Banning the Bomb

6

Conclusion

The project of understanding how norms originate in the international system is critical from different perspectives. My effort in this study has been to participate in an ongoing debate between Realists and Constructivists on norm creation.¹ While the focus here is primarily confined to the origin of norms, it is important to recognize that differences regarding the efficacy of norms on state behaviour also animate both Realism and Constructivism. While the Realist is less inclined to believe that norms impact on state conduct across issue areas, the Constructivist privileges ideational influences over purely material explanations.

The realist complacency about the origin of the norms stems from a belief in the exclusive dominion ...