Synopses & Reviews
This concise text provides students and instructors with a comprehensive overview of world politics, inviting them in a straightforward and accessible way to explore international relations and its new challenges. A hallmark of the text is the authors' position that politics affect the lives of all of us, and that the individual can have an impact, whether small or large, by being politically aware and by taking action.
About the Author
John T. Rourke, Ph.D., professor emeritus, is former head of the Department of Political Science at The University of Connecticut. He is author of International Politics on the World Stage, Eleventh Edition (McGraw-Hill, 2007); the author of Presidential Wars and American Democracy: Rally ‘Round the Chief (Paragon House, 1993); a coauthor of Direct Democracy and International Politics: Deciding International Issues through Referendums (Lynn Rienner, 1992); the editor of Taking Sides: Clashing Views in World Politics, Twelfth Edition, expanded (McGraw-Hill, 2007) and You Decide: Current Debates in American Politics (Longman, 2005); the author of Making Foreign Policy: United States, Soviet Union, China (Brooks Cole, 1990), Congress and the Presidency in U.S. Foreign Policymaking (Westview, 1985), and numerous articles and papers. He continues to teach and especially enjoys introductory classes. His regard for the students has molded his approach to writinghe conveys scholarship in a language and within a frame of reference that undergraduates can appreciate. Rourke believes, as the theme of this book reflects, that politics affect us all and we can affect politics. Rourke practices what he propounds; his career long involved the universitys internship program and advising one of its political clubs. Additionally, he has served as a staff member of Connecticuts legislature, and has been involved in political campaigns on the local, state, and national levels.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Thinking and Caring About World Politics Previewing the Global Drama Global Actors: Meet the Cast How This Book is Structured World Politics and Your Finances World Politics and Your Living Space World Politics and Your Life You Can Make a Difference Putting World Events in Context Introducing Realism and Liberalism The Nature of Politics: Realism and Liberalism The Roles of Power and Principles: Realism and Liberalism Prospects for Competition and Cooperation: Realism and Liberalism Assessing Reality: Reality and Liberalism Chapter Summary Chapter 2 - The Evolution of World Politics The Evolving World System: Early Development Ancient Greece and Rome After the Fall of Rome, A.D. 476 to 1700 The 18th and 19th Centuries The Evolving World System: The 21st Century The Rise of the Bipolar System The Fall of the Bipolar System The 21st Century: The Genesis of a New System The Structure of Power in the 21st Century Security in the 21st Century Global Economics in the 21st Century Quality of Life in the 21st Century Chapter Summary Chapter 3 - Level of Analysis Individual-Level Analysis Humans as a Species Organizational Behavior Leaders and Their Individual Traits State-Level Analysis Making Foreign Policy: Type of Government, Situation, and Policy Making Foreign Policy: Political Culture Foreign Policy-Making Actors System-Level Analysis Structural Characteristics Power Relationships Economic Realities Norms Chapter Summary Chapter 4 - Nationalism: The Traditional Orientation Understanding Nations, Nationalism, and Nation-States Nations, Nationalism, and Nation-States Defined The Rise of Ascendancy of Nationalism Nationalism in Practice: Issues and Evaluation Nation-States: More Myth than Reality Positive and Negative Aspects of Nationalism Nationalism: Builder and Destroyer Self-Determination as a Goal Nationalism and the Future The Recent Past and Present of Nationalism The Future of Nationalism Chapter Summary Chapter 5 - Globalization and Transnationalism: The Alternative Orientation Globalization Globalization of Communications and Transportation Economic Globalization Cultural Globalization Transnationalism Transnationalism in Action Transnational Organizations Regional Transnationalism Cultural Transnationalism Transnational Religion Islam and the World Transnational Movements Transnationalism Tomorrow Chapter Summary Chapter 6 - Power and the National States: The Traditional Structure The Nature and Purpose of the State The State Defined Purposes of the State National Power The Nature of Power Characteristics of Power National Diplomacy Diplomacy as Applied Power The Context of Diplomacy The Conduct of Diplomacy Diplomacy as a Communications Process Options for Conducting Diplomacy States and the Future The State: Changing States The State: The Indictment The State: The Defense The State: The Verdict Chapter Summary Chapter 7 - International Organization: An Alternative Structure A Overview of International Organization The Origins of IGOs The Growth of IGOs Roles the IGOs Play Regional IGOs' Focus on the European Union The Origins and Evolution of the European Union The Government of the European Union The Future of the EU Global IGOs' Focus on the United Nations Structure, Rules, and Related Issues Leadership Administration, and Finance Activities of the UN and Other IGOs Evaluating IGOs and Their Future Chapter Summary Chapter 8 - International Law and Human Rights: An Alternative Approach Fundamentals of International Law and Morality The Primitive Nature of International Law The Growth of International Law The Practice of International Law The Fundamentals of International Morality The International Legal System The Philosophical Roots of Law How International Law is Made Adherence to the Law Adjudication of the Law Applying International Law and Morality Law and Justice in a Multicultural World Applying International Law and Morality to States Applying International Law to Individuals The Prudent Application of Law and Morality The Future of International Law and Morality The Nature of Human Rights Civil and Political Rights: Freedom from Abuses Abuse of Individual Rights Abuse of Group Rights The International Response to Individual and Group Human Rights Issues Economic and Social Rights Food Health Education Chapter Summary Chapter 9 - Pursuing Security Chapter Summary h3>Thinking about Security A Tale of Insecurity Conflict and Insecurity: The Traditional Road War and World Politics Force as a Political Instrument Unconventional Warfare Conventional Warfare Warfare with Weapons of Mass Destruction Global and International Security: The Alternative Road Limited Self-Defense Through Arms Control International Security Forces Abolition of War Chapter Summary Chapter 10 - Globalization in the World Economy Theories of International Political Economy Economic Nationalism Economic Internationalism Economic Structuralism Two Economic Worlds: North and South Two Economic Worlds: Analyzing the Data Two Economic Worlds: Human Conditions The Growth and Extent of International Political Economy Trade International Investment Monetary Relations Globalization and Interdependence: Debating the Future Chapter Summary Chapter 11 - Global Economic Competition and Cooperation Global Economic Competition: The Traditional Road National Economic Power: Assets and Utilization The North and International Political Economy The South and Internatonal Political Economy The Future of National Economic Policy Global Economic Cooperation: The Alternative Road Global Economic Cooperation: Background Global Economic Cooperation: The Institutions Regional Economic Cooperation Chapter Summary Chapter 12 - Preserving and Enhancing the Global Commons Toward Sustainable Development The Ecological State of the World Sustainable Development Sustainable Development: Population and Resources Population Issues and Cooperation Resource Issues and Cooperation Resource Conservation: The Global Response Sustainable Development: The Environment Environmental Issues Environmental Protection: The International Response Chapter Summary An Epilogue to the Text/A Prologue to the Future Endnotes Glossary Abbreviations References Index