1st Edition

Fundamental Principles of International Relations

By J. Martin Rochester Copyright 2010
    434 Pages
    by Routledge

    434 Pages
    by Routledge

    This book distills the essential elements of world politics, both the enduring characteristics as well as the revolutionary changes that may be altering the very fabric of the centuries-old state system. Author J. Martin Rochester explores all the important topics that one would expect to find in an IR text (war, diplomacy, foreign policy, international law and organization, the international economy, and more) but injects fresh perspectives on how globalization and other contemporary trends are affecting these issues. In addition, the author does so through a highly engaging, lively writing style that will appeal to today's students. Fundamental Principles of International Relations is a tightly woven treatment of international politics past and present, drawing on the latest academic scholarship while avoiding excessive jargon and utilizing pedagogical aids while avoiding clutter. Rochester ultimately challenges the reader to think critically about the future of a post-Cold War and post-9/11 world that is arguably more complex, if not more dangerous, than some previous eras, with the potential for promise as well as peril.

    Preface PART ONE Introduction: Conceptual and Historical Background 1 Understanding International Relations, or Getting a Handle on the World The Challenge Why Study International Relations? The Definition of International Relations The Paradigm Debate Scholars, Policymakers, and Citizens The Plan of the Book Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 2 The Historical Development of the International System: From the Birth of the Nation-State to Globalization The Birth of the Nation-State The International System in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries The International System in the Twentieth Century The Contemporary International System Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading PART TWO FOREIGN POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS: The Dynamics of Conflict and Cooperation 3 States and Foreign Policy States as Players What Is Foreign Policy? The Analysis of Foreign Policy Explaining Foreign Policy: The "Levels of Analysis" Framework The International System Level The Nation-State Level The Individual Level Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 4 Diplomacy, Bargaining, and Statecraft What Is Diplomacy? The Changing Nature of Diplomacy The Good Diplomat and Good Diplomacy: Rules to Follow in Negotiations Game Theory The Dynamics of Strategic Bargaining Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 5 War and the Use of Armed Force Trends in the Use of Armed Force The Causes of War The Causes of Peace: Approaches to World Order Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 6 International Organization and Law International Organization The United Nations and the UN System The European Union International Law Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading PART THREE GLOBAL PROBLEM-SOLVING: Issue-Areas 7 Improving International Security The Problem Use of Force Regimes Arms Control Regimes Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 8 Enhancing Human Rights and Human Development The Problem Human Rights Regimes Human Development Regimes Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading 9 Managing the World Economy and Promoting Prosperity The Problem International Economic Regimes Conclusion Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading PART FOUR CONCLUSION: Thinking About the New Millennium 10 The Future of International Relations: Sovereignty, Global Governance, and the Human Prospect in the Twenty-first Century Whither the Nation-State System? Alternative World Order Models Living with Paradoxes: Toward a More Mature Anarchy Thinking About the Future Questions for Study and Discussion Suggestions for Further Reading Notes Glossary Index

    Biography

    J Martin Rochester