What is pragmatism? Is it a means to an end, or an end in itself? Is it antithetical to ideology or morality? Arguing that pragmatism is a skill much more than an attribute, Phua examines how viewing it in this way can help achieve better foreign policy outcomes. He examines and contrasts the ways in which the United States, China and Singapore have incorporated pragmatism into their approaches to foreign policy. In doing so he debunks dualistic myths around pragmatism and ideology and promotes the view of pragmatism as a skill that can be developed. An essential primer for students, analysts and policymakers, with a fresh and practical approach to pragmatism.

The Thucydides trap and a US-China face-off are not structurally inevitable; US-China relations are what the US and China make of them. Phua focuses on the ability to see "US as US" and "China as China" to trigger both countries’ cultural tendencies towards pragmatism. Phua examines China’s arduous journey to fit in the Westphalian system, the deep cultural misunderstandings by the West of Sunzi’s The Art of War, and attempts to offer an inside-out cultural synthesis of classical and modern Chinese thought as a proxy of their operational code, beyond the standard clichés about Confucian and Daoist thought. He builds on Jervis’ perception and misperception as well as Alastair Johnston’s cultural realism. Readers will benefit from a culturally-Chinese, western-educated and politically neutral understanding of "China as China". An essential primer for academics, practitioners and students of international relations, diplomacy and Chinese culture.

This powerful study suggests that strategic pragmatism has enabled Japan to use Western theories and doctrines more comprehensively and thoroughly than the West. The authors contend that Japan's success depends, in part, upon three factors: the ability to recognize a need for action; the ability to respond to such a need even under less than optimal technological conditions, cutting across theoretical and ideological lines; and the ability to adjust or correct action as soon as failure is recognized. By comparing Japan's policies and structure to patterns prevailing in major Western countries, Japan's `secret' can be translated into concepts familiar to the West. This brilliant and provocative book...is a tour de force that argues that Japanese-type economic policies can be duplicated in other capitalist states and that it is a mistake to believe that such policies can only evolve in the unique environment of Japanese culture and society. Foreign Affairs Japan's rise to economic power has been the focus of much attention and speculation in the West. This powerful study suggests that strategic pragmatism has enabled Japan to use Western theories and doctrines more comprehensively and thoroughly than the West. The authors contend that Japan's success depends, in part, upon three factors. The first is the ability to recognize a need for action. Next, the Japanese are able to respond to such a need even under less than optimal technological conditions and can cut across theoretical and ideological lines. Finally, they are ready to adjust or correct action as soon as failure is recognized. Western countries should look at the global significance of Japan's economic performance and learn from their model of action. By comparing Japan's policies and structure to patterns prevailing in major Western countries, Japan's 'secret' can be translated into concepts familiar to the West. Economists, government officials, and business policy makers will find this new approach to Japan's success a worthwhile study. Strategic Pragmatism opens with an explanation for Japan's economic performance. The book then presents the interesting way in which Japan makes functional cuts across doctrines. There is a chapter addressing adaptation and how Western economic concepts are incorporated into Japanese policy. Goal attainment includes such topics as neo-classical infant industry protection and mercantilist aspects in the policy of industrial development. Pattern maintenance is followed by integration, and then the relation of structure and action. Finally the authors develop a model demonstrating how Japan derives a sense of direction from the nature of the changing problems to be solved--the heart of strategic pragmatism.

Phua focuses on applying the best of corporate strategy and innovation tools and praxis into the policy process with the aim of devising a coherent policy strategy–innovation framework and process. Government and business strategies differ in their operating assumptions and variables, but the strategy process is more similar than is often perceived. Phua debunks the government versus business dichotomy and demonstrates the potential for cross-learning between both domains. Readers will benefit the most by reading this book in tandem with Phua’s other works on strategy also featured in this series. This book is an essential primer for academics, practitioners and learners of public policy, strategy, innovation and applied problem-solving.

This volume explores how China is adapting to international norms and practices while still giving primacy to its national interests. It examines China's strategic behaviour on the world stage, particularly in its relationships with major powers and Asian neighbours.

This book brings together an all-women group of scholars to provide a historically grounded and theoretically rich examination of the continuities and changes in Turkey’s foreign policy since the Republic's establishment in 1923. Using different International Relations theories, clarifying the interaction between domestic politics and foreign policymaking, the book charts the evolution of Turkey’s foreign policy vis-a-vis several regions and global actors and examines the major developments in Turkey’s relations with these actors. Some chapters emphasize the continuities in Turkey’s external relations, and others examine the significant changes and discontinuities in certain areas. Recognizing that Turkey’s state interests may not always coincide with the interests of the ruling elite, the book demonstrates that the centennial birthday of Turkey represents a constitutive moment for Turkey’s future and calls for a pragmatic, as opposed to a completely ideologically-based, grand strategy that should focus on progressive ideals.

This volume sheds new light on the interaction between Turkey and the Western Balkans. Written from a multidisciplinary perspective, the contributions decode the essence of bilateral relations by analyzing various aspects of regional diplomacy, including official initiatives for cooperation and the impact of different interstate exchanges. In addition to the political aspect, the book highlights the economic dimensions of Turkey’s involvement in the Western Balkans, by exploring trade linkages and prospects for future partnership arrangements. Finally, socio-cultural components of bilateral relations are examined, with some contributors focusing on the role of art, religion, and cultural heritage in Turkish foreign policy toward the Western Balkans. While providing detailed analysis and reflections on Turkey’s direction and policy preferences, this unique collection appeals to scholars of international relations, Balkan and Turkish studies, and other neighboring disciplines, as well as to policymakers and general readership interested in the region and international collaboration.

A clearly articulated, well-defined, and relatively stable grand strategy is supposed to allow the ship of state to steer a steady course through the roiling seas of global politics. However, the obstacles to formulating and implementing grand strategy are, by all accounts, imposing. The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy addresses the conceptual and historical foundations, production, evolution, and future of grand strategy from a wide range of standpoints. The seven constituent sections present and critically examine the history of grand strategy, including beyond the West; six distinct theoretical approaches to the subject; the sources of grand strategy, ranging from geography and technology to domestic politics to individual psychology and culture; the instruments of grand strategy's implementation, from military to economic to covert action; political actors', including non-state actors', grand strategic choices; the debatable merits of grand strategy, relative to alternatives; and the future of grand strategy, in light of challenges ranging from political polarization to technological change to aging populations. The result is a field-defining, interdisciplinary, and comparative text that will be a key resource for years to come.

This book offers a fresh assessment of the Bush presidency that builds on the ‘first cut of history’ (much of which is partisan) and the growing collection of memoirs and personal accounts purporting to explain America’s 43rdpresident. This account challenges readers to look more closely at the strengths and weaknesses of Bush’s two-term administration. Carefully reached, it provides compelling evidence to support its two main arguments: first, that this was a more complex administration than its actions, often judged crude and ill-conceived, suggested, and one that was capable of crafting much praised and politically sound positions. The second argument contends that the Bush administration largely (though not entirely) failed to grasp how the international system was changing (including, for example, the impact of the emergence of rising powers and the myriad implications of globalisation) and thus failed to position the US to meet the challenges of the 21stcentury. The book is intended as a critique, not a criticism, of the Bush administration. Significantly, it will be one of the first books to surpass the ‘rush to judgement’ accounts, by dealing comprehensively and reflectively with the whole Bush Presidency. In order to unravel this presidency, the book explores the major foreign-policy initiatives undertaken by the administration using the language of ‘problems’. This framework will be used to analyse the conception, crafting and implementation of Bush’s policies. It will also examine how these were received and perceived, both by opponents in the US and elsewhere, and assess the impact of factors partially or wholly outside the control of the US, notably ‘events’. This book will be of much interest to students of US foreign policy, international politics and security studies.

China’s emergence in the 21st century to the status of great power has significant implications for its relationship with the United States, the sole superpower in the post-Cold War World. Now that China is rising as an economic, political, and military power and has expanded its diplomatic activism beyond Asia into Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East, its rise has profoundly transformed its relationship with the US and compelled leaders in both countries to redefine their positions toward each other. This book, written by leading scholars and policy analysts from both the US and China, explores the transformation and multifaceted nature of US-China relations, including how the political elite in both countries have defined their strategic objectives in response to China’s rise and managed their relations accordingly. It provides an up-to-date analysis on the policy adjustments of the last decade, and covers all the important issue areas such as security, nuclear deterrence, military modernization, energy, trade and economic interaction, and Asia-Pacific power reconfiguration. It does not seek to confirm either an alarmist or optimistic position but presents different views and assessments by foreign policy specialists with the hope that leaders in Washington and Beijing may make positive adjustments in their policies to avoid confrontation and war. It will also be an invaluable resource for students and scholars of US and Chinese politics, international relations and comparative politics.