The power of human beliefs over the state's behaviour in world politics: An in-depth and comparative case study

Abstract

This article argues that IR researchers concerned with the causation of state behaviour need an approach that posits a human agent as an important analytical category in its own right, thereby treating the specific factor (i.e. political beliefs) of human agents as an end in itself. In order to provide a check on the plausibility of this cognitive-individualist thesis, the article undertakes an in-depth study of a case that constitutes a tough test for that thesis. In addition, a further testing of the argument for the power of human political beliefs over the state’s external behaviour proceeds through a case comparison analysis.