A New Research Agenda in International Relations, Theories of Historical Sociology and Russian “Civilizationism”
A New Research Agenda in International Relations, Theories of Historical Sociology and Russian “Civilizationism”

Summary/Abstract: This paper considers new perspectives in international relations, civilizational analysis in recent historical sociology, and their relevance for contemporary Russian studies. The new research programs in international relations regard civilizations as discursive constructs and focus on the ways of institutionalization of political imaginaries. Sociological civilizational analysis devotes considerable attention to the historical legacies of civilizations and empires. However, this paper proposes revising the list of historical sociologists whose ideas are highly relevant for the study of today’s international relations. In particular, the paper discusses Johann P. Arnason’s relational perspective in contemporary civilizational analysis. At the same time, it can be argued that sociological civilizational analysis has been employed insufficiently in the field of Russian studies. Current discussions of Russian “civilizationism” focus on ideological discourses and mostly neglect the issue of historical legacies. The paper stresses the need to reconsider civilizational aspects of Russian politics.

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