Realist Stronghold in the Land of Thucydides? Appraising and Resisting a Realist Tradition in Greece

Abstract

Given the integration of the discipline of International Relations in Greece into the global discipline since a few decades, the article addresses the reflection of the ‘realism in and for the globe’ question to this specific case. Although the argument doesn’t go as far as to ‘recover’ forgotten IR theorists or self-proclaimed realists, a geopolitical dimension of socio-economic thought during interwar addressed concerns which could be related to the intricacies of realpolitik. Then again at current times, certain scholars have been eager to maintain a firm stance in favor of realism, focusing on the work of ancient figures, especially Thucydides or Homer, and on questions of the offensive-defensive realism debate as well as on the connection with the English School, while others have offered fruitful insights matching the broad constructivist agenda. Overall, certain genuine arguments have appeared, reflecting diversified views about sovereignty and its function or mitigation.