Die jährliche Tagung der amerikanischen International Studies Association (ISA) ist durchaus auch für politiktheoretisch Interessierte interessant – nicht nur wegen der schönen Veranstaltungsorte (dieses Jahr San Diego, 2013 San Francisco), sondern auch wegen vieler interessanter Panels. Für 2013 etwa sucht Christoph Humrichnach Papers für das Panel „The Politics of International Diffusion and Discourse Ethics“ nach Beiträgern – alles Weitere nach dem Klick.

The Politics of International Diffusion and Discourse Ethics

The principle of Discourse Ethics (D) stipulates “that only those norms can claim to be valid that meet (or could meet) with the approval of all affected in their capacity as participants in a practical discourse” (Habermas). With this processed-based criterion it seems particularly suited for assessing the normative qualities of policy diffusion.  Moreover, Discourse Ethics dwells on the inherent normative potential of argumentative persuasion and deliberation, which are important means of (policy) diffusion within modern democratic societies. Normative assessments can thus be based on rational reconstructions of actual political practices and processes. But this may be different in the international realm. Here deliberation does not seem to play such a significant role in political processes and often it neither should. One can easily think of real world situations in international relations in which deliberation or practical discourse seem not a morally defensible option any more or which reveal that deliberation and practical discourse are probably not as universal practices as some would like them to be. Does that mean, discourse ethics must remain limited to the domestic realm (of western democracies)? It seems not, as discourse ethical approaches are receiving increasing attention also in debates on international ethics. The proposed panel assesses the progress, problems and prospects of Discourse Ethics as a normative approach to International Relations. The papers deal with the theoretical challenges Discourse Ethics faces in the international realm as well as with practical answers Discourse Ethics could offer to the normative challenges posed by the international politics of norm diffusion.

Paper proposals with title and abstracts of under 200 words should be submitted to Christoph Humrich (humrich at hsfk.de) by 25 May 2012.

Further information on the conference can be found at: http://www.isanet.org/annual_convention/call-for-papers.html