Perspectives on International Relations: Power, Institutions, and Ideas - Softcover

"Perspectives on IR is my preferred introduction to international relations textbook because it accomplishes the difficult task of wedding theory to practice without going overboard in either area. I have used several different intro to IR texts since I began teaching my course before settling on this one--the right mix of theoretical arguments and practical examples is quite rare. My students gain dramatically from seeing IR theories applied to major global events and issues--this approach truly cements the arguments from IR scholarship in my students’ minds." (Michael Touchton)

“The book's treatment of the perspectives is its greatest strength. I like the chapters devoted to conflict in history--they are useful both for filling in the historical knowledge that students don’t have as well as for applying perspectives to concrete cases." (Dwight Wilson, University of North Georgia)

“The strength of this text is that it does a good job of taking various perspectives and carrying them through a variety of different topics that we analyze in the study of international relations. Indeed, this is why I adopted the text, because my main goal is to instill analytical skills in my students.” (Heather McKibben)

Henry R. Nau’s bestselling book is admired for its even-handed presentation of realism, liberalism, constructivism, and critical theory—and for expertly applying those perspectives in every chapter, training students to think critically about the world’s most urgent issues. This hallmark of the book hasn’t changed; it highlights different causal perspectives from various levels of analysis to illuminate historical and current controversies in world affairs. But the overall length of the book has. With significantly briefer and more focused chapters, students can better grasp the causal logic and strong explanatory power of each of the perspectives as they explore the roots of major world events and approaches to critical issues.

?New to this Edition:

• Now in full-colour, an eye-catching design showcases how relevant this book is for today’s students, with more than 120 photos and visually stunning maps, tables, and graphs that display important concepts and key data and empirical findings.
• While retaining critical coverage of WWI through the end of the Cold War, deeper historical detail has been significantly cut—context matters, but the book’s emphasis is on today’s critical issues.
• Discussion of the contemporary world from the post-cold war period to today’s current events is now covered in chapters that present sustained analysis from each of the perspectives in turn. Whole chapters devoted to how realism, liberalism, and identity perspectives each view contemporary international relations and globalization give students a deeper understanding of how that theory makes sense of the world.