Document Type : Conceptual paper (International Relation)

Author

• Reza Soleimani

Associate Professor, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

Abstract

All theories of political science and international relations are inevitably based on specific ontological foundations that one of the main sub-branches of their ontology is anthropology (history). However, anthropological foundations have been neglected in the evaluation of international relations theories (problem). Therefore, it seems necessary to strengthen the approaches interested in examining the anthropology of international relations theories in view of the conceptual gap in the background of this issue (background and necessity). Therefore, this question can be raised: How can the perception of human nature provide an Islamic basis for rethinking the intellectual approach of the main theoretical approaches in international relations (including realism and liberalism)? (Question). It seems that from the Islamic point of view, any stagnation and dogmatism in the absolute pessimistic or optimistic conception of human nature can be considered as a common weakness of idealism and realism in international relations (hypothesis). This article aims to provide a serious rethinking of the anthropological foundations of these two schools, as two major theoretical approaches in the analysis of international politics (goal). The present paper, within the framework of the non-theoretical approach, emphasizes an Islamic reflection on the anthropological foundations of the idealist and realistic paradigms (method). Understanding the difference between the anthropological foundations of the Islamic approach on the one hand and the realistic and liberal approaches on the other hand can be one of the results of the article (finding).

Keywords

• Anthropology
• Realism
• Pessimism
• Liberalism
• Optimism
• Instinct
• Nature