International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity

International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity
Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Total Pages : 392
Release :
ISBN-10 : 1107011701
ISBN-13 : 9781107011700
Rating : 4/5 (01 Downloads)

Synopsis International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity by : G. John Ikenberry

The end of the Cold War and subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union resulted in a new unipolar international system that presented fresh challenges to international relations theory. Since the Enlightenment, scholars have speculated that patterns of cooperation and conflict might be systematically related to the manner in which power is distributed among states. Most of what we know about this relationship, however, is based on European experiences between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, when five or more powerful states dominated international relations, and the latter twentieth century, when two superpowers did so. Building on a highly successful special issue of the leading journal World Politics, this book seeks to determine whether what we think we know about power and patterns of state behavior applies to the current 'unipolar' setting and, if not, how core theoretical propositions about interstate interactions need to be revised.

Theory of Unipolar Politics

Theory of Unipolar Politics
Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Total Pages : 295
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781139952811
ISBN-13 : 1139952811
Rating : 4/5 (11 Downloads)

Synopsis Theory of Unipolar Politics by : Nuno P. Monteiro

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States has enjoyed unparalleled military power. The international system is therefore unipolar. A quarter of a century later, however, we still possess no theory of unipolarity. Theory of Unipolar Politics provides one. Dr Nuno P. Monteiro answers three of the most important questions about the workings of a unipolar world. Is it durable? Is it peaceful? What is the best grand strategy a unipolar power such as the contemporary United States can implement? In our nuclear world, the power preponderance of the United States is potentially durable but likely to produce frequent conflict. Furthermore, in order to maintain its power preponderance, the United States must remain militarily engaged in the world and accommodate the economic growth of its major competitors, namely, China. This strategy, however, will lead Washington to wage war frequently. In sum, military power preponderance brings significant benefits but is not an unalloyed good.

The Return of Bipolarity in World Politics

The Return of Bipolarity in World Politics
Author :
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Total Pages : 283
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780231546904
ISBN-13 : 0231546904
Rating : 4/5 (04 Downloads)

Synopsis The Return of Bipolarity in World Politics by : Øystein Tunsjø

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the international system has been unipolar, centered on the United States. But the rise of China foreshadows a change in the distribution of power. Øystein Tunsjø shows that the international system is moving toward a U.S.-China standoff, bringing us back to bipolarity—a system in which no third power can challenge the top two. The Return of Bipolarity in World Politics surveys the new era of superpowers to argue that the combined effects of the narrowing power gap between China and the United States and the widening power gap between China and any third-ranking power portend a new bipolar system that will differ in crucial ways from that of the last century. Tunsjø expands Kenneth N. Waltz’s structural-realist theory to examine the new bipolarity within the context of geopolitics, which he calls “geostructural realism.” He considers how a new bipolar system will affect balancing and stability in U.S.-China relations, predicting that the new bipolarity will not be as prone to arms races as the previous era’s; that the risk of limited war between the two superpowers is likely to be higher in the coming bipolarity, especially since the two powers are primarily rivals at sea rather than on land; and that the superpowers are likely to be preoccupied with rivalry and conflict in East Asia instead of globally. Tunsjø presents a major challenge to how international relations understands superpowers in the twenty-first century.

China's Ascent

China's Ascent
Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Total Pages : 340
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780801456985
ISBN-13 : 0801456983
Rating : 4/5 (85 Downloads)

Synopsis China's Ascent by : Robert S. Ross

Assessments of China's importance on the world stage usually focus on a single dimension of China's increasing power, rather than on the multiple sources of China's rise, including its economic might and the continuing modernization of its military. This book offers multiple analytical perspectives—constructivist, liberal, neorealist—on the significance of the many dimensions of China's regional and global influence. Distinguished authors consider the likelihood of conflict and peaceful accommodation as China grows ever stronger. They look at the changing position of China "from the inside": How do Chinese policymakers evaluate the contemporary international order and what are the regional and global implications of that worldview? The authors also address the implications of China's increasing power for Chinese policymaking and for the foreign policies of Korea, Japan, and the United States.

A Cultural Theory of International Relations

A Cultural Theory of International Relations
Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Total Pages : 775
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780521871365
ISBN-13 : 0521871360
Rating : 4/5 (65 Downloads)

Synopsis A Cultural Theory of International Relations by : Richard Ned Lebow

An original theory of politics and international relations based on ancient Greek ideas of human motivation.

Polarity, Balance of Power and International Relations Theory

Polarity, Balance of Power and International Relations Theory
Author :
Publisher : Springer
Total Pages : 248
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9783319426525
ISBN-13 : 3319426524
Rating : 4/5 (25 Downloads)

Synopsis Polarity, Balance of Power and International Relations Theory by : Goedele De Keersmaeker

This book discusses the rise of polarity as a key concept in International Relations Theory. Since the end of the Cold War, until at least the end of 2010, there has been a wide consensus shared by American academics, political commentators and policy makers: the world was unipolar and would remain so for some time. By contrast, outside the US, a multipolar interpretation prevailed. This volume explores this contradiction and questions the Neorealist claim that polarity is the central structuring element of the international system. Here, the author analyses different historic eras through a polarity lens, compares the way polarity is used in the French and US public discourses, and through careful examination, reaches the conclusion that polarity terminology as a theoretical concept is highly influenced by the Cold War context in which it emerged. This volume is an important resource for students and researchers with a critical approach to Neorealism, and to those interested in the defining shifts the world went through during the last twenty five years.

International Relations Theory of War

International Relations Theory of War
Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages : 247
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781440871351
ISBN-13 : 1440871353
Rating : 4/5 (51 Downloads)

Synopsis International Relations Theory of War by : Ofer Israeli

Covering 1816–2016, this book deals extensively with the international system as well as the territorial outcomes of several key wars that were waged during that time period, providing an instructive lesson in diplomatic history and international relations among global powers. Based on an in-depth review of the leading theories in the field of international relations, International Relations Theory of War explains an innovative theory on the international system, developed by the author, that he applies comprehensively to a large number of case studies. The book argues that there is a unipolar system that represents a kind of innovation relative to other systemic theories. It further posits that unipolar systems will be less stable than bipolar systems and more stable than multipolar systems, providing new insights relative to other theories that argue that unipolar systems are the most stable ones. The first chapter is devoted to explaining the manner of action of the two dependent variables—systemic international outcome and intra-systemic international outcome. The second chapter presents the international relations theory of war and its key assumptions. The third chapter precisely defines the distribution of power in the system. The fourth chapter examines the theory's two key phenomena. The fifth and last chapter presents the book's conclusions by examining the theoretical assumptions of the international relations theory of war.

International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity

International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity
Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Total Pages : 393
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781139501644
ISBN-13 : 113950164X
Rating : 4/5 (44 Downloads)

Synopsis International Relations Theory and the Consequences of Unipolarity by : G. John Ikenberry

The end of the Cold War and subsequent dissolution of the Soviet Union resulted in a new unipolar international system that presented fresh challenges to international relations theory. Since the Enlightenment, scholars have speculated that patterns of cooperation and conflict might be systematically related to the manner in which power is distributed among states. Most of what we know about this relationship, however, is based on European experiences between the seventeenth and twentieth centuries, when five or more powerful states dominated international relations, and the latter twentieth century, when two superpowers did so. Building on a highly successful special issue of the leading journal World Politics, this book seeks to determine whether what we think we know about power and patterns of state behaviour applies to the current 'unipolar' setting and, if not, how core theoretical propositions about interstate interactions need to be revised.

Strategic Adjustment and the Rise of China

Strategic Adjustment and the Rise of China
Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Total Pages : 274
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9781501712760
ISBN-13 : 1501712764
Rating : 4/5 (60 Downloads)

Synopsis Strategic Adjustment and the Rise of China by : Robert S. Ross

Strategic Adjustment and the Rise of China demonstrates how structural and domestic variables influence how East Asian states adjust their strategy in light of the rise of China, including how China manages its own emerging role as a regional great power. The contributors note that the shifting regional balance of power has fueled escalating tensions in East Asia and suggest that adjustment challenges are exacerbated by the politics of policymaking. International and domestic pressures on policymaking are reflected in maritime territorial disputes and in the broader range of regional security issues created by the rise of China.Adjusting to power shifts and managing a new regional order in the face of inevitable domestic pressure, including nationalism, is a challenging process. Both the United States and China have had to adjust to China's expanded capabilities. China has sought an expanded influence in maritime East Asia; the United States has responded by consolidating its alliances and expanding its naval presence in East Asia. The region's smaller countries have also adjusted to the rise of China. They have sought greater cooperation with China, even as they try to sustain cooperation with the United States. As China continues to rise and challenge the regional security order, the contributors consider whether the region is destined to experience increased conflict and confrontation.ContributorsIan Bowers, Norwegian Defence University College and Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies Daniel W. Drezner, Tufts University, Brookings Institution, and Washington Post Taylor M. Fravel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bjørn Elias Mikalsen Grønning, Norwegian Defence University College and Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies Chung-in Moon, Yonsei University and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Northeast Asia Cooperation Initiative, Republic of Korea James Reilly, University of Sydney Robert S. Ross, Boston College and Harvard University Randall L. Schweller, The Ohio State University ystein Tunsjø, Norwegian Defence University College and the Norwegian Institute for Defence Studies Wang Dong, Peking University

International Relations Theory and the Asia-Pacific

International Relations Theory and the Asia-Pacific
Author :
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Total Pages : 463
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780231125901
ISBN-13 : 0231125909
Rating : 4/5 (01 Downloads)

Synopsis International Relations Theory and the Asia-Pacific by : G. John Ikenberry

What tools will international relations theorists need to understand the complex relationship among China, Japan, and the United States as the three powers shape the economic and political future of this crucial region? Some of the best and most innovative scholars in international relations and Asian area studies gather here with the working premise that stability in the broader Asia-Pacific region is in large part a function of the behavior of, and relationships among, these three major powers.