International Practice Theory is the definitive introduction to the practice turn in world politics, providing an accessible, up-to-date guide to the approaches, concepts, methodologies and methods of the subject. Situating the study of practices in contemporary theory and reviewing approaches ranging from Bourdieu's praxeology and communities of practice to actor-network theory and pragmatic sociology, it documents how they can be used to study international practices empirically. The book features a discussion of how scholars can navigate ontological challenges such as order and change, micro and macro, bodies and objects, and power and critique. Interpreting practice theory as a methodological orientation, it also provides an essential guide for the design, execution and drafting of a praxiographic study.

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Academic and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. How does governing work today? How does society (mis)handle pressing challenges such as armed violence, cultural difference, ecological degradation, economic restructuring, geopolitical shifts, global pandemics, migration flows, and technological change in ways that are (not) democratic, effective, fair, peaceful, and sustainable? This volume addresses these key questions with reference to the theme of 'polycentrism', i.e. the idea that contemporary governing is dispersed, fluctuating, messy, elusive, and headless. Chapters develop this notion of polycentrism from the perspectives of a broad spectrum of academic disciplines and theoretical approaches, offering comprehensive coverage of exciting new thinking about how today's world is (mis)ruled. The book identifies four paradigms of knowledge about polycentric governing - organizational, legal, relational, and structural - and pursues conversations across the divides that normally keep these approaches within separate research communities. These exceptional inter-paradigm exchanges focus particularly on issues of techniques (how governing is done), power (what forces drive governing), and legitimacy (whether governing is rightful). Comparisons between the multiple perspectives on polycentric governing highlight, and help to clarify, the distinctive emphases, potentials, and limitations of each approach. In addition, various combinations of the different theories generate promising novel avenues of thought about polycentrism. The book will allow readers to develop and refine their own understandings of governing today and hence to become more empowered political subjects.

Eine Hinwendung zur Erzahlung ist in der politischen OEffentlichkeit und der sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschungspraxis zu beobachten. Die zentrale Bedeutung von Narrativen in der Sinnvermittlung menschlicher Kommunikation wird kaum noch bestritten. Ungeklart ist jedoch, welche Implikationen und forschungspraktischen Konsequenzen sich daraus fur die Politikwissenschaft ergeben. Die Autoren schlagen unterschiedliche Wege vor, Narrative zu konzeptualisieren und in der politischen Praxis aufzuspuren. Politische Narrative finden sich nicht nur in der Literatur oder in Bildern, sondern auch in vielfaltigen Legitimierungsstrategien und Herrschaftstechniken politischer Akteure. Ziel ist es, ein Bewusstsein fur den Modus des Erzahlens im politischen Alltag zu entwickeln und politische Narrative als Schlusselkategorie fur die Politikwissenschaft zu entdecken.