A-Z of IR: G is for 'Gender' and H is for 'Hegemony'
Inspired by the British Academy’s focus on Engaging the Public with Humanities and the Social Sciences (2023), in October 2024, Adrian Gallagher (Leeds) launched an A-Z in International Politics online and free of charge. This 26 part series over 26 weeks introduces key concepts such as A is for Anarchy, B for Balance of Power, C for Cooperation and so forth. They are released on Instagram (Prof_Politics), TikTok (Professor_Politics), LinkedIn, and YouTube (@ProfessorGallagher).
In the first few months alone, Instagram generated more than 38,000 views, 2000 interactions and 1200 followers, TikTok 22,243 views, YouTube over 1000 views, and LinkedIn around 10,000 views.
This week we look at the letters 'G' and 'H'.
G is for 'Gender'
At COP29, only 8 women were part of the line-up of world leaders.
When we think of gender in International Relations, we are thinking of the social construction of gender, and the implications that stem from it.
"Innocent women and children." This phrase implies that women have the same level of agency as children, and that men are a separate category. This narrative has negative implications for men and women. Elshtain's 'Women and War' (1987) asks us to consider the narrative that presents men as 'just warriors' and women as 'beautiful souls'. We can see these narratives all around us in society, when we think of things like statues in public places. It is difficult to see what role these images of women play, other than to serve the needs of men.
The construction of gender often positions women as subservient to men. Cynthia Enloe's 'Bananas, Beaches, and Bases' (1990) notes the construction of brothels near military bases to serve the needs of men. Enloe asks us to consider that historically women are prevented from getting to positions of power. We can use this lens to understand the lack of women at COP 29.
Some critics downplay the role of gender, race, and class in international politics. Adam Jones suggests men can also be exploited by capitalist systems. Postcolonial feminism challenges Western feminism for denying agency to women of the Global South. Do you think gender plays a role in your own perception of politics, or of academia?
H is for 'Hegemony'
'Hegemony' refers to a country whose power at the international level far exceeds that of its rivals. It is the heavyweight champion of the world.
The US has held this position since the end of the Cold War. In terms of 'hard power', it has 750 military bases in over 80 countries across the world. It also has 'soft power'. Instead of planting flags around the world, it planted McDonald's, Hollywood, Coca-Cola, and it planted ideas.
Hegemonic Stability Theory explains that this might not be a bad thing. One big power might be better than several large powers fighting for supremacy. As US power declines, this could increase instability within the anarchical realm (A is for 'Anarchy'). In 1981, Robert Gilpin noted that one problem with hegemony and hegemonic decline, is that those within the hegemon feel a God-given right to stand at the apex. Because of this, they may not give in to the legitimate demands of rising powers. This can create a more hostile environment in the anarchical realm, and increase the chance of hegemonic war.
We might think of the rise of Chinese power and whether this could lead to a hegemonic war with the US.
Photo by Robert Stump on Unsplash
