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Your Mission: IR Theories in Costume!

Find and share real-world examples that demonstrate international relations theories in action!

What to Do:

1. Choose an IR theory (realism, liberalism, constructivism, feminism, Marxism)

2. Find an example from movies/shows, poems, cartoons, songs, or other media that illustrates this theory, ideally in a "fun" way

3. Create a post briefly explaining your example

4. Attach supporting evidence (the poem, image, or movie that inspired the post)

Tips

Clearly explain how your example demonstrates the theory in some way (its assumptions, arguments, policies, authors, critiques, etc.)

Be specific about which aspects of the theory are shown

The "sillier" the better!

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Captain America: Civil War is a metaphor for the realist theory of international relations. The two alliance blocs (Captain America and Iron Man) have created a bipolar balance of power in their system (the Avengers), and because of ideological differences, they have engaged in fighting. Both Captain America and Iron Man have joined a smaller fight on behalf of their allies, and spend a large portion of the movie in a security dilemma, arming themselves with allies and weapons, increasing the tension. The two powers exist in an anarchic system; there is no authority above them. After a failed attempt at diplomacy, the two sides see no other option than to use their military power against each other. Team Iron Man wins the fight at the end of the movie, thus shifting the balance of power in Tony Stark's favor, turning him into the unipolar leader of the Avengers.

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Marvel's Captain America: Civil War - Trailer 2

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The movie Black Swan (2010) demonstrates feminism because throughout the movie, Natalie Portman's character is constantly pitted against other women, ultimately leading to her downfall. This is a key example of feminism in IR as women are pitted against each other in the patriarchy and made to view their fellow women as enemies. Being pitted against each other leads to less women sticking up for each other in the world of politics. Another aspect of this movie I find interesting is that the lead's pain is not treated seriously, many in this movie believe that she is too weak or fragile. Showing the assumption that a woman may be too emotional to take a lead in politics. Ultimately, this movie is a great example of the bias many people in the IR field take on women.

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While the movie Legally Blonde is often seen as a comedy they also critique gender roles. Feminist theory in IR challenges male dominated ideas in a male dominated profession. Politics often exclude feminine ideas. In the movie Legally Blonde we see Elle go to Harvard to become a lawyer both are very male dominated areas. In the beginning we see her struggle to be taken seriously because the others see her as dumb blonde because she is very feminine and emotional. As the movie progresses, we see Elle find her voice and achieve success without changing who she is. Elle uses her femininity to understand others, and it helps her connect with other people which is an important tool to have.

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IR Theory in Costume: Realism Meets The Lion King

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IR Theory in Costume: Realism Meets The Lion King

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Realism says the international system is all about power, survival. competition, and anarchy. Now, replace "states" with "lions" and "hyenas", and suddenly The Lion King becomes a crash course in power politics! Mufasa maintains a hegemonic order in the Pride Lands. He even explains the “Circle of Life” like a king outlining the existing balance of power to his heir. Everyone stays in line because the lions are strong enough to enforce order. Classic realism. However, Scar is the neighboring state gone rogue! He wants to overthrow the existing hierarchy and redistribute power by making an alliance with a marginalized group (the hyenas). This is power balancing in one villainous coup. The rest of the Savannah is the states navigating threats. After Scar takes over, the Pride Lands fall into chaos! There is no "UN of animals" to step in because in realism, there is no higher authority. Survival depends on the lions regaining power. Finally, Simba's return is power restoration. Simba doesn't negotiate. He uses force to restore stability and reclaim his rightful spot in the hierarchy. Essentially: peace is maintained when the strongest actor stays strong. Hakuna matata is for the idealists!

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The Hunger Games can be viewed through a Marxist perspective because the nation of Panem is a class-based society with the Capitol as the exploitative, capitalist class and the districting who are the exploited working class who are forced to supply the Capitol with goods from destructive labor. The wealth gap is striking between the Capitol and the districts because the Capitol hoards all of the wealth. Capitol citizens live lavish lifestyles and dress extravagantly while people are starving in the districts. The people in the Capitol only view the districts for the commodities that each district specializes in, dehumanizing the human labor that provided those goods. The Capitol invents many ways to control the districts to continue the cycle of exploitation such as each district being kept completely isolated from one another to prevent attempts to unify and overthrow the Capitol. The Hunger Games is another method of control to make the districts feel helpless by the absolute power of the Capitol and designed to pit the districts against one another, instead of directing their anger towards the Capitol. However, the series demonstrates the belief of Marxism that a capitalist system is unsustainable because the exploited will gain class consciousness and begin a revolution. Katniss, who comes from the poorest area in Panem, symbolizes the inevitable spark of rebellion of the districts against the Capitol, eventually uniting them and leading a revolution to overthrow the Capitol.

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Constructivist and Feminist Hopes for the Future of International Relations and Planetary Wellbeing

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Constructivist and Feminist Hopes for the Future of International Relations and Planetary Wellbeing

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Our class has delved mostly into the pessimism of international relations assumptions, structures, and outcomes - often in hopes that exploring such problem definitions will spur cooperative solutions into the future. However, to formulate these solutions in the first place, to care about a better future, one must nurture a fervent hope that positive change is possible and even likely. This song by Paris Paloma channels such a hopeful energy amidst turbulent, seemingly hopeless times. To me, it speaks to the individual level of analysis and the role of shifting normative expectations in driving positive planetary change, a hallmark of both constructivist and feminist scholarship. I hope that you enjoy. It's a tune that's helped me out more than a few times during especially challenging moments. You'll find it even more interesting if you happen to be a Lord of the Rings fan, of course.

"If dark the night, be the light
When all other lights go out"

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Paris Paloma - The Rider (from "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim")

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Cecile Horst - Realism in the Social Network 

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Cecile Horst - Realism in the Social Network 

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The Realism theory of IR focuses on states interacting according to their own self-interest, survival, competition, and in the pursuit of power. The Social Network (2010) exhibits these traits in telling the story of Mark Zuckerberg's journey to creating Facebook. In the movie it shows how, at times, Mark betrayed people and stabbed them in the back, all in the name of creating Facebook, illustrating self-interest and viewing people as competition rather than people to collaborate with. There are 2 strong examples of this: the first with Mark and the Winkelvoss twins, who initially approached him about creating a Harvard social networking website and were looking to work with Mark to create it. Rather than collaborating with them, he lied and stated he would, and turned around and created his own Facebook, putting his own interests first. Then, later in the movie, it shows Mark diluting his friend and CFO Eduardo Saverin's share of the company, essentially edging him out because he was threatened by his control and had differing opinions from him. All of this emphasizes how, in order to obtain power, Mark prioritized his self-interest in order to get what he wanted.

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Superman (2025)'s Clark Kent is a Liberalist

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Superman (2025)'s Clark Kent is a Liberalist

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Superman (2025) follows the character of Clark Kent through his battle against Lex Luthor and his support for the fictional country of Jarhanpur as it resists the secret invasion of Boravia (another fictional, yet powerful country allied with the USA). In this film, Boravia is secretly being supplied advanced weaponry from Lex Luthor, a powerful actor who holds influential political power despite his lack of actual authoritative title. The US is allied with Boravia, but is both unaware and unsupportive of the invasion. Luthor's secret suppliance is in trade for territory in Jarhanpur once Boravia invades and takes over- allowing him hegemony through power and control over land of his own. In this context, Luthor is a realist using his resources to gain more power, emphasizing his own increased power over the civilian lives he is endangering. In contrast, Clark Kent (Superman) works against Luthor's plan and exposes him to the government and public. Kent is avidly against Boravia and supports the human rights of the people of Jarhanpur, stopping invasions against the orders of the US, who wanted him to "stay out of it" (exhibiting non-intervention). As the invasion attempts go on, Kent gathers other allies (the Justice Gang) that align with his belief in sovereignty for Jarhanpur, using their collective power to fight back against the military of Boravia. This loosely demonstrates the liberal theory of collective security, emphasizing organizations- the Justice Gang- working together to create peace across the globe.

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The Handmaid’s Tale shows the feminist IR argument, states and power systems define “security” in ways that justify controlling women, affecting both domestic and international politics. Gilead treats fertile women as state-owned reproductive capital and makes a strict gender system to maintain control. There are wives who are elite but powerless, aunts who enforce the patriarchy, handmaids who are used solely for reproduction, and marthas used for domestic labor. Security in Gilead is extremely militarized and male-dominated. Feminist IR tells us that traditional IR often ignores women’s voices entirely. This is shown when the women lose their names, a literal symbol of losing political and self identity. - Emma Taylor