The prison as metaphor: Recasting the "Dilemma" of international relations.

From: Alternatives: Global, Local, Political | Date: July 1, 2001| Author: | Copyright information

Michael P. Marks (*)

Metaphors are useful for theory creation. They minimize circular reasoning because the analytical deductions derived from them are based on empirical observations distinct from the phenomenon to be explained. Much of IR theory is based on metaphors. From political realism's appeal to the Hobbesian metaphor of anarchy to liberalism's appeal to the metaphor of the market, the way that scholars conceptualize international affairs is rooted in metaphorical allusions to related realms of human interaction.

As useful as metaphors are for thinking about ...

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