International Afairs, iiaf226, https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiaf226
Abstract
Debates between International Relations (IR) and Area Studies (AS) have a long history.With the rise of non-western/global International Relations (global IR)theory since the early 2lst century, there have been increasing calls for dialogue and knowledge exchange between the two disciplines. This article uses japan/Japanese Studies as a case to explore its contributions to IR theory and toexamine how mainstream IR theory addresses Japan and Japanese Studies. Meso.level theories originating from Japan, such as the 'developmental state theory, the'trading statetheory and the flying geese paradigm, have significantly enrichedthe IR research agenda. Prominent IR scholars also regard Japan as a unique andimportant case to enhance their theoretical work. Beyond external perspectivesthis article, based on interviews with Japanese scholars and Japanese-languageliterature, examines how the Japanese academic community understands thedebate between IR and AS and how Japanese Studies is positioned between the two disciplines. Finally, using Japan's pacifism and defence debates as examplesthe article highlights how localized knowledge can serve as a bridge between IR and AS, particularly in the context of Japanese Studies.
