A Renewed Social Democracy for an 'Age of Internationalism': An Interpretivist Account of New Labour's Foreign Policy. (19th September 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Atkins, Judi
• Is Part Of: British journal of politics and international relations. Volume 15:Number 2(2013:May)
• Page Start: 175
• Page End: 191
• Publication Date: 2012-09-19
• Subjects: Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1997-2007 -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Foreign relations -- 1945- -- Periodicals; 320.094105
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-856X.2012.00536.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-1481

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>This article employs an interpretive approach to explore New Labour's use of social scientific theories in developing its foreign policy. After situating New Labour in the broad tradition of social democracy, it outlines the beliefs that most social democrats shared about the values of internationalism, international community and moral leadership. Taking these concepts in turn, the article then considers how New Labour modified their content in response to issues raised by 'New Times'. In so doing, it problematizes New Labour's responses by revealing that they drew on ideas taken from complex interdependence theory, communitarianism and democratic peace theory respectively. The article then examines how these theories, in conjunction with the reformulation of its foreign policy, influenced New Labour's transformation of the three values, before concluding with a brief examination of the dilemmas arising from this process.</p> </abstract>