English School of International Relations Theory

A tradition in international relations theory that explains how states form an international society through shared rules, institutions, and ideas despite lacking a world government.

International society: A society of states that recognizes common rules and institutions while remaining politically independent. This is the School’s central claim about order among sovereign states.
Sovereignty: The principle that a political authority holds supreme jurisdiction within a territory and is independent externally. Mutual recognition of sovereignty organizes the society of states.
Hedley Bull: An Australian international relations scholar whose work developed the English School’s account of international society. His formulation of anarchical society became the School’s most influential statement.
British Committee on the Theory of International Politics: A scholarly group formed in Britain in 1959 to study the theory of international politics. Its meetings brought together scholars whose work became identified with the English School.
Neorealism: A theory that explains state behavior through the structure of the international system, especially the distribution of power. Unlike the School, neorealism gives less weight to shared institutions and historical practices.
International system: A pattern of interaction in which states affect one another’s decisions and capabilities. The School distinguishes this thinner condition from society built on shared rules.
Diplomacy: The conduct of relations between political entities through communication, negotiation, and representation. Diplomacy sustains contact and negotiation among members of international society.
Martin Wight: A British historian and international relations scholar known for comparing traditions of international thought. His lectures and historical approach shaped the School’s intellectual foundations.
Realism (international relations): A family of theories emphasizing power, conflict, and competition among states. The School shares realism’s attention to anarchy but adds rules and social bonds.
Neoliberal institutionalism: A theory that explains how international institutions enable cooperation among self-interested states. It overlaps on institutions but typically treats them as tools rather than constitutive social practices.

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