International order and rhetorical regime : an essay on the function of diplomatic discourse

International Order and Rhetorical Regime: An Essay on the Function of Diplomatic Discourse argues that international political discourse is an important mechanism of international political order. The essay defines politics as an essentially rhetorical process: the definitional and clarification of values in a way which allows for social action. A general definition and description of political discourse rooted in John Searle's theory of speech acts is then offered, together with a description of the role of rhetoric in determining the meaning and effect of political discourse. The rhetorical view of politics presented is used to develop a theory of political institutionalization in which political discourse is the primary object of study. In essence, it is argued, political institutions exist to provide constraints on political discourse such that proposed institutional action must accord with the values of a political community. This theory of political institutionalization is then used to argue that, contrary to traditional assumptions about the nature of international politics, domestic and international politics are institutionalized in much the same way. The essay argues that the recurrent rhetorical practices that develop within the context of specific inter-state relationships serve to reduce uncertainty about states' intended future courses of action by constraining what future courses of action might be justified to the community of states. It is because recurrent rhetorical practices, called rhetorical regimes constrain the justification of states' future courses of action that international political discourse serves as a mechanism of international political order. To demonstrate the plausibility of rhetorical regime as an analytical concept in the study of international politics, the U.S.-Soviet detente founded at the 1972 Moscow Summit is offered as a case study of a working rhetorical regime. On the basis of a rhetorical regime analysis of U.S.-Soviet communications, it is argued that the rhetorical regime of detente served to facilitate resolution of the crisis in U.S.-Soviet relations precipitated by the October 1972 Arab-Israeli War.