Political Learning and Socialization

Political Learning and Political Socialization are two concepts in international relations and foreign policy that attempt to get at the cognitive and social dynamics present in the international system. Both concepts require interplay across multiple levels of analysis and a focus on agency inherent in different types of actors. Both have involved the importation of theory from other disciplines, including psychology, sociology, social psychology, and others. Yet, as with all theoretical imports, scholars of international relations have adapted them to their subject matter, albeit imperfectly at times. This article provides a general overview of past and current developments in the application of political learning and political socialization to international affairs.