International Relations: Perspectives and Controversies

Book excerpt: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: PERSPECTIVES AND CONTROVERSIES, 3rd Edition helps students think systematically and critically about international affairs. Taking an innovative approach to IR, the text delivers brief, topical coverage with a debate framework. In addition, primary source readings throughout the book truly bring IR issues to life. Practical, relevant, and completely up to date, each chapter covers an important debate in the field, examining how political actors or thinkers explain and defend their different opinions. This format enables students to understand key IR issues as dynamic struggles over resources and power. Chapters are structured into four parts. The first part provides a historical overview of the issue, its origins, evolution, and current status. The middle two sections map out the opposing 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. By presenting a variety of viewpoints, the text highlights meaningful distinctions among differing political positions, giving students invaluable insight into headlines from today and yesterday as well as those of tomorrow. Important Notice: Media content referenced within the product description or the product text may not be available in the ebook version.