Journal & IR

7/27/2019 Journal & IR

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/journal-ir 1/19

J OURNAL & IRH i z k i a Yosi e Pol i mp un g

Cent er for Gl obal Ci vi l Soci ety Studi es (PACIVI S)

U ni ver sit as I nd onesia



S TRUCTURE IR and journals

J ournal mapping

Indonesian journal culture

Philosophy

Prelims

Beginning writing

Tips & hints



IR AND J OURNALS The so-called “Great Debates” happen mostly on journals likeWP, I SQ, I O, M i l l enni um , RI S (else, onISA Papers and books)

J ournal as “camp” for like-minded scholars“What has changed from 1988 to 2008? I’d say mostly thefield of I nternational Relations. IR has been transformed:there is no real mainstream any longer, margins aredisappearing, and no topic is forbidden to it. The fieldaccommodates everything in a devolved and still evolving

camp structure . Our numerous camps have their ownheroes, prized texts, dedicated followers, and, increasingly,their own journals.” (Christine Sylvester, 2008, emphasis

added)



MENU FOR THOUGHT Generic (I nt er nat i onal Stud i es Quar ter l y,I nt er nat i onal Or gani zati on, For ei gn Pol i cy Anal ysi s,I nt er nat i onal I nt er act i ons, I nt er nat i onal Stud i es Revi ew , I n ter nat i onal Stu d i es Per specti ve,

I nt er nat i onal Affai r s,Wor l d Pol i t i cs, For ei gn Affai r s,Daedal us, Sur vi val , Gl obal Gover nance, etc.)

Security / Strategic Studies ( Internat ional Secu r i ty, Secur i ty Stud i es, Contempor ar y Str ategy,J ou r nal of Str ategic Studi es, Cooper ati on & Conf l i ct,

Secu r i ty D i al ogue) IPE (Revi ew of I nt er nat i onal Pol i t i cal Economy,Wor l d Economy, J our nal of Eur opean Publ i c Pol i cy,J our nal of Common M ar ket Stu di es, N ew Pol i t i cal Economy)



Asia-Pacific Studies (I nt er nat i onal Rel ati ons of A si a-

Pasi fi c, Paci fi c Revi ew , Asi an Su r vey, Cont empor ar y Sout heast Asi a)

Critical voices (M i l l enni um : J our nal of I nter nat ional

Studi es, I nt er nat i onal Rel ati ons, Gl obal Soci ety,

I nt er nat i onal Theor y, Revi ew of I nt er nat i onal Stud i es,

Eu r opean J our nal of I nter nat i onal Rel at i ons, Thi r d Wor l d Quar ter l y, I nt er nat i onal Stud i es Review ,

I nt er nat i onal Pol i t i cal Soci ol ogy, J our nal of I R &

Devel opment , Al ter nat i ves: Gl obal , L ocal , Pol i t i cal )

Some other worth reading (Theor y, Cul tu r e &

Soci ety, Theor y & Event , Reth i nk i ng M ar xism, N ew L eft Revi ew , The South At l anti c Quar ter l y)

International Studies Association (ISA) proceedingarchives (accessible throughhttp://www.isanet.org/pubs/paper-archive.html )



FACTS J ournals are more concise and straight-forward than

books

J ournals require a more rigid (i.e. the so-called“scientific”) style of writing than books do

J ournals are intended to scholarly community; whilebooks, for a wider general audience

J ournals are often served as place for people to plantembryos/fragments of their upcoming works/books-in-progress

In some Western universities, writing on leading journals is obligatory to obtain a tenure (besidepublishing books through prominent publishers)

J ournals are ranked by its citation level (by e.g. ISI J ournal Citation Report, Thomson Reuters, etc.)



WHAT ARE J OURNALS FOR?EXCHANGE OF IDEAS

Debate

Introduce new idea --> (cf. Thomas Kuhn’s

scientific community)

Contestation of ideas

Sharing ideas/research findings



INDONESIAN J OURNAL CULTURE Lack of serious debate, not to mention there is

any

Almost no IR journal is accredited

J ournal merely for cum

Th er e i s an u r gen t n eed t o an i m a t e ou r

j ou r n a l cu l t u r e. O t h er w i se, or t h od oxy w i l l

f or ever h a u n t ou r d i sc i p l i n e !



PRELIMINARIES

READ as many as possible! Reading for writing

Make use of the abstract feature to sort out readings

Focused reading

“Demanding reading”—a useful short detour

Aiming only at clarifying:

Questions the title sparks and

Why, according to the author(s), does the questions worth discussing

Aiming only at what are currently needed (data, theory,

concept, line of argument, or even, a quote)

Ex. “Can Asian Theorize? Reflections on the Debate over thePlace of Theory in Asian IR” (See Seng Tan, 2006)

“Democracy Promotion: Offensive L iberalism versus the Rest (of IR Theory)” (Benjamin Miller, 2010)



WRITING STRUCTURE Title

Abstract

Background

Raise a concern or a question

Argument/hypothesis

Aims of the article

Plan/structure of discussion

Discussion

Conclusion



TITLE

Make an exhaustive title covering: The argument/thesis

The subject/topic discussed

The method employed

Try to make a “catchy” or striking one

To attract reader Some nice titles:

“Kant or Cant: The Myth of the Democratic Peace”(Christopher Layne, 1994)

“Globalization: What’s new? What’s not? (And So What?)”(R.O.Keohane & J .S.Nye J r., 2000)

“Trauma and the Politics of Emotion: Constituting Identity,Security and Community after the Bali Bombing” (EmmaHutchison, 2010)

“Writing Sacral IR: An Excavation Involving Kung, Eliade,and Illiterate Buddhism” (Stephen Chan, 2000)

“Political Theology, Anthropomorphism, and Person-hood of the State: The Religion of I R” (Mika Luoma-Aho, 2009)



ABSTRACT MUST reflects the whole article

Consists of short and simple version of:

Problem

Question raised Aims

Theory/method employed

Argument

The purpose is so that readers may decidewhether it fits their need or not without havingto read the entire article



BACKGROUND Expose an anomaly(ies) (ideal vs reality)

Present a phenomenal event worthdiscussing

Spark a contention

Start a polemic

:: Problem(s)



CONCERN AND/OR QUESTION Art of raising question.

“Asking a question is one thing, but asking aresearch question is another thing.”

Worth discussing Arisen out of problematics

Has implication(s) (be it practical or theoretical)

The “why?” and “so what?”

What is at stake if we are not to take this into

account?

What are the potentials it entails once the problemaddressed?

Etc.



ARGUMENT/HYPOTHESIS BUILDING Tentative answer for the question/concern raised

Follow a deductive logic (from general to specific)

Should be the “identity” of your writing

Make use, or combine, some theories; or work outour own.

Tips: follow a vi a negati va logic:

Review existing argument/theory on the problem weraised, and deconstruct, show that it fails toadequately answer/address our problem!

Present the opposite(s) argument, and critique!



AIMS Shall be the back bone of your writing

Shall be the track for you to follow

Consist of steps of how you will address / solve

the question raised. Help readers to map out your writing



FOOTNOTES/REFERENCING Acknowledgement

Express humility

Resposibility to a claim



NO SHORTCUT, BUT SOME TIPS MIGHT

HELP: Draw an outline/mind-map before writing

Prepare review cards and data cards*

Write down your fragments of idea as soon as it strikesyour mind

Do not read when your ar e writing

Do debate or discussion as often as possible—might dowell to improve your argumentative skill

Reading literatures/novels/poems might do well to“rehearse” our imagination and to “smooth” our writing

Treat writing as a dialogue; assume an audience whenyou write.

*attached



Thank You

Hizkia Yosie Polimpung

Center for Global Civil Society Studies (PACIVIS)

Universitas Indonesia

Critics & Comments:

[email protected]

“If you can’t explain it simply, then simply youdon’t understand it well enough.”

—Al ber t E i nstei n

Journal & IR

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