International Relations Perspectives and Controversies

by Shimko, Keith L.

• ISBN13: 9780618783502
• ISBN10: 0618783504
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-07-27
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies offers an innovative approach to this introductory course. Each of the topical chapters covers an enduring and important debate in the field and examines how political actors or political thinkers explain and defend their different opinions. This format offers the students the chance to understand important issues in International Relations as dynamic struggles over resources and power. Each chapter is structured in four parts. The first part provides a historical overview of the issue, its origins, evolution, and current status. The middle two sections of each chapter map out the opposing or contrasting points of view within the debate. These debates are followed by an evaluation of the merits of each position and the scholarly and political assessment of the situation. The goal of the text is to help students think systematically and critically about international affairs. By distilling the discussion from a variety of viewpoints (rather than simply providing articles by scholars who disagree), the author highlights meaningful distinctions among differing political positions in a way that helps students understand not only the headlines from today and yesterday, but more importantly, those from tomorrow. New! The text has been reorganized to present the discussion of power politics (Chapter 3) before the coverage of war and human nature (Chapter 5). New! Expanded coverage of IOs/NGOs includes the European Union as related to security amidst anarchy (Chapter 3) and the role of Amnesty International and other NGOs in human rights activism (Chapter 10). New! Expanded and updated coverage of the "Clash of Civilizations" in Chapter 12 is found both in the body of the chapter and in the Points of View readings at the end of the chapter. New! Updated Points of View readings, which present primary sources such as official foreign policy statements, government documents, news stories, debate transcripts, and editorials, expand on the chapter discussions. New topics include "Should We Practice Free Trade in Agriculture?"; "Does Foreign Aid Promote Development?"; "Can a Nuclear Iran be Deterred?"; and "Did 9/11 Reflect a Clash of Civilizations?". Marginal glossary allows students to access key terms without interrupting their reading. End-of-chapter pedagogy includes bulleted chapter summaries, a list of key terms with page numbers, suggestions for further reading, critical-thinking questions, endnotes, and references to relevant web sites.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Contents

Introduction: The Study of International Relations

History and Perspectives

Change and Continuity in International History

Contending Perspectives on International Politics

Controversies

Power Politics (Does International Anarchy Lead to War?)

War and Democracy (Are Democracies More Peaceful?)

War and "Human Nature" (Is War Part of Human Nature?)

Free Trade (Does Free Trade Benefit All?)

The IMF, Global Inequality, and Development (What are the Obstacles to Development?)

Globalization and Sovereignty (Is Globalization a Threat to National Sovereignty?)

International Law (Does International Law Matter?)

The United Nations and Humanitarian Intervention (Are Humanitarian Interventions Justified?)

Nuclear Proliferation (Is Nuclear Proliferation Dangerous?)

International Terrorism (How Should We Respond to International Terrorism?)

The Global Commons

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