CONTENT
1??Approaches to International Relations 3 Thinking
Theoretically 5
Developing the Answers 6
History 6
Philosophy 9
The Scientific Method: Behavioralism 11
Mixed Methods and Alternative Approaches 14
In Sum: International Relations and the Way Ahead 15
2?The Historical Context of Contemporary
International Relations 19 The Emergence of the Westphalian System 20
Europe in the Nineteenth Century 23
The Aftermath of Revolution: Core Principles 24
The Napoleonic Wars 24
Peace at the Core of the European System 26
Imperialism and Colonialism in the European System 28
Balance of Power 31
The Breakdown: Solidification of Alliances 32
World War I 33
The Interwar Years and World War II 35
World War II 37
The Cold War 40
Origins of the Cold War 41
The Cold War as a Series of Confrontations 44
The Cold War in Asia and Latin America 47
Was the Cold War Really Cold? 50
The Immediate Post–Cold War Era 52
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESEXPLAINING THE END OF THE COLD WAR: A VIEW FROM THE FORMER SOVIET UNION 54
The New Millennium: The First Two Decades 56
The Emergence of Terrorism and the World’s Reaction 56
Financial Crises 59
The Arab Spring and Civil Conflicts 59
Rising Great Power Competition 60
The Rise of Populism and Backlash against Globalization 61
In Sum: Learning from History 62
3?International Relations Theories 65 Thinking Theoretically
Components of International Relations Theories 68
Realism 71
The Roots of Realism 71
Realism in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries 72
Neorealism 75
Liberalism 77
The Roots of Liberalism 77
Neoliberal Institutionalism 79
Other Liberal Theories 81
Constructivism 83
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESPOLICY PERSPECTIVES: A VIEW FROM INDIA 86
The Radical Perspective 89
Marxism 89
Dependency Theory 90
Feminist Critiques of IR Theory 92
Theory in Action: Analyzing the Russia-Ukraine
Conflict (2014 and Beyond) 94
Background on the Russia-Ukraine Conflict 95
Realist Perspective 97
Liberal Perspective 98
Constructivist Perspective 99
In Sum: Seeing the World through Theoretical Lenses
100
4?Levels of Analysis 103 The International System 106
Realism and the International System 106
Liberalism and the International System 110
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESTHE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: TWO VIEWS FROM CHINA 112
Constructivism and the International System 114
Change in the International System 116
The International System as a Level of Analysis: The RussiaUkraine Conflict 118
The State 119
International Relations Perspectives and the State 124
The State as a Level of Analysis: The Russia-Ukraine Conflict 125
The Individual 126
The Role of Elites 127
The Role of Private Individuals and Mass Publics 132
International Relations Perspectives and the Individual 136
The Individual as a Level of Analysis: The RussiaUkraine Conflict 137
In Sum: Seeing the World through Different Levels of Analysis 138
5?The State and the Tools of Statecraft 141 State Power 143
Natural Sources of Power Potential 143
Tangible Sources of Power Potential 146
Intangible Sources of Power Potential 146
Hard versus Soft Power 147
Tools of Statecraft 149
The Art of Diplomacy 149
Economic Statecraft 152
The Use of Force 156
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESSTATECRAFT: A VIEW FROM ISRAEL 158
Models of Foreign Policy Decision Making 160
The Rational Model: The Realist Approach 160
The Organizational, Bureaucratic, and Pluralist Models: The Liberal Approaches 162
Constructivist Alternatives 165
Challenges to the State 166
Transnational Religious and Ideological Movements 166
Ethnonational Movements 169
Transnational Crime 172
Fragile States 173
In Sum: The Centrality of States 174
6?War and Security 177 Military Security and War 179
What Is War? 180
Types of War 181
Interstate War 181
Intrastate War 183
Conventional and Unconventional Wars 185
Terrorism 187
Cyberwarfare 193
The Causes of War 195
Realist Interpretations of the Causes of War 195
Liberal Interpretations of the Causes of War 197
Constructivist Interpretations of the Causes of War 199
Preventing War and Managing State Security 201
Realist Approaches to Preventing War 201
Liberal Approaches to Preventing War 205
Constructivist Approaches to Preventing War 209
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESGOING NUCLEAR: A VIEW FROM NORTH KOREA 210
Laws of War 212
Jus ad Bellum213
Jus in Bello215
Cyberwarfare and “Just” War 216
In Sum: International and State Security Today 218
7?International Cooperation and International Law 221
International Cooperation 223
Realism and the Cooperation Problem 223
Neoliberal Institutionalism and Cooperation 226
Other Liberal Explanations of Cooperation 229
Constructivism and Cooperation 232
International Law 234
Sources of International Law 235
Enforcement Mechanisms and State Compliance 238
Bodies of International Law 246
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESINTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: A VIEW FROM VIETNAM 252
In Sum: The Centrality of Cooperation 254
8?International Political Economy 257 The Evolution of the
International Economy: Ideas and Institutions 259
Economic Institutions 262
How the Globalized Economy Works Today 271
International Finance 271
International Monetary Policy 274
International Trade 275
International Development 284
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESDEVELOPMENT: A VIEW
FROM RWANDA 292
Economic Challenges in the Twenty-First Century 294
Crises of Economic Globalization 294
The Debate over Globalization: The View from Economic
Theories 301
In Sum: Moving Beyond Issues of the International Political Economy 303
9?Intergovernmental Organizations and Nongovernmental Organizations 307 Intergovernmental Organizations 308
The Creation of IGOs 308
The Roles of IGOs 311
The United Nations 312
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESINTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: A VIEW FROM JAPAN 326
A Complex Network of IGOs 329
The European Union—Organizing Regionally 330
Other Regional Organizations: The OAS, the AU, and the
Arab League 339
Nongovernmental Organizations 342
The Growth of NGO Power and Influence 342
Functions and Roles of NGOs 343
The Power of NGOs 346
The Limits of NGOs 347
Do IGOs and NGOs Make a Difference? 348
The Realist View 348
The Liberal View 349
The Constructivist View 349
In Sum: IGOs and NGOs Respond to New Issues of the Twenty-First Century 350 10?Human Rights 353 Religious, Philosophical, and Historical
Foundations 355
Human Rights as Emerging International Responsibility 358
States as Protectors of Human Rights 362
State Tactics to Protect Human Rights 363
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESHUMAN RIGHTS: A VIEW FROM THE UNITED STATES 364 States as Abusers of Human Rights 367
The Role of the International Community—IGOs and NGOs 368
IGOs in Action 368
NGOs’ Unique Roles 370
Evaluating the Efforts of the International Community 371
Specific Human Rights Issues 372
Genocide and Mass Atrocities 372
The Globalization of Rights: Women’s Rights as Human Rights 379
The Debate over Humanitarian Intervention and R2P 384
Contending Perspectives on Human Rights 386
In Sum: From Human Rights to the Environment 388
11?The Environment 391 Conceptual Approaches 392
The Environment as an Issue in International Relations 393
Institutionalizing Environmental Protection 394
Climate Change 399
The Problem of Climate Change 399 Approaches to Climate Change Mitigation 402
Climate Change Adaptation 406
Natural Resources Issues 406
Freshwater Resources 407
Protecting Land Resources: Forests 410
Protection of Species 411
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESTHE ENVIRONMENT: A VIEW FROM BRAZIL 412
Pollution of the Commons 415
Air Pollution 415
Ocean Pollution 416
Environmental Issues and Conflict 417
Contending Perspectives on the Environment 418
In Sum: From the Environment to Other Issues of Human Security 422
12? Human Security: Population, Migration, and Global
Health 425 Human Security in a Globalized and Transnational
World 427
Population Dynamics 427
Population Expansion and Dispersion Across Regions 427
The Dilemmas of Population Decline 430
Contending Perspectives on Population Dynamics 432
Migration 432
A Legal Framework Expanded 432
The Migration Crisis in Numbers 435
State and Regional Approaches to the Migration Crisis 437
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVESHUMAN SECURITY: A VIEW FROM AFRICA’S SAHEL REGION438
Contending Perspectives on Migration 440
Health—Protecting Individuals in the Global Commons 442
The World Health Organization and Other Global Health
Institutions 442
HIV/AIDS–the Slow Epidemic 445
SARS and Ebola–Lessons Learned and Forgotten 446
The COVID-19 Pandemic 448
Contending Perspectives on Health 453
The Impact of Human Security Issues on the Study of International Relations 454
In Sum: Changing Your World 458
Notes N-1
Glossary G-1
Credits C-1
Index I-1
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Karen A. Mingst is Professor Emeritus at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Wisconsin. A specialist in international organization, international law, and international political
economy, Professor Mingst has conducted research in Western Europe, West Africa, and Yugoslavia. She is the author or editor of seven books and numerous academic articles.
Heather Elko McKibben is an associate professor in the department of political science at the University of California, Davis. She received her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in 2008 and held a postdoctorate position in the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University before coming to Davis. Her research interests lie in the study of international cooperation and international negotiations. She is the author of State Strategies in International Bargaining: Play by the Rules or Change Them?, as well as multiple academic articles.
PREFACE
Brief textbooks are now commonplace in International
Relations. This textbook was originally written not only to be smart and brief but also in the words of Roby Harrington of W. W. Norton—to include “a clear sense of what’s essential and what’s not.” While this book’s treatment of the essential concepts and information has stood the test of time through eight editions, this Ninth Edition includes more substantial revisions. The overall structure remains similar. Students need a brief history of international relations to understand why we study the subject and how current scholarship is informed by what has preceded it. Theoretical perspectives, and the theories they encompass, provide us with interpretative frameworks and help us understand the answer to fundamental questions about
why the world works the way it does. The levels of analysis help us understand where to look for those answers. Illustrating the value of the theoretical perspectives and levels of analysis, we use them to analyze the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2014—the relevance of which is reinforced as tensions between Russia and Ukraine and Russia and the West grew in 2020 and 2021. A chapter on statecraft then helps us further understand how foreign policy decisions are made and the role of the state in the international system. Since conflict and cooperation are the foundation of international relations, a chapter is devoted to each. Then the other major issues of the day are examined from the international political economy to international and nongovernmental organizations, human rights, the environment, and human security—namely, migration,
population, and health. There is never an opportune time to revise a textbook on international relations, but 2020 and 2021 saw unanticipated challenges. The renewal of tension among the United States, Russia, and China playing out in Ukraine, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the South China Sea, and cyberspace, and their tit-fortat sanctions on a myriad of issues have heightened an already tumultuous global atmosphere. Severe droughts in the Sahel region of Africa, dangerous heatwaves across the globe, record-breaking wildfires in Australia and the United States, along with other natural disasters, have helped us recognize that climate change may be the existential threat of the twentyfirst century. The uncertainties surrounding the controversial
yet consequential 2020 U.S. presidential election made writing about the effects on international relations even more thoughtprovoking. And who would have imagined that 2020 would unleash a pandemic that has affected the economic, political, and social life of individuals around the world the effects of which will only be known over time? This fully updated edition is enhanced by the addition of new material to address these issues and others. An entire new chapter has been added to deal with issues related to the environment, including the many concepts key to understanding climate change. Material has been added on how the COVID-19 pandemic has (re-)shaped state relations not only in issues of health but on economic development, human security, and globalization. Organizational and
substantive changes in Chapters 4 and 5 were made to better illustrate the role of diplomatic, economic, and military statecraft in the world today. The rich pedagogical program of previous editions and their ancillaries have been revised based on suggestions from adopters and reviewers: Each chapter is introduced with a new story “ripped from the headlines,” selected to help students apply the concepts discussed in the chapter to a contemporary problem. From the war that flared up between Armenia and Azerbaijan in September 2020 to Greta Thunberg and the youth movement to tackle climate change; from increasing tensions between the United States and China, exacerbated by the COVID19 pandemic and China’s treatment of the Uighurs, to the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, these vignettes
help students apply the chapter material to the central issues of the day. The popular Global Perspectives features have been updated with new perspectives, including: international cooperation— view from Vietnam; statecraft—view from Israel; international organizations—view from Japan; human rights—view from the United States; the environment—view from Brazil; a crisis in human security—view from Africa’s Sahel. This feature encourages students to consider a specific issue from the vantage point of a particular state. End-of-chapter review materials include discussion questions and a list of key terms from the chapter to help students remember, apply, and synthesize what they have learned.
Theory in Brief boxes, In Focus boxes, and numerous maps, figures, and tables appear throughout the text to summarize key ideas.
InQuizitive, Norton’s award-winning, formative, and adaptive online quizzing program, has been updated and revised to help students engage more deeply with the text, understand the core concepts of international relations, and apply them to realworld events and scenarios; the Test Bank, written by coauthor
Heather Elko McKibben, is closely connected to the text and reflects the revisions to this edition.
News Analysis Activities, new to this edition, are updated every other week during the semester, encourage students to understand and analyze current events using the theories presented in the text.
Many of these changes have been made at the suggestion of expert reviewers, primarily faculty who have taught the book in the classroom. While it is impossible to act on every suggestion (not all the critics themselves agree), we have carefully studied the various recommendations and thank the reviewers for taking time to offer critiques. We thank the following reviewers for their input on this new edition: Charity Butcher, Kennesaw State University; David N. Campbell, Brigham Young University; Eunbin Chung, University of Utah; Charles Dannehl, Bradley University; Shelby Hall, Auburn University; Amy Hamblin, Contra Costa College; Michael N. Jacobs, Gordon College; Brenda Kauffman, Flagler College; Jason Keiber, Baldwin Wallace University; Phil Kelly, Emporia State University; Jamie Lennahan,
Germanna Community College; Matthew Murray, Dutchess
Community College; Anthony O’Regan, Los Angeles Valley College; Alireza Raisi, Emerson College; Jeff Schroeder, Des Moines Area Community College; Alexei Shevchenko, California State University, Fullerton; and all those who provided feedback along the way.
Karen Mingst would like to offer particular thanks to Heather:
“This, our second edition together, posed unimaginable personal challenges, as well as the additional hardships posed by the pandemic. Yet she was able to offer fresh perspectives, clean up messy organization and awkward wording, and discuss the issues of the day. May she remember all the joys of the past as she anticipates a very different future, one which hopefully includes our collaboration.”
In this edition as in the others, Karen Mingst owes special thanks to her family: “From my husband, Robert Stauffer, together in a pandemic bubble for most of 2020 and early 2021, to our daughter Ginger in California and son Brett with his wife Tara and kids, Quintin, 8 years old, and Langley, 4 years old, in Wisconsin. Each in their own way continues to provide encouragement, while questioning another book, another edition! We are thrilled that they all continue to be a large part of our life even though we remain divided by the miles.”
Heather Elko McKibben would like to thank Karen for all of her work and collaboration involved in writing on this new edition: “Karen was incredibly supportive and understanding
at a very difficult time in my life. She worked hard to ensure that during that time, I was not overburdened. I cannot thank her enough for her help and selfless support in that regard. And I very much enjoyed my back-and-forth of ideas with her as we tackled updating the text to address the world today.
That has helped to make the book what it is.” Heather would also like to give special thanks to her husband,
Scott McKibben: “Writing a book is always a team effort—not just among coauthors but also with those supporting us behind the scenes. Scott was always supportive of me and my work, even when he thought I was crazy for taking on more. His patience and reinforcement, even as he was engaged in an arduous battle with cancer, were crucial in helping me to work
through dealing with his illness while also working on this book and beyond. The memory of his unyielding support will never be lost.”
We have been fortunate to have several editors from W. W.
Norton who have shepherded various editions. In this edition
Anna Olcott and Peter Lesser have both been instrumental, working from home during the pandemic, both taking a personal interest in making this new collaboration smooth and seamless. They have kept us on task and time while each
offering their own keen eye for substantive ambiguity and awkward wording. And Anna Olcott has expertly directed the editorial process in an expeditious fashion. In short, many talented, professional, and delightful people
contributed to the making of this edition, which we feel is the
best so far. And for that, we remain always grateful.
IN
LOVING
MEMORY
OF SCOTT McKIBBEN, 1978–2021
AFRICA
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CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
THE WORLD