International Relations (Polity Short Introductions)

Description: International Relations emerged as a distinct academic discipline in the early twentieth century as scholars and practitioners sought to address the causes of war and conditions for peace in a systematic and sustained way. Its philosophic foundations, however, draw on centuries of thinking about human nature, political authority and obligation, justice and injustice, and their implications for relations within and between political communities. Since then, IR has become one of the most important and dynamic fields of academic study in the contemporary period.In this second edition, Stephanie Lawson retains a broad historical and contextual approach in introducing readers to the central themes and theoretical perspectives while also addressing key concerns in the contemporary period. These include the emergence of states and empires, theories ranging from classical realism and liberalism to postcolonial and 'green' theory, twentieth century international history, security and insecurity, global governance and world order, international political economy, globalization and the prospects for a 'postinternational' world. Written in an accessible narrative style, this book will appeal to students at undergraduate level and beyond, including those undertaking postgraduate coursework study in IR with little or no previous academic training in the field.

Review: "A rare accomplishment. Quite the best introductory text in international relations I have ever seen." Peter Vale, University of Johannesburg "This is the kind of textbook that promotes intelligent conversation between student and teacher about the evolution of International Relations both as a discipline of study and as practice. With a light touch and admirable clarity of language, it confidently handles the definitional and conceptual ideas at the heart of the subject." Rosemary Foot, St Antony's College, Oxford "The new edition of Stephanie Lawson's innovative international relations text builds on the strengths of the first edition - its historical contextualization of contemporary global politics, an emphasis on normative elements, and an openness to various theoretical approaches - and adds comprehensive chapters on IR theory and on international political economy." John Ravenhill, Australian National University

Contents: * Preface*1 Introducing International Relations*2 States and International Systems in World History*3 Theorizing International Relations *4 International Relations in the Twentieth Century *5 Security and Insecurity in the Contemporary World*6 Global Governance and World Order*7 International Political Economy*8 International Relations in a Globalizing World*9 Conclusion: A Postinternational World?* References * Index

Author Biography: Stephanie Lawson is Professor of Politics and International Relations at Macquarie University.