Task – ‘Open-source’ task. Theory – 10 point task – a ‘Open-source’ task. Find/identify main postulates of given great thinker/scholar [from Martin Griffiths

Robert b.j. walker
Robert B.J. Walker was a prominent political scientist who made significant contributions to the field of International Relations (IR). Some of his main postulates include:

1. 
   The Sociology of International Relations: Walker argued that international relations should be studied as a social science and that the key to understanding global politics lies in understanding the social and cultural factors that shape state behavior.
   
2. 
   The Constructivist Approach: Walker was one of the pioneers of the constructivist approach to IR, which emphasizes the role of ideas, norms, and values in shaping state behavior. According to Walker, state actors are not simply rational beings, but are also shaped by the norms and values that are embedded in their social and cultural context.
   
3. 
   The Importance of Discourse: Walker believed that the way in which international relations are discussed and represented in the media and in academic circles has a significant impact on the actions of state actors. He argued that the discourse of IR is shaped by the dominant power structures and that this discourse, in turn, helps to maintain these power structures.
   

Illustrative events and cases in IR that reflect these postulates include:

1. 
   The collapse of the Soviet Union: The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a significant event that demonstrated the importance of social and cultural factors in shaping state behavior. Walker would argue that the Soviet Union's collapse was not just a result of economic and political factors, but also the result of the gradual erosion of the norms and values that had sustained the Soviet state.
   
2. 
   The Iraq War: The Iraq War (2003) is an example of how discourse can shape state behavior. Walker would argue that the discourse surrounding the war was heavily influenced by the dominant power structures and that this discourse helped to justify the US-led invasion of Iraq.
   
3. 
   The Arab Spring: The Arab Spring (2010-2011) was a series of pro-democracy protests that swept across the Middle East and North Africa. Walker would argue that the Arab Spring was a result of the changing norms and values in the region and that these changes were facilitated by the power of discourse to spread ideas and mobilize collective action.