Methods in Constructivist Approaches to International Security (SWP 55)

Constructivists employ a characteristic set of mainly qualitative methods in their work on international security. Over time, they have come – theoretically – to focus centrally on process; this has put a premium on methods that can capture and measure it. In early constructivist work, methods were not a high priority – but this has changed for the better. Unfortunately for these scholars, the social science world around them has not stood still. A revolution in qualitative methods means that constructivists students of international security will – methodologically – need in the future ‘to run harder simply to stay in place.’