Concepts In World Politics

Recognizing the vital importance of concepts in shaping our understanding of international relations, this ground-breaking new book puts concepts front and centre, systematically unpacking them in a clear, critical and engaging way. With contributions from some of the foremost authorities in the field, Concepts in World Politics explores 17 core concepts, from democracy to globalization, sovereignty to revolution, and covers: The multiple meanings of a concept, where these meanings come from, and how they are employed theoretically and practically The consequences of using concepts to frame the world in one way or another The method of concept analysis A challenging and stimulating read, Concepts in World Politics is an indispensable guide for all students of international relations looking to develop a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of world politics.

Interrogating the language that gives meaning to IR theories and practice

Demonstrates that world politics is more complex than conventional models can account for.

International relations is a vibrant field of significant growth and change. This book guides students through the complexities of the major theories of international relations and the debates that surround them, the core theoretical concepts, and the key contemporary issues. Introduced by an overview of the discipline's development and general structure, the more than 40 entries are broken down as follows: Parts two introduces the key theories and each chapter includes: " A broad overview " a discussion of methodologies " a review of empricial applications " a guide to further reading and useful websites Part three discusses the major concepts and for each concept provides: " An introduction to the core questions " An overview of the definitions and theoretical perspectives " A review of empirical problems " Links to other entries, further reading and useful websites Clear and highly readable, Key Concepts in International Relations is an essential guide for students on politics and international relations courses.

From action research to validity, this innovative and informative text is an invaluable guide to a variety of core research concepts in both political science and international relations. Key Features: - Each entry is consistently structured, providing: a clear definition, a focused explanation, a summary of current debates and areas of research, further reading, and references to other related concepts. - Explains how and why particular research methods are used and highlights alternative research concepts and strategies. - Cross-relates entries, enabling you to dip in to topics and follow threads throughout the book. - Packed with illuminating examples to help you to apply theory to the 'real world' of political analysis. An essential companion for students of Politics and International Relations at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

An engaging and sophisticated new IR text that will inspire a new generation of scholars and practitioners

This book engages the view that students of International Relations need to break with the habit of defining power in terms of military capabilities of states. Featuring contributions from both upcoming and distinguished scholars, including Steven Lukes, Joseph Nye, and Stefano Guzzini, it explores the nature and location of ‘power’ in international politics through a variety of conceptual lenses. With a particular focus on the phenomenon of ‘soft’ power and different types of actors in a globalizing world, fifteen chapters assess the meaning of ‘power’ from the perspectives of realism, constructivism, global governance, and development studies, presenting discussions ranging from conceptual to practical oriented analyses. Power in World Politics attempts to broaden theoretical horizons to enrich our understanding of the distribution of power in world politics, thereby also contributing to the discovery and analysis of new political spaces. This is essential reading for all advanced students and scholars of international relations.

An exciting, challenging new way to approach the study of world politics, this book focusses on the multifaceted nature of concepts and systematically explains them in a clear, critical and engaging way.