國際關係學者質疑為什麼沒有一致的全球化理論,國際關係理論又要如何因應全球轉型呢?以國際關係歷史社會學而言,其內部的全球化理論爭論主要呈現在Martin Shaw、Justin Rosenberg及Mathias Albert等人的著作,以及其引發其他學者的批評及回應,尤其是Rosenberg在2005年對於全球化理論研究的嚴苛批評引發了廣泛的回應。Shaw以全球社會理論、Albert和Barry Buzan以全球社會(分殊化)理論充實全球化理論,Albert以社會學者Niklas Luhmann的現代系統理論或功能分殊化概念發展全球社會理論,也受到其他學者的批評。Buzan及George Lawson則以全球社會理論或全球轉型理論,發展其全球化理論。相較於其他的國際關係理論,國際關係歷史社會學提出了較一致的全球化理論。
International Relations scholars have questioned "Why don't we have coherent theories of international relations about globalization?" and how do international relations theories to copy with global transformations? For historical sociology in international relations (HSIR), there are different perspectives about globalization theory. The globalization debates within HSIR present mainly in the works of Martin Shaw, Justin Rosenberg, and Mathias Albert, and the critics and responses of other scholars. In 2005, Rosenberg's rigorous critics on the research of globalization theory that leads to widespread responses for some years. Shaw, Albert, and Barry Buzan enriched the globalization theory with the theory of global society or the differentiation theory of global society. Albert referenced the sociologist Niklas Luhmann's modern system theory or concept of functional differentiation to develop their globalization theory, other scholars critiques their theory. Meanwhile, Buzan and George Lawson developed globalization theory with world (global) society theory or global transformation theory. Compare with other international relations theory, HSIR provide more coherent globalization theory.