Description
Structuralism has become something of a bogeyman in cultural, social and political theory. The idea that a “structure” might condition our way of seeing the world has been overturned by many theorists in the academy. In this paper, I respond to this critique by suggesting that the there exists a fundamental structure of seeing the world which is shaped by the idea of a “happy ending”. Using JRR Tolkien’s lecture and essay, “On Fairie Stories” as a framing device, in which he argues that fairy tales are defined by the idea of a “happy ending”, I suggest that interpretations (both political and theoretical) are defined by the idea of a happy ending when interpreting war. That is, I argue that all war is defined through the idea of a happy ending, even when states lose their war(s). This structural assumption informs theories of war, victory and International Relations more broadly. I argue that this assumption structures scholarship on just war, international law, and international affairs more generally.
