International Order And The Future Of World Politics

Distinguished scholars assess the emerging international order, examining leading theories, the major powers, and potential problems.

Globalization consists of an interlocking array of political, economic, social, and cultural forces that challenge the traditional international order in two key ways. First, states historically had 'hard shells', by means of which they were capable of consolidating differences between 'inside' and 'outside' to the point where the latter could more easily be quarantined. Second, for closely-related reasons they were largely able to 'absorb' domestic society, such that the individual was less a citizen than a subject. But through globalizing processes these (dubious) attributes have been starkly exposed, which leads Haigh to ask, Whither the state under globalization? Insightful and well-written, this book is sure to spark lively debate while attempting to answer its central question.

In this collection, leading international scholars provide their perspectives on the continuing role of the liberal paradigm, both as a theoretical approach to international relations, and as an ordering principle of international politics.

"When and why do powerful countries seek to enact major changes to international order, the broad set of rules that condition behavior in world politics? This question is particularly important today, as Donald Trump's apparent disregard for the liberal international order and uncertainty over what China might seek to replace it with mean that queries about great power motives vis-à-vis order will remain at the forefront of debates over the future of world politics. In seeking to explain this phenomenon, prior studies have focused on the consensus- driven and inclusive origins of international orders. By contrast, I argue in this book that the propelling motivation for great power order building at important historical junctures has most often been exclusionary, centered around combatting other actors rather than cooperatively engaging with them. My core contention is that dominant actors pursue fundamental changes to order only when they perceive a major new threat on the horizon, a threat to their security or to their enduring primacy. When these actors seek to enact fundamentally new order principles, they do so for the purpose of targeting this perceived threat, be it another powerful state, a contrary alliance or a foreboding ideological movement. The goal of order building, then, is weakening, opposing and above all excluding that threatening entity from amassing further influence in world politics. Far from falling outside the bounds of traditional statecraft, order building is, to paraphrase Clausewitz, the continuation of power politics by other means"--

This is an argument for reform of the traditional norms and structures of international relations. Brown's argument in this book, maintains that world politics is in a crisis of incongruence between the world's traditional structure of governance (the nation-state system) and the most important interactions of people. Symptoms of this systematic crisis include: the epidemic of violent inter-ethnic conflicts; secessionist and self-determination movements; waves of international terrorism; contraband in weapons and drugs and ecological threats to the health of living organisms. This text's analysis probes beneath the surface of these events to determine their underlying causes and to find new policies and institutions conducive to a more safe and just world order.

Fully revised and updated to cover the latest developments in world politics, the new edition of this highly successful textbook will once again provide the ideal introduction for all students of International Relations. Written specially for those coming to the subject for the first time,this text has been carefully edited by John Baylis and Steve Smith to ensure a coherent, accessible, and lively account of the globalization of world politics.The book is accompanied by a dedicated WEBSITE - including powerpoint slides; further questions, maps, figures and table for each chapter; and an interactive theory site 'IR Theory in Practice'. This site helps students fully understand IR theory and puts the theory into practice with analysis ofreal-life issues.NEW TO THIS EDITION:DT Updated to reflect events since 1997, with more attention given to the integration of the globalization theme throughout the book. DT The HISTORY section now has a new chapter by Michael Cox on 'International History since 1990' bringing the story of International Relations up to the present day.DT The THEORY section has been significantly reorganized following feedback from teachers and includes a new chapter on 'Contemporary Mainstream Approaches' by Steve Lamy. The new organization of this section allows more room to introduce to the main theories of International Relations (such asrealism and liberalism) and to explain complex theoretical developments in more detail.DT The INTERNATIONAL ISSUES section now includes a chapter on 'The Communications and Internet Revolution in IR' by Jonathan Aronson and a substantially revised chapter on 'Culture in World Affairs' by Simon Murden. DT The book also includes new contributions on International Political Economy (Ngaire Woods) and European Integration (Thomas Christiansen).DT NEW concluding section on 'Globalization in the Future': this new final section contains two chapters by leading International Relations scholars - Andrew Linklater on 'Globalization and the Transformation of Political Community' and Ian Clark on 'Globalization and the Post-Cold War Order'.

James Rosenau’s work is known for its originality and clarity and the sixteen articles in this new volume are no exception. Tackling the specific challenges posed by globalization and governance, this book covers four key areas: the challenge – tensions, contradictions, outcomes and global affairs the profession – community, globalized space and international relations globalization – complexities, contradictions and theory governance – understanding and future The Study of World Politics presents the thinking of one of the most innovative scholars in the last half century. The subjects addressed provide the big picture, whilst also being meticulous in detail. This new book gives the reader an unparalleled understanding of globalization and governance and is an invaluable tool to students and scholars of politics and world affairs alike.

An argument for the classical realist approach to world politics An Unwritten Future offers a fresh reassessment of classical realism, an enduring approach to understanding crucial events in the international political arena. Jonathan Kirshner identifies the fundamental flaws of classical realism’s would-be successors and shows how this older, more nuanced and sophisticated method for studying world politics better explains the formative events of the past. Kirshner also reveals how this approach is ideally equipped to comprehend the vital questions of the present—such as the implications of China’s rise, the ways that social and economic change alter the balance of power and the nature of international conflict, and the consequences of the end of the US-led postwar order for the future of world politics. Laying out realism’s core principles, Kirshner discusses the contributions of the perspective’s key thinkers, including Thucydides, Hans Morgenthau, and Raymond Aron, among others. He illustrates how a classical realist approach gives new insights into major upheavals of the twentieth century, such as Britain’s appeasement of Nazi Germany and America’s ruinous involvement in Vietnam. Kirshner also addresses realism’s limits and explores contemporary issues, including the ascent of great power challengers, the political implications of globalization, and the diffusion of power in modern world politics. A reexamination of the realist tradition, with a renewed emphasis on the crucial roles played by uncertainty, contingency, and contestation, An Unwritten Future demonstrates how a once-popular school of thought provides invaluable insights into pressing real-world problems.