Causes of War: The Struggle for Recognition Thomas Lindemann The majority of theories on the origins of war are based on the premise of a rational actor in pursuit of material satisfaction, whether for the quest for power (the homo politicus) or wealth (the homo economicus). Realist explanations of interstate war insist on the struggle for power and the importance of deterrent postures… Thus the principal assumption of this camp of thought is that it is 'deterrence' which impels actors to initiate or renounce war. […] Assumptions on deterrence have been found to be suspect when viewed through the lens of psychological approaches that espouse the limits of rationality. […] Utilizing research from social and political philosophy, I will first and foremost try to formulate a theoretical framework for the study of social conflict in general: a framework that takes into account the recognition problematic. Then, I will clarify how this analytical tool can be transposed to analyse international relations and I will then formulate some hypotheses on the origins of inter-state war. These working hypotheses will be used concurrently as a guide for an empirical study on great power conflicts in four international systems and as an explanation of the peaceful and bellicose outcomes of four international crises. The main objective of this book is to empirically explore the link between non-recognition and the causes of inter-state war. […]