Constructing deviance in international politics

Abstract

The key to understanding the construction of deviance in international relations is to understand the interplay between international norms, international law, and the systemic hegemon. This paper argues that the hegemonic power of the international system is central in the creation of the international normative order. Pointing out that deviance is thus an exercise in the maintenance of stability within the normative order, in which the hegemon seeks to maintain both legitimacy and compliance. Anchoring the norms which are supposedly violated by the 'rogue' in international law gives hegemon's actions legitimacy and universality, supporting the hegemon's position, but also restraining it simultaneously. This paper demonstrates this model using the probability probe of Iran's nuclear program, where Iran's image as a 'rogue' arose not because of the country's human rights record, but as a result of Iran's behavior within the non-proliferation regime.