The international society perspective on world politics reconsidered

In this paper, I outline and assess the international society perspective on world politics, and identify the distinctive common ground of the leading English School writers in terms of the three dimensions of their main subject‐matter – structural, functional and historical. I focus on the major works of Manning, Bull, Wight, Watson, Wheeler, and Buzan and Little, paying special attention to the structure of each writer's argument and the interconnections of these writers' ideas. I conclude by listing a number of themes that the English School writers offer. These provide us with significant points of departure from where we may build on or transcend their collective and individual achievements.