Abstract:

Social sciences constantly refer to theories in order to explain how the world operates. In the discipline of international relations, theory helps to explain the international system and all of the factors that impact the system in a systemic and empirical way. Any theory of international relations can explain actors, concepts, any kind of global, national and local development, foreign policy making, elements of the international system, inter-state relations, international institutions and international political economy that the discipline of international relations covers. Therefore, it is not possible to talk about only one correct explanation. Thus, this article primarily tries to find solutions to the problems and challenges that students and researchers encounter in social sciences in Turkish academia while writing a theoretical article. Additionally, it aims to emphasize the extent and importance of theoretical research in the discipline of international relations. In this way, while this study focuses on the question of “how to write a theoretical article in social sciences?” in general, it specifically aims to explain how to conduct a scientific research by gathering global political developments observed systematically with one or more theories of international relations and how to render it into a theoretical article. Thus, this study first explains the concept of theory and its importance in social sciences and the discipline of international relations. Secondly, it explains the parts of a theory by giving examples from the theories of international relations. Then, it describes the aims and writing principles of a theoretical article. Finally, it provides examples of distinctive theoretical articles from the area of international relations. At the same time, this study aims to contribute to the literature of theoretical explanation and research methods in social sciences in general and particularly, in the area of international relations in Turkish academia.

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