International Security in Practice: The Politics of NATO-Russia Diplomacy

Streaming video requires RealPlayer to view.The University Archives has determined that this item is of continuing value to OSU's history.Vincent Pouliot is assistant professor of political science at McGill University. His research and teaching interests include International Relations theory (especially international political sociology), international security and peace research, global governance and international organizations, interpretive methodology, and philosophy of social science. Pouliot's current research projects deal with the reform of the UN Security Council, the global governance of security, and NATO-Russia relations. He is the author of International Security in Practice: The Politics of NATO-Russia Diplomacy (Cambridge University Press, 2010). He is also co-editor with Markus Kornprobst, Nisha Shah, and Ruben Zaiottiwith of Metaphors of Globalization: Mirrors, Magicians and Mutinies (Palgrave, 2008). Pouliot was awarded the 2009 Vincent Lemieux Prize by the Canadian Political Science Association for the best dissertation in political science. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.Ohio State University. Mershon Center for International Security StudiesEvent Web page, streaming video, event photo

Reconstructing World Politics: Norms, Discourse, and Community

This Article argues that the conventional (rationalist) approach to world politics characterized by political bargain cannot fully capture the new social reality under the contemporary global ambience where ideational factors such as ideas, values, culture, and norms have become more salient and influential not only in explaining but also in prescribing state behaviors. After bringing rationalism’s paradigmatic limitations into relief, the Article offers a sociological framework that highlights a reflective, intersubjective communication among states and consequent norm-building process. Under this new paradigm, one can understand an international organization as a “community” (Gemeinschaft), not as a mere contractual instrument of its contracting parties (Gesellschaft). The Article applies the new paradigm to the World Trade Organization (WTO) as it describes the WTO’s institutional evolution from a power-oriented, tariff-reducing contract to a norm-oriented world trade community

Storytelling in den Vereinten Nationen: Mahbub ul Haq und menschliche Entwicklung

Ausgehend von der Beobachtung, dass Mitarbeiter der Vereinten Nationen eine wichtige Rolle in Prozessen des ideellen Wandels auf internationaler Ebene spielen können, beschäftigt sich dieser Beitrag mit einer bestimmten Form individuellem Einflusses – dem storytelling. Mein Verständnis von storytelling als Einflusstaktik kombiniert dabei kollektive Elemente der soziologischen Praxistheorie mit den reflexiven, akteursbezogenen Überlegungen von Michel de Certeau. Ich analysiere storytelling anhand von drei analytischen Elementen: einem (chronologischen) Plot, einer Reihe von Charakteren und einem interpretativen Thema – die jeweils ihre Wirkung im Zusammenspiel mit der Subjektivität ihres storytellers entfalten. Ich illustriere diese theoretischen Überlegungen mit dem Fall von Mahbub ul Haq, dem es als Sonderberater des United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Administrators zu Beginn der 1990er Jahre gelungen ist, die Idee der menschlichen Entwicklung im System der Vereinten Nationen und der internationalen Entwicklungspolitik zu etablieren

A tale of two cognitions: The Evolution of Social Constructivism in International Relations

Abstract Constructivism in International Relations (IR) is popular, but constructivists seem disappointed. Allegedly something has been lost. Such criticisms are misplaced. There was never a uniform Constructivism. Since constructivism is socially constructed, to argue that constructivism has evolved “wrongly” is odd. This paper explains the dissatisfaction with constructivism followed by a second reading of its evolution as a tale of two cognitions. These two cognitions distinguish genera in the constructivist “family”. A criticism against one genus based on the cognition of the other is unfair. A focus on cognitions and the use of genera helps in perceiving constructivism’s future evolution

Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial

Background Previous evidence indicates that adjuvant, short-course androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) improves metastasis-free survival when given with primary radiotherapy for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the value of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy is unclear. Methods RADICALS-HD was an international randomised controlled trial to test the efficacy of ADT used in combination with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to radiotherapy alone (no ADT) or radiotherapy with 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT), using monthly subcutaneous gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue injections, daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as distant metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. Standard survival analysis methods were used, accounting for randomisation stratification factors. The trial had 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 80% to 86% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·67). Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00541047. Findings Between Nov 22, 2007, and June 29, 2015, 1480 patients (median age 66 years [IQR 61–69]) were randomly assigned to receive no ADT (n=737) or short-course ADT (n=743) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 121 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 9·0 years (IQR 7·1–10·1), metastasis-free survival events were reported for 268 participants (142 in the no ADT group and 126 in the short-course ADT group; HR 0·886 [95% CI 0·688–1·140], p=0·35). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 79·2% (95% CI 75·4–82·5) in the no ADT group and 80·4% (76·6–83·6) in the short-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 121 (17%) of 737 participants in the no ADT group and 100 (14%) of 743 in the short-course ADT group (p=0·15), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Metastatic disease is uncommon following postoperative bed radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. Adding 6 months of ADT to this radiotherapy did not improve metastasis-free survival compared with no ADT. These findings do not support the use of short-course ADT with postoperative radiotherapy in this patient population

Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial

Background Previous evidence supports androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with primary radiotherapy as initial treatment for intermediate-risk and high-risk localised prostate cancer. However, the use and optimal duration of ADT with postoperative radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy remains uncertain. Methods RADICALS-HD was a randomised controlled trial of ADT duration within the RADICALS protocol. Here, we report on the comparison of short-course versus long-course ADT. Key eligibility criteria were indication for radiotherapy after previous radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, prostate-specific antigen less than 5 ng/mL, absence of metastatic disease, and written consent. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to add 6 months of ADT (short-course ADT) or 24 months of ADT (long-course ADT) to radiotherapy, using subcutaneous gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue (monthly in the short-course ADT group and 3-monthly in the long-course ADT group), daily oral bicalutamide monotherapy 150 mg, or monthly subcutaneous degarelix. Randomisation was done centrally through minimisation with a random element, stratified by Gleason score, positive margins, radiotherapy timing, planned radiotherapy schedule, and planned type of ADT, in a computerised system. The allocated treatment was not masked. The primary outcome measure was metastasis-free survival, defined as metastasis arising from prostate cancer or death from any cause. The comparison had more than 80% power with two-sided α of 5% to detect an absolute increase in 10-year metastasis-free survival from 75% to 81% (hazard ratio [HR] 0·72). Standard time-to-event analyses were used. Analyses followed intention-to-treat principle. The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN40814031, and ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00541047 . Findings Between Jan 30, 2008, and July 7, 2015, 1523 patients (median age 65 years, IQR 60–69) were randomly assigned to receive short-course ADT (n=761) or long-course ADT (n=762) in addition to postoperative radiotherapy at 138 centres in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, and the UK. With a median follow-up of 8·9 years (7·0–10·0), 313 metastasis-free survival events were reported overall (174 in the short-course ADT group and 139 in the long-course ADT group; HR 0·773 [95% CI 0·612–0·975]; p=0·029). 10-year metastasis-free survival was 71·9% (95% CI 67·6–75·7) in the short-course ADT group and 78·1% (74·2–81·5) in the long-course ADT group. Toxicity of grade 3 or higher was reported for 105 (14%) of 753 participants in the short-course ADT group and 142 (19%) of 757 participants in the long-course ADT group (p=0·025), with no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Compared with adding 6 months of ADT, adding 24 months of ADT improved metastasis-free survival in people receiving postoperative radiotherapy. For individuals who can accept the additional duration of adverse effects, long-course ADT should be offered with postoperative radiotherapy. Funding Cancer Research UK, UK Research and Innovation (formerly Medical Research Council), and Canadian Cancer Society

La logique du praticable dans le rétroviseur

Trois principaux arguments sont avancés en réponse aux textes critiques qui précèdent. Premièrement, loin de réfuter l’importance de la réflexivité, la logique du praticable en souligne les ressorts inarticulés. Même les tactiques diplomatiques les plus calculées reposent sur des savoir-faire incarnés qui, s’ils font rarement l’objet de discussions, n’en produisent pas moins des effets structurants. Deuxièmement, expliquer le changement et les événements extraordinaires forme un défi qui n’est pas hors de la portée analytique de la logique du praticable. Au contraire, les écarts de conduite et les transformations du sens commun découlent de la nature contingente et multiple de la logique du praticable. Troisièmement, le tournant pratique en ri s’inscrit dans le prolongement, et non à l’encontre, du tournant linguistique et de l’interprétivisme. Au final, mettre la logique du praticable à l’avant-plan, c’est diriger l’analyse sur les ressorts de l’inégalité et de la domination sociales, dans le prolongement de la sociologie politique de Pierre Bourdieu.Three main arguments are put forward in response the above critiques. First, far from denying the importance of reflexivity, the logic of practicality draws attention to its unspoken underpinnings. Even the most calculated diplomatic tactics are rooted in embodied know-how, which while rarely discussed, nonetheless has a structuring effect. Second, explaining change and extraordinary events is a challenge well within the analytical capabilities of the logic of practicality. In fact, misconduct and changing notions of common sense are attributable to the contingent and multiple nature of the logic of practicality. Thirdly, the practice turn in IR is an extension, not a rejection, of the linguistic turn and interpretivism. Ultimately, forefronting the logic of practicality is a way to focus analysis on underlying mechanisms of inequality and social domination, in keeping with the political sociology of Pierre Bourdieu.Se avanzan tres principales argumentos en respuesta a los textos críticos anteriores. Primeramente, lejos de refutar la importancia de la reflexividad, la lógica de la practicidad destaca sus resortes o mecanismos inarticulados. Incluso las tácticas diplomáticas más calculadas se basan en conocimientos y habilidades encarnadas que, si bien raramente son objeto de discusiones, producen sin embargo efectos estructurantes. Segundo, explicar el cambio y los eventos extraordinarios constituye un desafío que no está fuera del alcance analítico de la lógica de la practicidad. Por el contrario, las brechas de conducta y las transformaciones del sentido común derivan de la naturaleza contingente y múltiple de la lógica de la practicidad. Tercero, el giro práctico en las relaciones internacionales se inscribe en la prolongación, y no en la oposición, del giro lingüístico y del interpretativismo. Finalmente, poner la lógica de la practicidad en primer plano es dirigir el análisis sobre los resortes de la desigualdad y la dominación sociales, en la prolongación de la sociología política de Pierre Bourdieu

La Russie et la communauté atlantique : Vers une culture commune de sécurité ?

Au cours des cinquante dernières années, la relation soviéto- puis russo-atlantique a profondément évolué. Se concentrant sur la période de l’après-guerre froide, cet article soutient que les récentes années ont permis l’émergence d’une culture commune de sécurité entre la Russie et la communauté atlantique. En se fondant sur un cadre théorique constructiviste, il y est argumenté que depuis la fin de la guerre froide, un certain nombre de représentations sociales communes ont émergé sur les questions de sécurité. Si la transposition de ces idées en actes s’est parfois révélée difficile dans la décennie 1989-1999, il apparaît qu’au cours des dernières années, un système de sens de plus en plus dense a été partagé concernant autant la nature des menaces que doivent affronter la Russie et la communauté atlantique que les solutions à mettre en oeuvre pour y pallier.During the last fifty years, the relationship between urss/Russia and the Atlantic community has greatly evolved. Taking the Post-Cold War era as its focus, this article posits that the last few years have allowed the emergence of a Russian-Atlantic security culture. Informed by a constructivist theoretical framework, it argues that since the end of the Cold War, some common social understandings have developed between Russia and the Atlantic community about security issues. The translation of these ideas into deeds has sometimes been difficult during the 1989-1999 decade. It is nonetheless apparent that in the last few years a system of shared meanings about threats and solutions to them has become more and more dense between Russia and the Atlantic community