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This paper focuses on structural theories of international relations. Concentrating on Immanuel Wallerstein's world-systems theory and kenneth Waltz's structural realism or neo-realism, the author argues that there are many similarities between these two main theoretical schools of international relations.
After discussing the basic arguments of the two theories, I will demonstrate how they are alike on at least six grounds. I will argue that gieven the declining position of realism due to critiques of the late 1960s and 1970s leveled against it, Waltz borrowed heavily from wallerstbinian stru'cturalicm hence turning realism into a structural paradigm of IR.