University of Exeter

Department Member, Politics

GTA

Social Sciences and International Relations

Thesis Title: On the Role of Metatheory in the Academic Discipline of International Relations

About

I got my first degrees in Economics (Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, UFMG) and in International Relations in (Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, PUC-MG), Brazil. During 2004-2006 I worked in model UN simulation events MINI-ONU and TEMAS and assisted a research project on international hazardous waste trade regimes (2004-2005). These activities were developed in PUC-MG. In 2006 I joined the Research Group on Methodology and History of Economic Thought (CEDEPLAR/UFMG) during my dissertation research on Ludwig von Mises' economic methodology and the philosophy of science.

After a 6-month gap in 2007, I came to Exeter for my MA International Relations. At the end of the year I wrote a dissertation on Imre Lakatos's philosophy of science and its (mis)use in IR. I was awarded the MA degree with distinction in 2008.

I am currently registered in Exeter as an MPhil/PhD student and as part of the staff of Graduate Teaching Assistants in the Department of Politics.

Metatheoretical discussions have been both criticised and defended in IR based on their potential and actual roles. My thesis will provide a critical analysis of the promises, pitfalls and potentials of metatheorising in IR and then provides by way of illustration a metatheoretical study of the historical development of the notion of 'states-system hierarchy' in international political theory.

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