Towards an ontology of space for international relations

Abstract What would an ontology of space suitable for International Relations (IR) look like? While the primary focus of contemporary IR thinking on space is devoted to the discursive construction of space, there is less attention to its physical dimensions. This paper prioritizes both dimensions by invoking the ideas of a Japanese philosopher, Watsuji Tetsurō. By reframing international political dynamics into Watsuji’s aidagara (‘inter-relations’), we can reframe space as co-constituting relationships, which in turn shape meanings for that space. I use references to the ‘Indo-Pacific’ by Japanese government’s relations with the United Kingdom (UK) as a case study to show that space needs to be reaffirmed as a confluence of the physical and the discursive dimensions. The case study highlights that space is where actors are physically located and meet one another, and through their socialization processes, the space acquires a set of discursive meanings.