Harvey Starr Pioneer In The Study Of Conflict Processes And International Relations

This book sets out, through Starr’s personal story, his interest in how the ideas of “intellectual trajectories” and “political memories” could be incorporated into intellectual autobiography, thus exploring how the personal lives of individual academics intersected with their professional interests. By following the development of his approach to research, interdisciplinarity, the logic of inquiry, and the opportunity and willingness framework scholars and researchers will see how his groundbreaking research in Conflict Processes and International Relations Theory developed and were interlinked (especially diffusion, geography and spatiality; the democratic peace and integration; decision making). In addition, graduate students and junior faculty should find useful hints about how to navigate their way through the complexities of becoming both a professional and successful academic and scholar. • This book provides the most complete treatment of the work and contributions of Harvey Starr, a former President of the International Studies Association. • Important for contemporary students of international relations, and their understanding of IR theory and methods. • Demonstrates an eclectic linking of theoretical, logical, and empirical approaches to the study of IR—providing a critical logic of inquiry to do research. • Provides insights and blueprints for how to develop interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary scholarship, highlighting geography and social-psychology. • Affords graduate students and recent Ph.D.s guidance in the development of research, becoming a professional, and the choices to be made in one’s academic career.

This book provides a comprehensive treatment of Russett’s scientific contributions, with key examples of his major studies. It will greatly benefit today’s International Relations students, deepening their understanding of the field’s theory and methods. Bruce M. Russett was a founder of, and continues to be a pioneer in, the empirical analytical study of international relations and foreign policy. He has produced groundbreaking works on methodology, data collection and the application of economics to the field of international relations—especially in the area of analytical relationships between theory, policy and normative standards for morality and ethics. His body of work has clarified and furthered our understanding of peace studies by addressing power and conflict, cooperation, integration and community, democratic/Kantian peace, economic development, dependency and inequality, and the relationships between domestic and foreign politics. Russett’s academic achievements and standing are the result of his bringing these areas together as a coherent entity, based on his eclectic ability to “cross boundaries” with regard to academic disciplines, sub-disciplines, methods of data gathering and analysis, and broad theoretical perspectives, as well as basic and applied research.

As scholars attempt to understand the global politics of the post-Cold War system, they must attend not only to changing structures of global order, but to the changing patterns of international, transnational, and domestic behaviour. Patterns of conflict have not been immune to the transformations involved in the crossing of historical systems. Thus, a study of conflict needs to focus on the investigation of conflict processes that cut across levels of analysis. The Understanding and Management of Global Violence approaches social conflict through the study of protracted conflict. As developed by Edward Azar, 'protracted conflict' is long-term, ongoing conflict which permeates all aspects of society. It is explicitly linked to two-level analyses, the analysis of crisis, the nature of identity groups, and enduring rivalries. These essays bring new thinking to the notion of protracted conflict, focusing on Israel, the Palestinians, and Lebanon, the Philippines and Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, India and Pakistan, and Northern Ireland.

A study of wars and what causes them to expand

At a time when international relations theory is being criticized for its lack of cumulativeness, or worse, relevance, this book seeks to uncover theoretical and empirical knowledge about international conflict, crisis and war by exploring and applying new avenues of research and testing. With chapters on enduring rivalries, crisis bargaining, world wars, strategic surprise, defense allocations, war termination and conflict resolution, the contributors collectively develop a stronger foundation for answering pressing questions about the onset, escalation and deescalation of different forms of international violence.

Leading scholars incorporate domestic and international aims, choices, factors, and processes to explore the advantages of crossing methodological and analytical boundaries to gain a better understanding of international relations. They examine the complexity of international affairs and consider how scholars should best study it.

On the occasion of his 90th birthday Louis Kriesberg provides an informative account of his career, tracing the trajectory of his discoveries, contributions, and stumbles as he sought to help the advance toward a more sustainable and just peace in the world. His work contributes to ideas and practices in several areas of conflict studies, notably intractable conflicts and their transformation, reconciliation, conflict analysis, and waging conflicts constructively. Although neither an autobiography nor a memoir, he embeds the course of his work in the context of historical events and in the evolving fields of peace studies and conflict resolution. In addition, he discusses the interaction of those fields with major conflicts. The book includes seven previously-published exemplary pieces on these and other topics, a comprehensive list of his publications, and several photos. A discussion of Kriesberg’s work and its significance is provided by George A. Lopez, Professor of Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame.