Synopses & Reviews
Written in clear and accessible prose, GLOBAL POLITICS discusses the major theories of international relations and provides students with the historical background to understand global politics. This new edition is a thorough revision and reflects the latest developments in world events and the study of international relations. The text is organized into five parts: theory and history, states and foreign policy, security relations, economic relations, and global challenges. It focuses on today's most urgent issues, such as international conflict, economic alliances, and terrorism and global security. A theoretical chapter on global politics covers six major perspectives on international relations and clearly explains the premise and significance of each theory.
Review
"The chapters on security relations are excellent. I think these are the best topics I've seen on security in an intro IR text in 10 years of teaching."Christopher M. Sprecher, Texas A&M University
Review
"I find the Ray and Kaarbo book an excellent resource and textbook for basic introductory international relations courses...I find the mixture of history and theory in the book as just about right. The book is comprehensive in its approach to the field leaving virtually no stone unturned in its use of research in the field and integrating that research into the text." Daniel Master, University of North Carolina Wilmington
About the Author
Juliet Kaarbo received her Ph.D. in 1993 from Ohio State University, is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas, and recently served for a year on the faculty at the prestigious Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. She has written a number of scholarly articles concerning foreign policy and leadership and is the author of Contemporary Comparative Foreign Policy from Congressional Quarterly Press. James Lee Ray (Ph.D. University of Michigan, 1974) is Professor of Political Science at Vanderbilt and has taught at the State University of New York at Fredonia, the University of New Mexico, and Florida State University. His areas of research include international organizations and international political economy.
Table of Contents
Part I: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. 1. Theories of Global Politics. 2. The Historical Setting. 3. The Modern Era. Part II: ACTORS IN GLOBAL POLITICS: POWER AND POLICY. 4. The Power of States and the Rise of Transnational Actors. 5. Inside States: The Making of Foreign Policy. Part III: INTERACTIONS OF ACTORS: SECURITY RELATIONS. 6. International Conflict: Explaining Interstate War. 7. Ethnic Conflict and International Terrorism. 8. Efforts to Avoid Conflict: Alliances, Arms, and Bargaining. 9. Global Security Efforts: International Organizations, Law, and Ethics. Part IV: INTERATIONS OF ACTORS: ECONOMIC RELATIONS. 10. Interdependence Among Rich States: International Political Economy in the North. 11. The Developing States in the International Political Economy. 12. Regional Economic Integration in the Global Political Economy. Part V: GLOBAL CHALLENGES. 13. The Global Environment and Its Inhabitants. 14. Globalization: Contemporary Dynamics and the Future of World Politics.