States Interaction In The Perspective Of Symbolic Interactionism

As a useful attempt to apply the symbolic interactionism which is an important theory in the sociology discipline to explain the state and the interaction among states, this article tries to treat the states as individuals of the international society to explore their social psychological processes. I think that this is a very important aspect in the current process of international political socialization. It's also the neglected part of the current sociological turn in International Politics. In the time of today and the future when the "social" of the international society growing up, it is a benefit way to help people study the interaction among states from a different perspective to treats the states as "social person" of the social process. The social interaction based on the shared "significant symbol" in the Symbolic Interactionism find a new theoretical explanation for the cooperation between states. In this theory, the states pay more attention to the cooperative behavior in interaction rather than wars and conflicts as their main concerns like the mainstream International Relations theories described.This article is divided into six parts. The preface from the issue raising, review, paper framework and innovation three aspects lead to the body. The first chapter examines the view "state is person too" which is very important to the theoretical construction for this article, as beyond the gap between sociology and International Relations. The second chapter proposes that state is a "social person", and furthermore reveals that this article is to construct a microscopic theory of the states interaction. The third chapter as the main part of this article, firstly introduce the Symbolic Interactionism. I then apply the explanation model of the Symbolic Interactionism to interpret states activities. I explore the states how to know themselves, how to take actions, how to interact each other in the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism. The fourth chapter applies the above model to analyze the specific case of Sino-Japanese relations in the 21st century. The last chapter as a conclusion I argue that the interaction among states in the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism will be more prone to cooperation rather than conflict.In the preface, I start from the substantive changes occurring in the Post-Cold War international politics. I account that contemporary international politics have pay more and more attentions to the "social" of international society compared with traditional international politics. And this phenomenon has been reflected in theory. Various kinds of theories which study international relation from the perspective of sociology appeared. I will make a sort summary to them, and argue that there is no attempt to interpret international relations with a specific sociological theory. This Article is a useful supplement to this defect, which is also the innovation of this article.The first chapter demonstrates the validity and authenticity of the view "state is person too". I proof it mainly from three arguments:firstly, I examine wendt's argument about it.because he is the first theorist to propose "state is person too" in the field of International Relations; secondly, I believe that the state theories in the political science also look the state as person. And I will research for it; thirdly, I examine the mainstream international relations theorists how to deal with the state. And I reveal that they also directly or indirectly personify the state in their theory construction; lastly, I will make a conclusion that the view "state is person too" is true, and it's helpful to our theory construction, although it still has limitations.The second chapter on the basis of "state is person too", I further analysis the mainstream International Relations Theories look the state as what kind of person. I argue that they treat the state as "political person", "moral person", and "economic person", but not "social person". Then in the assumption of "state is a social person", I introduce into the Symbolic Interactionism, argue that the explanation model of Symbolic Interactionism is suitable for interaction among states. Then according to the characteristics of Symbolic Interactionism and the need of International Relations, the interaction pattern among states in the perspective of symbolic Interactionism is a microscopic theory.The third chapter is a theoretical construction. I first introduce the general overview of Symbolic Interactionism, pointing out that the social psychology thought of George Herbert Mead is the core of Symbolic Interaction theory,and focus on the Mead's social behaviorism. Mead's thought will be applied to interpret the state acts, explore the states how to recognize themselves, how to take action, how to interact each other in the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism. I argue that on these three levels the state is able to achieve on controlling their action. I conclude that the interaction among states is easier to create cooperation rather than conflict as the shared "significant symbol" growing in the international society.The fourth chapter is a case study. I put the explanation model of Symbolic Interactionism about states interactions to analyze 21st century Sino-Japanese relations. I explore the discord symbols in the political communications during the Junichiro Koizumi how to change in the Abe. I believe that the key of Sino-Japanese relations achieving transform is the ongoing process of symbolic interaction between each other.The last chapter as the end of the article, is aim to have a conclusion of the text, and to further emphasize the conclusion that the interaction among states in the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism more prone to cooperation. Although it could not deny the conflict, the conflicts have essential differences between the international society basis and the fore-international society basis, which must use different attitudes and approaches to deal with.