VOLUME LVIII – Number 1

Dr. James C. Roberts Ph.D.

Abstract: Rules define the borders of nation-states. Rules define genres of music. Using the metaphor of genre in music, this article explores the meaning of borders in international relations. Jazz, baroque, R&B, and all musical genres are defined by implicit and explicit rules that composers and performers understand. Rules about borders are socially constructed by agents with stakes in their application. Like musical genres, these rules may be implicit or explicit, but they are well understood. All classification systems separate people into categories. This creates in-groups and out-groups and senses of belonging and exclusion. Grasping the genre-border intertext may encourage analysts to take a broader view of the cultural power dynamics that go into any system that classifies living social beings.

Key Words: Borders, constructivism, international relations theory, international law, territory, and music genre.

About the Author: James C. Roberts, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Towson University. His research interests include the theory of international relations, international political economy, and global public goods. This article is based on the Eric A. Belgrad Lecture delivered by James Roberts at Towson University, April 25, 2022.

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