A Case for Constructivism - Investigating the Danish Cartoon Controversy

Abstract

This essay evaluates social constructivist theory by analyzing how it brings understanding to an empirical case. The case under study is the Danish Muhammad Cartoon Controversy of 2005-2006, and by using a constructivist conceptualization of identities and norms this essay attempts to demonstrate how constructivism helps in understanding the event where rationalist theories fall short. This essay concludes that these two concepts do further understanding of various social elements that contributed to the explosiveness of the conflict but that there is a difficulty in establishing causality and outlining in detail how they do so.