A Certain Idea of Science: How International Relations Theory Avoids the New Cold War History

Abstract

So far, scholars of international politics have displayed relatively little inclination to use new evidence from Cold War-era archives to test their theories and generalizations. This indifference is unfortunate. The new archival evidence and memoirs can—and should—provide a reality check for theoretical debates. It is time for students of international relations to recognize the crucial link between historical explanation and theoretical propositions.