Constructivism at the Crossroads; or, the Problem of Moderate-Sized Dry Goods

In this paper, I ask why constructivism in IR has slowed down as a theoretical project. One answer is that slowing down is normal (as in normal science); there is no problem. I propose a second answer, to the effect that constructivism has reached a crossroads. As the way ahead gets slower and slower, the temptation to turn off the road can only strengthen. The slowdown and the crossroads point to a central feature of constructivist thinking. As constructivists, we do systematically what ordinary people do routinely-we furnish our world with moderate-sized dry goods. By now we have plenty of furniture; there must be something else we can or should be doing.