In conclusion, both theories of realism and constructivism aim to explain the causes of conflicts between and within states in the globalised arena of international relations. The former theory relies on the ‘struggle for power’ assumption, while the latter focuses on the ‘centrality of identity’. Realism explains the Syrian conflict as a power struggle between different state actors, while constructivism identifies one of the causes of the conflict as the increasing rivalry between minority groups within Syria and the prevention of a unified Syrian identity. On their own, each theory is limited in its interpretative capability. It can, therefore, be argued that the complexity of the Syrian conflict requires both theories to be utilised to comprehensively understand the crux and dynamics of conflict. This is crucially important especially with regards to the involvement of politically unique actors such as the ISIS. A careful and deep critical analysis of this conflict, one of the worst of our times, is required to provide politicians with a sound understanding to better guide policy making.ReferencesAbdo, G.
(2011) How Iran Keeps Assad in Power in Syria. Foreign Affairs online, 25th August 2011 Available at: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/iran/2011-08-25/how-iran-keeps-assad-power-syria Accessed: 11th November 2017Adler, E. (1997) Seizing the Middle Ground: Constructivism in World Politics. European Journal of International Relations, v.
3 (3), pp. 319-320Aron, R. (1970) Pace e Guerra tra le Nazioni. Milano: Edizioni di Comunità, p. 36Averre, D. and Davies, L. (2015) Russia, Humanitarian Intervention and the Responsibility to Protect: the case of Syria.
International Affairs, v.91 (4), pp. 813-834Barkey, H.J. (2012) Turkish-Iranian Competition after the Arab Spring. Survival, v.
54 (6), pp. 139-162Barnett, M. (2017) Social Constructivism. In: Baylis, J., Smith, S.
and Owens, P. (eds). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. 7th ed.
Oxford University Press, pp. 144-158Barnett, M.N. (1998) Dialogues in Arab Politics: Negotiations in Regional Order.
New York: Columbia University Press.Carr, E.H. (1946) The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 1919-1939: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations. New York: St. Martin’s Press, p. 145Cockburn, P. (2016) Saudi Arabia intervening in the Syrian civil war would risk Russian wrath.
Independent online, 11th February 2016 Available at: http://www.independent.co.
uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-intervening-in-the-syrian-civil-war-would-risk-russian-wrath-a6868166.html Accessed: 7th November 2017?idi?, A. (2017) Realism in Turkish Foreign Policy towards Syrian Refugees: Turkish Policy on Syria. Savremena Politika i Upravljanje, v.3 (1), p. 14Diehl, J. (2012) Lines in the Sand: Assad Plays the Sectarian Card.
World Affairs, v. 175 (1), pp. 7-15Donnelly, J. (2000) Realism and International Relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 10Dunne, T.
and Schmidt, B.C. (2017) Realism. In: Baylis, J.
, Smith, S. and Owens, P. (eds). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations. 7th ed. Oxford University Press, pp. 101-115Fierke, K.
M. (2016) Constructivism. In: Dunne, T., Kurki, M. and Smith, S. (eds). International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. 4th ed.
Oxford University Press, pp. 161-178Fisher, G. (2012) Syria, Iran, Russia and China plan joint war games, Iranian news agency says. The Times of Israel online, 19th June 2012 Available at https://www.timesofisrael.
com/iranian-news-agency-reports-joint-syria-iran-russia-and-china-wargames/ Accessed: 3rd November 2017Freedman, R.O. (2010) Russia and the Middle East under Putin. Ortado?u Etütleri, v.2 (3), pp. 9-55Gellman, P. (1988) Hans J.
Morgenthau and the Legacy of Political Realism. Review of International Studies, v.14 (4), pp. 247-266Hopf, T. (1998) The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory. International Security, v.
23 (1), pp. 171-200Human Rights Watch (2016) Syria: Events of 2016 online Available at: https://www.hrw.
org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/syria Accessed: 5th November 2017Ikenberry, G.J. and Parsi, V.
E. (2009) Teorie e metodi delle Relazioni Internazionali: La disciplina e la sua evoluzione. Bari: GLF. Editori Laterza, pp.
29-31Jackson, R. and Sørensen, G. (2007) Introduction to International Relations: Theories and Approaches. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 162-169Laub, Z. (2017) Who’s Who in Syria’s Civil War. Council on Foreign Relations online, 28th April 2017 Available at: https://www.
cfr.org/backgrounder/whos-who-syrias-civil-war?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9OqVjsSt1wIViTLTCh29PQGgEAMYASAAEgKyGfD_BwE Accessed: 15th November 2017Litsas, S.N. (2017) Russia in the Eastern Mediterranean: Intervention, Deterrence, Containment. Digest of Middle East Studies, v.26 (1), pp. 56-73Mearsheimer, J.J.
(2001) The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. 1st ed. New York: Norton, p.30Mearsheimer, J.J.
(2016) Structural Realism. In Dunne, T. Kurki, M. and Smith, S. (eds).
International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Morgenthau, H.J. (1946) Scientific Man Vs. Power Politics.
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 203Morgenthau, H.J.
(1948) Politics among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace. 7th ed. New York: Alfred A.
Knopf.Onuf, N.G. (1989) World of Our Making: Rules and Rule in Social Theory and International Relations.
1st ed. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.Reus-Smit, C. and Snidal, D. (2008) The Oxford Handbook of International Relations. Oxford University Press, p.
307Segall, M. (2012) The Role of Iran Security Forces in the Syrian Bloodshed. Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs: Jerusalem Viewpoints. No.
589Sharp, J.M. and Blanchard, C.
M. (2013) Armed Conflict in Syria: U.S. and International Response.
Current Politics and Economics of the Middle East, v.4 (3), p. 403Sick, G., Parsi, T.
, Takeyh, R. and Slavin, B. (2008) Symposiums: Iran’s Strategic Concerns and U.S. Interests.
ProQuest, v.15 (1), pp. 1-18Slaughter, A.M. (2011) International relations, principal theories. Max Planck Encyclopedia of Public International Law, p. 129Smith, S.
, Kurki, M. and Dunne, T. (2016) International Relations Theories: Discipline and Diversity.
4th ed. Oxford University Press.Sommier, R.L. (2014) Our Full Interview with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Paris Match online, 3rd December 2014 Available at: http://www.
parismatch.com/Actu/International/Our-Interview-with-Syrian-President-Bashar-al-Assad-661984# Accessed: 1st November 2017Spaulding, H. (2015) Russia’s False ISIS Narrative in Syria: December 1, 2015. Institute for the Study of War (ISW).Steele, B.J. (2017) The Politics of Constructivist International Relations in the US Academy.
American Political Science Association. University of Utah, p. 71Swaine, M.D. (2012) Chinese Views of the Syrian Conflict. China Leadership Monitor, v.
39 (2), pp. 1-26Thompson, N. (2016) Syria’s war: Everything you need to know about how we got here. CNN News online, 25th February 2016 Available at: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/08/middleeast/syria-war-how-we-got-here/index.html Accessed: 29th October 2017
