The liberal ironist, ethics and international relations theory

This article explores the work of Richard Rorty and its relevance for International Relations theory. It is argued that Rorty's writings have particular import for normative IR theory and its two ethical approaches: cosmopolitanism and communitarianism. The first section of the article introduces Rorty's ideas. The second section offers a brief introduction to the cosmopolitan and communitarian positions, followed by an analysis of Rorty's relation to the debate. The third section examines Rorty's discussion of human rights, and evaluates the liberal, yet antifoundational ethics that results, and its significance for IR theory.