Historical Sociology and Cognitive illusions of the Waltzian Tradition of International Relations

This article tries to offer a critical examination of the Waltzian tradition of International Relations based on the historical sociology perspective. The main question which we seek to address here is that what methodological weaknesses the historical sociology perspective exposes from the Waltzian theory of International Relations and what solution it can offer in order to save itself from these weaknesses. Due to its abstract theoretical discipline of understanding the international phenomena, the Waltzian tradition of international relations is envisaged with four cognitive illusions including reification illusion, naturalization illusion, immutability illusion and isomorphic illusion. These four illusions are obvious results of ahistoricality and asociality of Waltzian theory of international politics. In this regard, the historical sociology by stressing on time (historical) and social factors and forces is seeking to capture more precise methods of perceiving the international politics.