The Re-emergence of Non-material Factors in International Relations

Abstract

For years, material factors have been regarded as central to the study of international relations (IR). Whether in the form of military force, money, resources, land, or territory, material factors have traditionally been considered the primary components of power that determine state behaviour and the defining elements of the international system. Although non-material factors, such as culture, values, knowledge, and norms, do affect the life of nations, they have long received limited attention globally for a variety of reasons. This study argues that in the post-Cold War era, particularly since the 1990s, non-material factors have re-emerged and are increasingly influencing global affairs. Accompanying this trend is the growing prominence of theories and scholarly works that foreground the role of non-material dimensions in IR.

Received: 10^th July, 2025; Revised: 10^th September, 2025; Accepted: 10^th October, 2025