International Relations Theory Today

Ken Booth is Senior Research Associate and President of the David Davies Memorial Institute of International StudiesToni Erskine is Professor of International Politics at the University of New South Wales, Australia.

The first edition of this book in 1995 defined IR theory for many students and scholars. This second edition will surely do the same. Booth and Erskine have creatively presented the “argumentative discipline”, and their contributors demonstrate the multiple ways in which we can utilize IR theory.Anthony Lang, University of St Andrews A delightfully fresh, engaging and accessible introduction to IR theory for the new millennium. The contributions by the editors and their first-rate cast of authors will leave readers in no doubt as to the power, necessity and critical virtues of theory!Robyn Eckersley, University of Melbourne This collection of essays is a must-read for students and scholars of international relations. The authors contributing to the volume represent both problem-solving and critical perspectives, and their essays respect the past and reveal the future of IR theory – once again reminding us of the importance of pluralism in our scholarship and teaching in a discipline where controversy rules.Steven Lamy, University of Southern California

• TABLE OF CONTENTSPrefaceContributorsList of FiguresINTRODUCTION: THE ARGUMENTATIVE DISCIPLINEKen Booth and Toni ErskinePART I: CONTESTATIONS1. FIVE GENERATIONS OF IR THEORYNicholas Onuf2. THEORY AND PRACTICE IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSChris Brown3. IR THEORY AS IDENTITY DISCOURSES Richard Ned Lebow4. IR THEORY AND THE QUESTION OF SCIENCEInanna Hamati-Ataya5. IR THEORY AS AN ETHICAL PURSUITMolly Cochran6. DO IR SCHOLARS ENGAGE WITH THE SAME WORLD?Pinar Bilgin7. ‘IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID...’Craig MurphyPART II: THEORIES AND ISSUES8. THE FUTURE OF WAR AS THE ULTIMA RATIOWilliam Wohlforth9. THE NUCLEAR REVOLUTION AS THEORYCampbell Craig10. CARMEN MIRANDA RETURNSCynthia Enloe11. GLOBAL CAPITALISM, INEQUALITY, AND POVERTYDavid Blaney and Naeem Inayatullah12. ‘CIVILISED’ RESTRAINT AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIETYAndrew Linklater13. DEMOCRACY IN A GLOBALISED WORLDHeikki Patomäki14. PROTEST AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS IN THE INFORMATION AGEColin Wight15. GLOBAL GOVERNANCE BEYOND IR?Thomas Weiss and Rorden Wilkinson16. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE ANTHROPOCENEOran YoungPART III: THEORIZING IR TOMORROW17. THE FUTURE FROM INSIDE THE LIBERAL WORLD ORDERJennifer Sterling-Folker18. MUST IR REMAIN ABSTRACT IN THE FUTURE?Christine Sylvester19. STUDYING WORLD POLITICS AS A COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMNeta C. Crawford20. A NEO-HOBBESIAN FUTURE?Michael C. Williams21. THE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 2157 (TWO EXCERPTS)Patrick Thaddeus JacksonCONCLUSION: RESPONSIBILITY AND THE ARGUMENTATIVE DISCIPLINEKen Booth and Toni ErskineReferencesIndex