PSIR Optional

Sociological Liberalism and Functionalist theory of IR

POLITY for Civil services
deepanalysis
  • Sociological Liberalism – 
    • Track 1 – State to state contract
    • Track 2 – Society to society, people to people
    • If liberal institutionalism goes for state to state interaction, sociological liberalism shifts focus towards society to society.
    • Rosenau – Acc to him sociological liberalism gains relevance because we have shifted from state centric to society centric world. Hence sociological liberalism emphasises on track 2 diplomacy.
    • Methods to promote –
      • Visa Liberalism
      • Organising fairs, cultural shows, promoting business, sports.
    • Sociological liberalism is called as communications approach.
    • Justification of approach – Talking with each other is only method to address the security dilemma, to remove the apprehensions.
    • Karl Deutsch – He measure communications between societies.
      • Visas issues, travels made, letters exchanged, phone calls made.
      • He observed that higher is the communication more peaceful is relation. For eg – Today EU is peaceful, we cannot think of war between USA and Canada, USA and Western Europe. Higher/more communication converts security dilemma into security community.
      • Security dilemma will lead to arm’s race.
    • The idea of sociological liberalism is to achieve security community.
    • If security dilemma reflect high level of trust deficit, whereas security community reflect high level of trust – the members of security community do not feel threaten by each other. They feel assured that the members will not attack, hence there is no need to carry arms. A security community has a common threat coming out from outside periphery of security community. A federation can be called as security community.
    • Regional organisations are also based on idea. USA and EU are examples of trans Atlantic/national security community .
    • Sociological liberalism provides basis for theory of regionalism.
  • Functionalism – It is also a theory of regional integration. EU experiment is based on functionalism primarily. Even the theory of functionalism is modified, refined in light of development.
    • Source of inspiration –
      • Richard Cobden – Acc to him, if he wants to resolve the problem, keep the politicians out, non-political groups should be bought in for eg – scientists, technicians, businessmen, artists etc, give them role.
      • Functionalism is also known as peace by pieces.
      • Peace meal approach, that is a gradual and time taking process.
      • Composite Dialogue – Started with Vajipayi.
    • Functionalism is based on following steps –
      • Peace by Pieces – Compartmentalise the issues, segregate into issues of high politics and low politics.
        • First start cooperation on less conflictual issues through non-political segments like technicians, engineers.
        • Once it is possible to arrive cooperation in one segment people will realise the benefits of cooperation.
        • The benefit of cooperation in one sector will have spill over effect over another sector.
        • Gradually interdependence will grow. Functional interlinkages will emerge.
        • Over a period of time interdependence will reach to such an extent that going war will become irrational.
        • Same experiment was done between India and Pak known as composite dialogue process. The issues were compartmentalised into 2+6 framework. The 2 most sensitive issues were – Kashmir and Nuclear security.
        • There was considerable achievement of composite dialogue process between India and Pak.
        • The countries came very close to solve Sir Creek issue, Siachen, trade.
        • Even joint anti terror mechanism was formed. When attack took place in Mumbai, that time composite dialogue process was going on. The process remain suspended till then.
      • Functionalism is most successful alternative to realism (existing on ground).

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