International Relations Theory

To better understand norms, we can identify three types: regulative norms, constitutive norms and prescriptive norms. Regulative norms order and constrain behaviour; constitutive norms create new actors, interests or categories of action; and prescriptive norms prescribe certain norms, meaning there are no bad norms from the perspective of those who promote them (Finnemore and Sikkink 1998)

Social norms are also central to constructivism.

Constructivists, on the other hand, argue that ‘anarchy is what states make of it’ (Wendt 1992). This means that anarchy can be interpreted in different ways depending on the meaning that actors assign to it.

whereas the United States and North Korea are the actors who have the capacity (that is, agency) to change or reinforce the existing structure or social relationship of enmity

ntersubjective structure (that is, the shared ideas and beliefs among both states)

Agency can be understood as the ability of someone to act, whereas structure refers to the international system that consists of material and ideational elements.

Constructivists argue that agency and structure are mutually constituted,

It further demonstrates that constructivists go beyond the material reality by including the effect of ideas and beliefs on world politics.

understand the social context

and the nature of knowledge that are also called ontology and epistemology in research language