George Lawson, ‘The Promise of Historical Sociology in International Relations’, International Studies Review, 8(3) 2006: 397-424.

This essay draws on historical sociology, in particular on historical institutionalism, to critique the micro-, macro-, and meso-level explanations of contemporary international relations theory. Focusing on institutional development, change, and disintegration, it proposes a conjectural, mid-range approach to capturing the processes of large-scale change that are occurring in the international realm. This essay seeks to broaden the field’s scope by outlining the possibilities that historical sociology offers to international relations theory and practice.