Ibn Khaldûn’s Historical Sociology and the Concept of Change in International Relations Theory

Abstract

In his analysis of the dynamics of nomadic and sedentary societies Khaldûn explicitly takes the interaction between multiple units as the basis of social change in different dynastic formations. Despite its rele- vance to a different period of history Khaldûn’s theory appears superior to various modern analyses of change by virtue of its historical and socio- logical character. As in other recent sociological works with a similar aim, in interpreting Khaldûn’s theory I draw on Trotsky’s 8 concept of uneven and combined development (UCD) which has, so far, been limited in its application to intersocietal dynamics in Europe (e.g., Teschke and Tilly) 9 and, in particular, to the capitalist epoch. Khaldûn’s analysis of premodern state formation through the geopolitical pressures exerted by nomadic societies on sedentary societies provides fertile ground on which to build a comparative analysis of premodern and modern international systems utilizing UCD. Matin argues that “those studies which dealt with the extra-European world have either pursued macro analysis of ‘interna- tional systems’ without offering in depth analysis of any particular state (e.g., Buzan and Little), 10 or they have focused on the changing config- uration of anarchical and hierarchical relations within and between western and non-western international systems or geo-cultural areas.” 11 As Teschke asserts, what is required is a “general and systematic attempt to elevate the international from the start to a constitutive component of any theory of history.” 12 Indeed, it is one of the theoretical contribu- tions of UCD to do precisely this in “positing the international (uneven totality of social reality) hence the multilinearity of historical develop- ment of societies” 13 as the ontological beginning of social inquiry. Background