Ibn Khaldun’s conception of dynastic cycles and contemporary theories of international system change: a comparative assessment /

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2014
Yücekaya, Metin
This thesis intends to nurture the argument that Ibn Khaldun’s thought on rise and fall of dynastical polities introduces a distinct approach to the field of International Relations. Throughout the paper, it is argued that Ibn Khaldun’s perception about the world, history and politics is less normative but more scientific. However, it is also claimed here that despite the similarities on politics and cyclical history and even transition concept with realist such as Gilpin, Modelski, Kennedy, Khaldun’s definition of change brought a great innovation to the field. This study firstly examines contemporary Realist approaches to power shift and their key concepts briefly. In the second section, original concepts of Ibn Khaldun are going to be explained and detailed, and it is argued that Ibn Khaldun’s definition of power merge and support the material capability face of the power with the concept of asabiyyah. Therefore, asabiyyah should be taken into account while discussing motives behind rise and fall of the powers in the history. Finally, mechanism of rise and decline of polities in Khaldun’s thought that differentiate him from contemporary theories will be investigated.

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Citation Formats
M. Yücekaya, “Ibn Khaldun’s conception of dynastic cycles and contemporary theories of international system change: a comparative assessment /,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2014.