practical foundations of international relations

Critical Approaches to International Relations: Philosophical Foundations and Current Debates explores the achievements of a wide variety of critical approaches in International Relations theory, discusses the barrage of criticism and. Featuring a combination of chapters authored by leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the world, this textbook takes into account the historical development of international relations and the web of dynamics that forms the subject, resulting in a clear analysis of the field from a variety of perspectives. Each chapter can stand alone. Stephen McGlinchey has brought together a fantastic collection of authors who together present a wide-ranging, critical and accessible introduction to International Relations. The text does not suffer from problems with navigation, image distortion, or other interface issues. Still, I believe it's highly consistent, and any small discrepancy across authors would not generate any confusion to students. James Arvanitakis is the Executive Director of the Australian American Fulbright Commission and an Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Culture and Society at Western Sydney University. He then explicates how the resulting international system that is with us today operates and persists according to the post-war institutional framework for cooperation and conflict resolution. The second case he focuses on is that of the 19791980 Iranian hostage crisis, the transformation of U.S. Iranian relations in its wake and the prospect of a nuclear armed Iran in the future. This book covers an impressive range of topics. Moving away from a purely European perspective, students will gain an understanding of traditional ideas about international organisation, whilst also appreciating how issues such as COVID and food security are truly international in scope. As a branch of the Middle East-based Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K) emerged in late 2014 in southern and eastern Afghanistan. There is some referring back to other chapters and topics but there could be more given that it is a textbook. However, it addresses early in the book the historical existence of pre-state areas in a European context only. Foundations of International Relations is a wonderfully rich, yet highly accessible, introduction to International Relations, both as a subject and as a discipline. It accomplishes most IR requirements in an open format. via institutions' own library database that are free to students. Connectivity and Exploitation in the Digital Age Clare Stevens and Andreas Haggman. The authors make a concentrated effort to make this text relevant to twenty-first century politics. The book could have also strived forand consequently benefitted fromgreater diversity among the chapter authors, who are overwhelmingly from the West. The textbook is comprehensive in range of concepts it covers. I would organize is differently in terms of the chapters. I would not classify this as a comprehensive text of introductory international relations. While some of the specific data will need to be updated (references to the debt/deficit as it stands now, etc), overall the theoretical discussion and the overall structure of the book should enable extended longevity. The book is well put together and I found no issues in regards to consistency in terminology or framework. The approachability of the text and relevant case studies will leave students with the tools needed to understand and analyse international events. Individual chapters also work as standalone pieces, thereby facilitating easy addition (or removal) of chapters on particular global issues, if required. However, when combining various chapters from parts 1 and 2, the reading assignments are coherent. This is ridiculously boring and very far out of touch from how students actually learn. This is incorrect. I wish the first four chapters of the basics section were covered much better. Unfortunately, its relevance (like the relevance of so many political science textbooks) will take a hit due to the global pandemic. It seems that the editor chose breath over depth. Students learn best when their texts have clear, simple, and accessible organization and prose. Some scholars might prefer to also understand the nature of government in lands, territories and empires prior to the emergence of "the state" in the context of other non-European pre-states. From broader and theoretical debates to issue areas. "Foundations of International Relations is a wonderfully rich, yet highly accessible, introduction to International Relations, both as a subject and as a discipline. It then focuses on helping the reader to understand the various principle and theories, structure, key actors, and international organizations both state and nonstate . Several chapters reference current events heavily, which will need updates soon. While some individual chapters might appear biased toward a particular lens (e.g., a US- or Western-centric view of the world), other chapters present contrasting perspectives, thereby according the book with a semblance of overall balance. 7. Environment and Climate Raul Pacheco-Vega first person in some, third in others) and more than half of the chapter read like they're transcripts of lectures. Actually, students would even appreciate the fact that IR scholars may have distinctive views/perspectives on historical/current events in IR. The book tries admirably to include many perspectives and address issues of global relevance. CENTER FOR OPEN EDUCATION | The Open Education Network is based in the Center for Open Education in the University of Minnesotas College of Education and Human Development. technology, food) and the short 15. So, when I'm looking for a book, I'm looking for a reference guide/companion to my lectures. More focused and comprehensive discussion of 20th century cases, especially WWI, WWII, and the Cold War, would be useful, at least for American students. I think it's pretty much well written and organized. While the preface indicates that there are "no boxes, charts, pictures, or exercises" because "these things can be a distraction", I find that in particular to be counterproductive. Dana Gold works in regulatory strategy and research for the Ontario Public Service. read more. No major comments. Also, I would expect more on the war/crisis in Ukraine (there is no mention of Maidan at all) and contemporary relations with Russia, which are addressed cursorily and from a very obviously Euro-Atlantic security community perspective. Perhaps the biggest inconsistency is quality: some chapters, especially chapter 11 on Protecting People, stand out as sharp and cleara highwater mark for pedagogical effectiveness. Jessica Neafie, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. Foundations of International Relations delivers a comprehensive explanation of International Relations that includes a thorough introduction to critical theories and non-western viewpoints alongside established IR theories and narratives. The books chapters, while authored by different contributors, are consistently edited, giving the text a high degree of consistency. Some chapters are simplified to the level of an introductory textbook, while others use formal academic prose. However, updates should be relatively easy. Consistency in terms of chapter format, however, is lacking. Reviewed by Stephen Bagwell, Visiting Assistant Professor, DePauw University on 10/10/19, Overall, very comprehensive for an introductory textbook. Finally, the text is sufficiently sensitive in cultural terms, and should present no issues to educators who assign it. 4 Foundations of International Relations Theory, 1st term 2015-2016 Question 2 Bartelson, Jens, 'Short Circuits: Society and Tradition in International Relations Theory", Review of International Studies 22 (1996): 339-60 Edward Keene, International Political Thought: A Historical Introduction (Cambridge: Polity, 2005), introduction Schmidt. However, there is not much on IR theory. It would also enhance its teaching ability. This book is designed as a foundational entry point to International Relations theory. Despite these efforts, there remains much scope for further diversity: even as case illustrations from the Global South are present, Western examples still form the majority. There should be more discussion of the causes of wars and civil wars, however. Unlike typical textbooks, there are no boxes, charts, pictures or exercises. Anthony F Lang, Professor of International Political Theory, University of St Andrews, UK. The content is up-to-date and incorporates both canonical and contemporary case studies in its explication of the material. She also explicates the ways in which the levels of analysis framework determines the findings of researchers working in IR, as well as how it affects and is effected by the evolving ambitions of the discipline. I also think it does a good job being unbiased. Beyond that introduction of the advent of sovereign state, the book goes on to address the international global condition satisfactorily encompassing all regions and peoples. Some of the other chapters did not seem as relevant and might have been better left to a textbook for a higher level IR course. In the south, a disgruntled Taliban commander and former Guantanamo Bay detainee, Mullah Abdul Raoof Khadim, swore allegiance to ISIS, while in the east, six Pakistani Taliban commanders led by Hafiz Sayed Khan raised ISIS's black flag . The approachability of the text and relevant case studies will leave students with the tools needed to understand and analyse international events. As an introductory, day-zero IR text, the book provides readers with enough detail to kindle curiosity, without overburdening them with a flood of information. The treatment of the various topics integrates both historical and contemporary cases in a way that makes it relevant without too tied to the publication date. A handy Getting Started section prior to the first chapter guides the reader on how to navigate the text, elaborating on some of the fields jargonwhich is used sparinglyas well as on the use of academic citations. The first 3-4 chapters were too interconnected. Reviewed by Doga Eralp, Professorial Lecturer, American University on 2/1/18, This edited volume provides a comprehensive yet not so well integrated coverage of the issues and theories that define the international relations field today. Reviewed by Azamat Sakiev, Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University on 2/1/18, The textbook is comprehensive in range of concepts it covers. The content appears accurate. Each chapter has a separate author but it does begin by making a connection to other chapters. At the same time, the second half ("global issues") that focuses on contemporary problems, would have to be updated quite regularly (i.e. This is more telling of the state of the IR curriculum, rather than the critique of the text per se. The five main theories of international relations. Students should use the book to progress through, which limits the ability of the instructor to structure the course prioritizing different information. Global Civil Society Raffaele Marchetti in action, as part of a "doing" in and on the world. read more. Being able to point to good visualizations (charts, in particular) in the textbook would be much more of a strength than a distraction. al. Many thanks! An engaging introduction to the core concepts, theories, actors and issues in global politics. The journey starts by examining how the international system was formed and ends by reflecting that International Relations is always adapting to events and is therefore a never-ending journey of discovery. He holds a PhD in Cyber Security from Royal Holloway, University of London. The edited volume captures the relevant debates in IR and provides an overall view of open topics in a manner to insuniate longer term discussion. The book fits clearly into the authors' pedagogy. In my introductory course, I tend to delve a bit deeper into a number of issues, but this textbook overall provides a good framework to build those discussions off of. read more. Instead, taking international practices seriously spells out the many faces of world politics, including power and security, trade and finance, strategy, institutions and organizations, resources, knowledge and discourse, etc. My sense is that this omission emerges from its European perspective. The professor using this text would almost certainly need to supplement it with additional readings, and would probably also need to put a good deal of thought into designing exercises, lectures, tests, and study guides based on this material. Some historical developments are more thoroughly explained than others, and students using this book might find it confusing that some background material is spread across chapters. The textbook is inaccurate mostly because it's separate chapters allow each author to condense huge topics into a very short space. Yet another compilation of IR chapters from a very western oriented set of authors. The book at least touches on all of the subjects that I routinely cover in my introductory course on international relations, but the coverage of the subjects vary greatly. The book presents itself as NOT predisposed to modularity. Thus, most likely they should be assigned as a combined reading block. The updates should be fairly straightforward to implement. The first section of the book, "The Basics," did not cover the basics in as much detail as I would have liked to see. Neo-Realism is designed as re-examination, a second tier explanation that fills in the gaps classic theories neglected. Overall, the book is not culturally insensitive. Featuring a combination of chapters authored by leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the world, this textbook takes . The purpose and function of non-governmental organizations are similarly examined. Chapter five, written by Knut Traisbach, introduces public international law. Featuring a combination of chapters authored by leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the world, this textbook takes into account the historical development of international relations and the web of dynamics that forms the subject, resulting in a clear analysis of the . On this, it does relatively well. The book covers a very wide and comprehensive set of topics in a concise way. The 2016 free edition can be used as a textbook but the textbook has been updated, but the update is no longer free. You must sign in to add this item to your wishlist. Given the inherently interdisciplinary nature of the academic field of International Relations (IR), any textbook on the subject is bound to be lacking in some aspects. No major inaccuracies were detected as of this review. Instructor resources, including powerpoints, essay questions and a multiple choice question bank for each chapter are available from Bloomsbury. I could not understand the organization of the chapters. While one might fault the textbook for not having a catchy appearance, its simple presentation ensures minimal distraction for the reader. The current IR text I use (World Politics by Frieden, Lake, and Schultz) is far superior on this point but they are so expensive! Other chapters were not as accessible. in that respect it accomplishes a decent job; however, in terms of complementarity of chapters with one and another, it clearly fails. International Relations (17 reviews) Stephen McGlinchey, University of the West of England Copyright Year: 2016 ISBN 13: 9781910814185 Publisher: E-International Relations Language: English Formats Available PDF Conditions of Use Attribution-NonCommercial CC BY-NC Reviews Learn more about reviews. A minor criticism, however, is that some chapters in Part Two do not adequately tie the discussion of the issue to concerns and debates in IR. Please sign in or create an account. The book presents an impressive and well-thought pedagogical outline leaving students critically engaged and encouraged to apply their new knowledge of IR to specific, concrete cases. This is another part of the authors' pedagogy in which they find such things distracting. But the book refuses to use "buzzwords" like "globalization" because the authors The differences between and respective functions of inter-governmental organizations and non-governmental organizations is explicated. Stephen Chan OBE, Professor of World Politics, SOAS University of London, UK. The text has a strong internal consistency. Reviewed by Peter Funke, Associate Professor, University of South Florida on 3/27/18, While comprehensiveness is not achievable, this edited volume covers main areas of the field. It does well in covering traditional, enduring, and emerging issues and problems in international Although the book lacks an index, as the editor noted as being too costly to compile. The book makes an effort to include a diversity of perspectives in IR, reflecting the theoretical and empirical diversity that the field is striving toward. Summary: "An engaging introduction to the core concepts, theories, actors and issues in global politics. Levels of Analysis Carmen Gebhard A couple of the chapters, however, appear to assume some prior subject knowledge on the part of the reader; while written clearly, the narratives in these chapters may not be as simple as a basic text would demand. See More Copyright Year: 2022 E-Book (PDF) Availability: Published ISBN: 978-90-04-47050-7 Released online: Obviously, I am excited about using this book to teach my class in International Relations. The organization is logical and given the modularity of the text, instructors who adopt the book could easily change the order if needed for their purposes. However, there is no index or glossary. Chapters function effectively either as stand-alone treatments of their topics or as complements with other chapters. This seems like an inappropriate stance, as many beginners may be studying IR precisely to better understand such words. You are on the United States site. Because the chapters can each stand alone, I think it's a great resource for instructors to be able to assign one or a few chapters to supplement other materials in the course. Transnational Terrorism Katherine E. Brown Overall, well done, but not much freedom to use a chapter here or there or rearrange chapters to fit the desired flow of the course. Reviewed by Elissa Alzate, Associate Professor, Winona State University on 6/19/18, The first section of the book, "The Basics," did not cover the basics in as much detail as I would have liked to see. 11. International Law Knut Traisbach As this book is published by Bloomsbury, we are unable to offer a full free-to-download version but we have made available an earlier version of the book. Power and Foreign Policy in International Relations: O.P. It's easy to read, however. However we have made available a full chapter excerpt via the free PDF download button (above). Some topics, however, are dispersed throughout various chapters and could benefit from being looked at in a single section/chapter. Managing Global Security Beyond Pax Americana'. On this, it does relatively well. Most, but not all, chapters are designed to first briefly introduce the topic or concept, followed by illustrative cases to help the readers comprehension. It begins with some history, quickly moves to theory, and then surveys issues. Moving away from a purely European perspective, students will gain an understanding of traditional ideas about International Organisation, whilst also appreciating how issues such as COVID and food security are truly international in scope. The writing is clear and concise. An engaging introduction to the core concepts, theories, actors and issues in global politics. Choose your preferred format. You are on the United Kingdom site. There are many topics that I don't typically cover in an Intro to IR course but that I could see being interesting to students (e.g. However, compared to other introduction to International Relations textbooks, the treatment of conflict and explanations of war is not as comprehensive as I would need for an Introduction to IR course. McGlinchy has organized the chapter contributions in a sensible and accessible manner that succeeds in covering all of the major subjects and themes of the discipline. 13. Let's face it, though-- who has time for that? Each chapter sets out the basics of a theory whilst also applying it to a real-world event or issue, creating a lively, readable and relevant guide that will help students to see not only what theories are - but why they matter. It can be easily adopted as an Intro IR textbook in any English-speaking college/university in the world. The chapter also contends with the laws of peace, and international humanitarian law, including the related laws of war. Part One provides excellent, succinct overviews of the fundamentals, or basics, of the field, while Part Two delves into specific global issues of contemporary importance. The text builds on foundational case studies and then applies this knowledge to the contemporary period. Many chapters could be combined for a more streamlined presentation. My sense is that this omission emerges from its European perspective. read more. Towards Global International Relations - Sahil Mathur and Amitav Acharya 5. No index but you can search as it is available electronically. He is a former Director at the World Health Organization and the United Nations. The book is presented as a beginner's guide to International Relations and in this way is comprehensive in its presentation of basic issues relevant to the subject. The book is accurate and error-free. There is one chapter about "culture and religion" (which, first of all, each deserve there own attention) which tells us nothing about how cultural diversity impacts international relations. Each chapter should really end with its own list of sources cited, rather than having one long references section at the end of the book. For my purposes, the book is probably about 4.75/5 stars- as good or better than many existing textbooks, and close enough to the best textbooks to justify the switch given my desire to adopt open access educational resources. Paperback. Featuring a combination of chapters authored by leading scholars, researchers and practitioners from around the world, this textbook takes into account the historical development of international relations and the web of dynamics that forms the subject, resulting in a clear analysis of the field from a variety of perspectives. Zo Jay, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of Tasmania, Australia. The examples are cross-cultural in scope and the the text is culturally sensitive in treatment of its topics. For example, chapter 2 was really the first substantive chapter in the work, and it was on diplomacy. Jessica Neafie, Assistant Professor of International Relations, Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. This course provides a broad introduction to the study of international relations. Why should we not be asking them to understand challenging terms? While the chapters generally avoid jargon, the terms used reflect the scholarly language of the field. Stephen Hill, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh, UK, Registered Office: 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP. It is truly attentive to the multiplicity of (state and non-state) actors in global politics, as well as non-Western approaches. It covers the UN system, legal treaties, intergovernmental and the global organizations that since the Second World War have provided for the international legal regime we now enjoy. I would also like to have seen each chapter end with a brief Further Reading list for students interested in the topic of the chapter, particularly since the main chapters in the first section are quite short. In addition, the textbook does not talk about dictatorship and human rights violations, and the global response. The textbook does not provide and index or glossary, This is an important and fruitful area of debate but the chapter does not go into it and there is not enough theory in the book for students to recognize and make sense of it.

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