Preface: Marketing Mousetraps Part 1: War, Ideas, and Peace Introduction 1. The Obsolescence of Major War 2. Policing the Remnants of War 3. War Has Almost Ceased to Exist: An Assessment 4. Why Isn't There More Violence? Part 2: Threat Perception, Ideas, and Foreign Policy Introduction 5. What Was the Cold War About? Evidence from Its Ending 6. Simplicity and Spook: Terrorism and the Dynamics of Threat Exaggeration 7. Faulty Correlation, Foolish Consistency, and Fatal Consequence: Democracy, Peace, and Theory in the Middle East Part 3: Public Opinion, Foreign Policy, and War Introduction 8. American Foreign Policy and Public Opinion in a New Era: Eleven Propositions 9. The Iraq War and the Management of American Public Opinion
Biography
John Mueller is Professor of Political Science and holds the Woody Hayes Chair of National Security Studies, Mershon Center, Ohio State University. He is author/editor of 13 books on politics and international security.
'In this brief, punchy collection of essays, Mueller sets out his case in engrossing and direct style.' Kenneth Payne, International Affairs, Vol. 88, 1, 2012
'Over the years many of the most important ideas about the role of ideas have come from the pen of John Mueller. Now he has drawn them together in a most valuable collection, and those who remain unpersuaded will fruitfully be provoked.' Robert Jervis, Columbia University
‘A pioneer in the work on public opinion and war, Mueller has staked out intellectual leadership in thinking about the "obsolescence" of war. An excellent writer, Mueller’s pieces very clearly and effectively convey his arguments and conclusions. This book will be a valuable resource for instructors and students alike in courses ranging from general introductory IR, to courses on war, globalization or international law.’ Harvey Starr, University of South Carolina
'War and Ideas is a set of provocative theoretical essays and empirical analyses by one of the leading and most original thinkers in international relations inquiry. It is a book that will provoke debate and challenge conventional thinking; in doing so, it will advance our understanding of some of the most important issues of our time. Essential reading for scholars, journalists, and students.' John A. Vasquez, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
