Work

Voluntary action in International Relations

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: What is voluntary action in International Relations (IR)? Literatures on bargaining, empire, foreign policy, grand strategy, hierarchy, hegemony, international law, international order, legitimacy, responsibility, status, and strategy depend on the answer, yet IR has no definition of it. We argue that voluntary action is an expression of genuine will. Yet, because of theoretical commitments, there remains deep disagreement about which actors are capable of genuine will, what process produces it, and what internal and external conditions interfere with it. We lay out where and why disagreements occur and discuss ways of advancing disputes over voluntarism in world politics.

Source: European Journal of International Relations

DOI: 10.1177/13540661261437973

Authors: Joseph M. Parent, Paul K. MacDonald

Institutions: University of Notre Dame, Wellesley College

Language: English

Topic: International Relations and Foreign Policy

Subfield: Political Science and International Relations

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,900