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Madison Horn

Mr. Courtney

Introduction to International Relations

25 September 2017

Ann Tickner versus Hans J. Morgenthau

Ann Tickner inspects international politics in a feminist way opposed to the arguably

misogynistic theories that have prevailed since the birth of the study of international relations.

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Her analysis of the groundwork that has been laid for political realism on the global scale, most

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of her work comparing feminist and maternal strategies to the principles of Hans J. Morgenthau,

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makes steps to start pushing the boundaries of how conflict needs to be dealt with in the real
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world. Tickner takes a step back from the need for states to assert control and power, and even
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challenges the validity of the way that power has been defined. Alternatively, she looks for in-
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ternational relations to focus on unifying states by acting morally and strengthening mutuality. In

opposition to the provision of violence for states to get ahead and in a modern world that is
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changing almost more rapidly than people can keep up with, taking the feminist route is the best
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way for conflict to be peacefully resolved in international politics and to preserve the tranquility
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of the world.
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Ann Tickner evaluates international politics through a feminist lens as a woman in an

area which is predominately made up of men, and looks critically and constructively over such

male theorists as Morgenthau in this particular case. Tickner argues that, “International politics is

a man's world, a world of power and conflict in which warfare is privileged activity” (Tickner

21). The domination of men in this realm has arguably skewed the way in which international

https://www.coursehero.com/file/27475716/Ann-Tickner-vs-Hans-J-Morgenthau/
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relations and politics are thought of. The mindset of viewing the dynamic of states in the in-

ternational realm as ‘man over man’ in today’s day and age is no longer as functional as it once

was. In a world where technology is so much more advanced, the demands for security have

shifted away from being managed more simply to a constantly evolving issue that is more com-

plex now than it has ever been. Sara Ruddick’s assertion that maternal thinking as a mindset that

is highly functional in resolving conflict is interpreted by Tickner so that, “Ruddick describes

maternal thinking as focused on the preservation of life and the growth of children” (Tickner 28).

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Female morality is more conducive to maintaining peace, whereas male morality might create

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even greater disturbance in a community. Violence as Tickner described can be used as a tool to

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feebly attempt to repair whatever damage has been done. Ann Tickner inspects and redefines
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Hans J. Morgenthau’s principles of political realism in a more feministic way.
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Tickner briefly summarizes the ideas Morgenthau has contributed to international politics
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as they follow along the lines that politics and society are deeply connected to unchanging hu-

man nature (Tickner 23). The nature of the “political man”, in turn, is both righteous and animal-
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istic, especially because states are not necessarily obligated to endorse and protect morally cor-
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rect laws. Those states and individuals who do behave fairly and ethically jeopardize their power
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and detrimentally increase their chances of failure because of the imminent unethical actions of
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others. Tickner proceeds to assess the validity of this figure, stating that “Morgenthau’s political

man is a social construct based on partial representation of human nature” (Tickner 25). While

that might be true on the one hand, one could argue that Morgenthau’s portrayal of the political

man is extremely accurate, as he clearly denotes the political man is neither purely good or en-

tirely evil. Tickner’s interpretation of the political man might not be entirely practical, as it seems

https://www.coursehero.com/file/27475716/Ann-Tickner-vs-Hans-J-Morgenthau/
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to dismiss the fact that humans are flawed and therefore their actions and behaviors are too. At

the same time, her perspective seems to allude to the importance of avoiding the more pes-

simistic, Darwinistic outlook on international politics that focuses on the fear of having to face

consequences and the paranoia of how to calculate ones actions.

Rather, Tickner evaluates how the execution of international politics and relations should

be conducted in a much more positive way in comparison to Morgenthau. National interest

should not revolve entirely around obtaining and maintaining power, at whatever it may cost the

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state. “Objective" laws are not so impartial, as they really take on a more masculine approach

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than anything considering how much more influenced international politics have been by men

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than women. Diverging from the practice of these faulted “objective” laws opens up the door for
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women and feministic tactics to be employed when dealing with world crises. While doing the
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right and selfless thing often is more difficult than doing what is easy but selfish or wrong, “All
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political action has moral significance” (Tickner 30). In the long run, the easy way out can wreak

havoc on a large scale that all too often is brushed aside for the sake of an individual state estab-
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lishing its authority in the world, security, and power. Instead of what has been an uphill battle of
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states struggling to assert power independently and over one another rather than collectively, “A
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feminist perspective seeks to find common moral elements in human aspirations which could
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become the basis for de-escalating international conflict and build international

community” (Tickner 30). Only when states come together will the world know real peace and

true safety, and there is much more power in that than putting everything on the line for what has

traditionally and masculinely been defined as power.

https://www.coursehero.com/file/27475716/Ann-Tickner-vs-Hans-J-Morgenthau/
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Ann Tickner challenges the way in which international politics have been carried out

masculinely by offering feminism as an alternative to solving issues in the world more whole-

somely. Her evaluation of the misogynistic scope that political realism in international terms has

been examined through, particularly her criticisms of the principles of Hans J. Morgenthau, ex-

pands the horizons of how much more effectively world conflict could be resolved by supple-

menting feministic and maternal strategies as opposed to those which are pretty much only mas-

culine. Tickner redefines what power should be and how it should be sought out and obtained.

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Rather than pitting states against one another out of fear of losing control and their respectable

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stance in the world, Tickner focuses on bringing states together by searching for common ground

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and by behaving morally. In a world that is much more complex and different than the one in
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which theorists like Morgenthau came up with their beliefs, letting feminism have its own influ-
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ence on international relations and politics will strengthen the peace of the world and resolve
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conflict as has not been possible for sometime now.

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https://www.coursehero.com/file/27475716/Ann-Tickner-vs-Hans-J-Morgenthau/
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Works Cited

Art, Robert J, and Robert Jervis. “Chapter 3: Power, Principle, and Legitimacy in Statecraft.”

International Politics Enduring Concepts and Contemporary Issues, 12th ed., Pearson,

2015, pp. 7–32.

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