Theorizing the Values and Rules-Based International Order

The aim of this paper is twofold. The first objective is to present the framework for a theoretical model describing and explaining an international phenomenon of a political and legal nature, i.e. an international order based on values and rules (VRBIO, values and rules-based international order). This model is the result of joint work conducted by political scientists, IR scholars and international legal scholars, and takes into account ontological, epistemological, descriptive and explanatory components. In addition to presenting the results of theoretical work on the international phenomenon addressed in the present study, another objective of this article is discuss the challenges and opportunities of theorising across different disciplines – political science, international relations and international law. The platform for these meta-theoretical reflections is, of course, VRBIO.