Conversations in international political theory

Abstract

Patrick Hayden has been an incredible mentor to many of us in the international political theory community, both in the United Kingdom and beyond. In founding and editing the Journal of International Political Theory, and the associated conferences early on in his editorship, Patrick created space for a wonderful community of scholars to emerge and linger; it’s been a joy to be part of that community. I think of my interactions with Patrick as being marked by three significant, and extended, conversations: about living in Aotearoa, New Zealand (and Wellington, specifically); around my thesis, which he examined; and around recognition and global politics, on which we co-edited a book. The first real conversation I had with Patrick took place when my partner and I were contemplating applying for academic jobs at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, the institution he had been at prior to joining the University of St Andrews. Patrick’s enthusiasm for Wellington encouraged us to apply for the positions, which we were later offered and accepted (I recall talk of ferries on the harbour and toots in the Mount Victoria tunnel – a local tradition); 12 years later we’re committed Wellingtonians and here for the long haul, and Patrick is retiring from academia to pursue a new life here. The second conversation centred on my PhD thesis, which Patrick examined (with Kimberly Hutchings). His incisive comments – still brilliant on re-reading a decade on – encouraged me to more carefully situate my emerging speculative philosophy in relation to contemporary IR theory and its interlocutors. The third – and most extended – conversation has focused on the politics of recognition and culminated in our co-edited book, Recognition and Global Politics: Critical Encounters between State and World (Hayden and Schick, 2016). Co-editing with Patrick was like taking a master class in editorship: from conception to publication, the entire process was a joy. I look back on this experience as one of being mentored in the editorship process and frequently revisit key aspects of the process as a guide as I co-edit a