International Politics on the World Stage or War and the State

International Politics on the World Stage

Author: John T Rourk

This concise text provides students and instructors with a comprehensive overview of world politics, inviting them in a straightforward and accessible way to explore international relations and its new challenges. A hallmark of the text is the authors' position that politics affect the lives of all of us, and that the individual can have an impact, whether small or large, by being politically aware and by taking action.

Booknews

An introductory text highlighting the connections between the events of current history and theories of international politics. Sections on international politics; world politics; physical security; and economic, ecological, and individual security include chapter summaries and b&w photos, plus a section of technical explanations and terminology. This fifth edition incorporates the latest developments in various countries, UN peacekeeping forces, and international trade. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Book review: Best of the Best from Utah or Touring Texas Wineries

War and the State: The Theory of International Politics

Author: R Harrison Wagner

War and the State exposes the invalid arguments employed in the unproductive debate about Realism among international relations scholars, as well as the common fallacy of sharply distinguishing between conflict among states and conflict within them. As R. Harrison Wagner demonstrates, any understanding of international politics must be part of a more general study of the relationship between political order and organized violence everywhere--as it was in the intellectual tradition from which modern-day Realism was derived. War and the State draws on the insights from Wagner's distinguished career to create an elegantly crafted essay accessible to both students and scholars.

"Possibly the most important book on international relations theory since Kenneth Waltz's Theory of International Politics."
---James Fearon, Stanford University

"This is one of the best books on international relations theory I have read in a very long time. It is required reading for any student of modern IR theory. Once again, Wagner has shown himself to be one of the clearest thinkers in the field today."
---Robert Powell, Robson Professor of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley

"Painting on a vast canvas, and tackling and integrating topics such as state formation, domestic politics, and international conflict, R. Harrison Wagner's War and the State offers many brilliant insights into the nature of international relations and international conflict. War and the State compellingly highlights the importance of constructing rigorous and valid theorizing and sets a high standard for all students of international relations. The field has much togain if scholars follow the trail blazed by Wagner in this book."
---Hein Goemans, University of Rochester

R. Harrison Wagner is Professor of Government at the University of Texas.

Table of Contents:

List of Figures     vii
Preface     ix
The Theory of International Politics     1
Theories, Arguments, and Explanations     2
Offensive Realism     13
Defensive Realism     15
Structural Realism     17
Anarchy and War     21
Hierarchy and Peace     33
Realism's Competitors     36
Generic Realism     48
Reason of State     53
Classical Realism, Social Norms, and Raison d'Etat     53
The State of Nature     65
The Prince     71
A World of Leviathans     76
The Market     89
Recurring War, Perpetual Peace     94
From Raison d'Etat to Realism     100
Violence, Organization, and War     105
Bargaining     107
Bargaining and the Use of Force     112
The Protection Business     118
The Social Contract     120
Anarchy and Hierarchy Reconsidered     122
The Global Constitution     125
Peace and the State     127
Bargaining and War     131
Warring Predators     131
Let's Make a Deal     137
Bargaining and Fighting     143
Bargaining, War, and Alliances     154
Bargaining, War, and the Balance of Power     161
Bargaining and the Recurrence of War     170
Enforcing Agreements     173
The Struggle for Power     175
Incentives to Attack First     177
Bargaining over the Distribution of Power     184
A World of Commonwealths     197
Taming Predators     202
A Mixed World     206
Domestic and International Politics     209
Writing the Global Constitution: Top-down or Bottom-up?     217
Summing Up     235
References     239
Index     255