role in resolving past issues. However, it can be argued as mentioned in class, that such institutions play in favor of the interests of great powers, such as the United States.

I have always been interested in the international system and global politics, which has driven me to major in political science. What drew me to this course was not only my interest, but the praise I had heard about Professor Crawford’s courses. This course in particular seemed like a necessary evil to me because I find foreign policy and global relations in current events/practice very interesting, I just have not truly understood the theories and ideologies behind such policies and foreign affairs. I don’t really like theory because I like to see things in practice, since theory can be very dependant on circumstance. I gained a greater appreciation for the international system and global politics in POLI 260, but unfortunately my professor never really expended on ideas such as realism, liberalism, etc., there was a greater focus on current events. Therefore, I believe that this class will be of benefit to me as it will allow me to gain an understanding of the ideologies of different schools of thought and hence, a better understanding of the world. I believe it is essential to understand different schools of thought in order to have an open and productive discussion about the world’s political  standing and improve our global affairs. Plus, I guess it’s just literally impossible to understand other points of views unless you try.

In our first class, we spoke of 9/11, which was interesting for me to hear about in the international context. As a canadian student that has lived abroad, it was very clear to me growing up the long term effects of 9/11 on the world, but I was not aware of the subsequent effect on north america and more specifically Canada. I appreciate Professor Crawford’s ability to talk and discuss with his students the importance of such historical events, discuss the topic on a personal level by sharing experiences and then tying in the subject matter in an International Relations context.

The most interesting thing we have discussed in this course is the idea that realism is not very realistic. I feel this is an increasingly true point with the rise of globalism, as states are more willing to collaborate and unite politically and economically. The concept that schools of thought must adapt to the times is interesting to me as it ties in to the idea of consensus and the difficulty of coming to agreement about the discipline of International Relations.

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