Theories of international relations by Scott Burchill, Andrew Linklater, Richard Devetak

By Scott Burchill, Andrew Linklater, Richard Devetak

Written via major professionals, the main broad-ranging textual content on diplomacy conception out there masking either conventional and newer methods.

Show description

Read or Download Theories of international relations PDF

Best diplomacy books

The BRICS and the Future of Global Order

The transformation of the BRIC acronym from an funding time period right into a family identify of foreign politics and, extra lately, right into a semi-institutionalized political outfit (called BRICS, with a capital ‘S’), is likely one of the defining advancements in overseas politics long ago decade. whereas the concept that is now regular within the common public debate and foreign media, there has now not but been a accomplished and scholarly research of the background of the BRICS time period.

Fragmented Borders, Interdependence and External Relations: The Israel-Palestine-European Union Triangle

This booklet investigates relatives among Israel, the Palestinian territories and the ecu Union via contemplating them as interlinked entities, with relatives among any of the 3 events affecting the opposite aspect. The members to this edited quantity discover various facets of Israeli-Palestinian-European Union interconnectedness.

Islamic Law and Transnational Diplomatic Law: A Quest for Complementarity in Divergent Legal Theories

This e-book, in its attempt to formulate compatibility among Islamic legislations and the rules of overseas diplomatic legislations, argues that the necessity to harmonize the 2 criminal platforms and feature an intensive cross-cultural knowing among international locations typically to be able to bettering unfettered diplomatic cooperation might be of paramount precedence.

Summits: Six Meetings That Shaped the Twentieth Century

The chilly struggle ruled international historical past for almost part a century, locking superpowers in a world competition that basically ended with the Soviet cave in. the main decisive moments of twentieth-century international relations happened whilst global leaders met face to face—from the mishandled summit in Munich, 1938, which triggered the second one international battle, to Ronald Reagan's extraordinary chemistry with Mikhail Gorbachev at Geneva in 1985.

Extra resources for Theories of international relations

Sample text

Balancing pursues relative gains. Relative gains concerns dramatically impede cooperation. One must consider not only whether one gains but, more importantly, whether one’s gains outweigh those of others (who, in anarchy, must be seen as potential adversaries). Even predatory cooperation is problematic unless it maintains the relative capabilities of the cooperating parties. In fact, states may be satisfied with conflicts that leave them absolutely worse off – so long as their adversaries are left even worse off.

Debates about the ‘basic Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater 21 structure of international politics’ are not just about what is ‘out there’ and how we come to know ‘reality’ (more on this later); they are also inextricably tied up with different views about the purposes of political inquiry. Cox (1981: 128) emphasized this point in the striking claim that ‘theory is always for someone and for some purpose’. In one of the most influential distinctions in the field, Cox claims that neo-realism has a ‘problem-solving’ purpose, its main task being to ensure that existing political arrangements ‘function more smoothly’ by minimizing the potential for conflict and war.

Preserving one’s relative position, however, is neither survival nor domination. It is obviously inconsistent with domination (except for hegemons) and may require risking survival. And the risk to survival may be even greater if, as Mearsheimer argues, states ‘aim to maximize their relative power position over other states’ (Mearsheimer 1994/5: 11). But Waltz does not stop here. He also claims that states seek wealth, advantage and flourishing (1993: 54; 1986: 337; 1979: 112), peaceful coexistence (1979: 144) and peace and prosperity; (1979: 144, 175) that they want to protect their sovereignty, autonomy and independence; (1979: 204, 107, 104) and that they act out of pride and the feeling of being put upon (1993: 66, 79).

Download PDF sample

Rated 4.75 of 5 – based on 45 votes