Constructivist analysis of foreign policy : a case study of U.S and the creation of Iraqi Special Tribunal.

• Main Author: Chan, Jane Git Yin.
• Other Authors: Acharya, Amitav
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Political science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/14418
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Socialization is classically defined as a process of inducting actors into norms, with the outcome of sustained compliance based on the internalization of these new norms. However, this is not an inevitable process and arguably socialization without internalization may accord similar outcome of compliance. Norms would start to resonate as states begin to be exposed to the socializing process, especially when the norm in question is compatible to its own culture and identity. The case study of the US creation of the Iraqi Special Tribunal seeks to explain the fact that despite US rejection of the International Criminal Court created by the Rome Statute, they are still adhering to the underlying norm of seeking accountability for humanitarian crimes. Essentially, this paper shows that objection to an institution is not necessarily equivalent to the rejection of the underlying norm.