A REVALUATION OF A DIALOGUE: A RATIONAL - CONSTRUCTIVIST SYNTHESIS APPROACH TO INTERNATIONAL MONETARY AFFAIRS

Abstract

<p>The primary goal of this thesis is to evaluate the possibility of a rational - constructivist synthesis approach to international political economy (IPE) through a comparative case study approach. Following the approach suggested by Hasenclever, Rittberger and Mayer (1997,2000) for constructing a synthesis approach; this thesis develops a framework and testable hypotheses specific to international macroeconomic coordination. Utilizing a comparative framework between two periods of global macroeconomic imbalances (1982 - 1985 and 2003 - 2006) this thesis compares and contrasts three traditional approaches to IPE, interest-based rationalism, power-based rationalism and constructivism to the rational-constructivists synthesis approach. It is found that many of the anomalies generated by the three traditional approaches to IPE are answered by the rational-constructivist approach, thus arguing for the further development of this approach.</p>