Thinking Outside International Society: A Discussion of the Possibilities for English School Conceptions of World Society

Abstract

English School theory presently features two distinct conceptions of world society, both of which are concerned with how to best conceptualise the role of non-state actors in international politics. While a classical interpretation advocates attaching world society to non-state cosmopolitan influence, a Buzanian interpretation prefers to analyze distinct interacting non-state units. What is unfortunate is that the comparative merits of these two interpretations remain largely in question, as there has been little attempt to contrast them either conceptually or in terms of potential empirical utility. The purpose of this article is to provide just such comparisons, so as to determine the possibilities for English School theorists seeking to think outside international society. To do this the theoretical underpinnings of the two concepts are analyzed initially, after which the explanatory power of each is tested in an empirical study of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and its abolition. In light of shortcomings found with the two concepts, an alternative suggestion is then offered. The suggestion is that world society be conceptualised in accordance with the ongoing contestations between different ideologies in the non-state world, on the basis of which individuals form different types of social relationships to influence the international society of states.