The Place of Fear in International Political Theory: With a Focus on the Views of Huntington and Brzezinski

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Political Science in University of Mazandaran

2 PhD Candidate in Political Science, Department of Political Science, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

3 Master’s Graduate in International Relations, Department of Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran

10.22124/wp.2026.31334.3565

Abstract

Fear plays a decisive role in explaining political action in the contemporary international system as a central mechanism in developing threat perception. This study adopts an analytical-comparative approach and uses library research to examine the position and function of the “mechanism of fear” in the thought of Zbigniew Brzezinski and Samuel Huntington. The primary question is how fear is conceptualized within the theoretical framework of each thinker, at what level it is analyzed, and what behavioral consequences it entails when confronting emerging threats. The findings show that Brzezinski primarily formulates fear within the context of geopolitical competition and the anarchy of the international system, linking it to rational strategies such as the balance of power and deterrence. By contrast, Huntington conceives fear as an identity-based phenomenon, explaining its consequences in terms of identity politics and civilizational confrontation, focusing on cultural and civilizational conflicts. Overall, in both perspectives, fear constitutes a key mechanism for understanding and managing new threats.

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