Heuristic potential of gender theoretical approaches in the study of international relations

Gender research in international relations is a relatively young branch of scientific knowledge. In Russian science, the largest number of studies is aimed at studying gender balance, gender behavior in the social environment, the changing status of women in modern society. Among the few Russian works dealing with the topic of gender in international relations are the publications of T.V. Zonova. At the same time, gender approaches open up new opportunities for studying the influence of social relations on international relations. They do not replace the role of the main actor - State in international relations, but endow them with new characteristics from the sciences that study the behavioral forms and norms of social subjects. The proposed article sets the following tasks: to identify the features of gender theoretical approaches; determine the subject fields of international relations, where gender approaches can manifest their heuristic potential; give specific examples of the effective use of gender theories in the study of international relations. The article contains a brief analysis of the history of the formation of gender theories; the role of gender on the agenda of international institutions and the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on it; femininity and masculinity in politics; gender approaches to the issues of war and peace, state violence, construction of regions.

gender, gender theories, femininity, masculinity, politics, international relations