Engagement or dismissiveness? Intersecting international theory and global health

Abstract

International relations theorists and global health politics scholars are largely incommunicado with one another. We argue that drawing on insights from classic and contemporary international theory more explicitly will augment the study of global health politics. This paper introduces four issues from international relations theory and demonstrates how defense against disease has contributed to state centralization and consolidation; the role of the state as a unit of analysis vis-à-vis non-state actors given the challenges health problems pose to traditional sovereignty; the analogous relationship between mercenaries for military protection and the reliance on non-state actors (or other states’ resources) for the provision of health services; and the “securitization dilemma” and the role of health within the larger realm of national and international security challenges.