Even in the best of times, political debate about world events is rife with polarizing disagreement. In an increasingly wired world, how can we help students separate fact from opinion, to parse arguments and apply reasoned analysis? With its even-handed presentation of realism, liberalism, constructivism, and critical theory and comprehensive coverage of all of the major concepts in IR, Perspectives on International Relations gives students the set of analytical tools they need to become effective readers and thinkers about the world’s most urgent issues.

Making sense of today’s world events means being able to read beyond the headlines.

Perspectives on International Relations combines comprehensive coverage with class-tested, fully integrated critical thinking pedagogy to teach students how to “read between the lines.”

These are features your students won’t skip—they’re too useful and engaging:

• “Using the Perspectives to Read Between the Lines” boxes model critical reading, showing students how to identify and think through the viewpoints playing out in contemporary debates;
• “Perspectives and Levels of Analysis” tables help students track the ways each perspective interprets events from the individual, domestic, and systemic levels;
• “Parallel Timelines” exhibit how the perspectives preference different events, from the origins of WWI to the current era;
• “Spotlight” icons highlight when key concepts in IR (e.g., alliances, anarchy, balance of power) are at work in historical or contemporary cases;
• “Causal Arrow” icons point to when a perspective is emphasized over others in explaining the cause of an event; and
• A marginal glossary defines every key term in the book.

What’s New?

The book’s distinctive approach has been sharpened, with refined discussion of the major viewpoints in IR. Chapters have been streamlined so that key points are crystal clear. Every chapter has been fully updated and features the latest in world affairs and advancements in scholarship with:

• coverage of the global financial crisis, explaining in straightforward terms the operation of global debt, derivatives, and currency markets, as well as the interconnection of domestic, trade, and investment policies;
• closer examination of new dynamics in ethnic conflict and terrorism;
• a look at the contrast between the foreign policy orientations of the George W. Bush and Obama administrations;
• discussion of the debate surrounding the Millennium Development Goals and the latest findings related to global governance, climate change, and population movements;
• deeper analysis of international institutional changes, such as the G-20 summits and the redistribution of voting rights in international economic institutions; and
• new insights on human rights, including women’s rights in Muslim countries and the growing role of NGOs in holding repressive regimes accountable.

What Remains the Same?

The book’s value price. With a suggested retail price of $83, Nau costs your students $20 to $80 less than the leading competitors—without skimping on coverage, currency, content, or ancillaries.

Every chapter has been fully updated and features the latest in world affairs and advancements in scholarship with:

• coverage of the global financial crisis, explaining in straightforward terms the operation of global debt, derivatives, and currency markets, as well as the interconnection of domestic, trade, and investment policies;
• closer examination of new dynamics in ethnic conflict and terrorism;
• a look at the contrast between the foreign policy orientations of the George W. Bush and Obama administrations;
• discussion of the debate surrounding the Millennium Development Goals and the latest findings related to global governance, climate change, and population movements;
• deeper analysis of international institutional changes, such as the G-20 summits and the redistribution of voting rights in international economic institutions; and
• new insights on human rights, including women’s rights in Muslim countries and the growing role of NGOs in holding repressive regimes accountable.

CQ Press is pleased to comply with the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Please email heoacompliance@cqpress.com for additional information that may be available. Be sure to include your name, contact information, academic affiliation, and the title, author, and edition of the book in question.

Contact us at collegesales@cqpress.com if we may assist you in your book selection or if you have feedback to share. Thank you for your consideration of CQ Press books.

Introduction - Why We Disagree About International Relations
The Role of Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
Understanding the 9/11 Attacks
More Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
The Role of Methods
Is One Perspective or Method Best?
The Role of Judgment
The Role of Ethics and Morality
The Role of History
Summary

1. How to Think About International Relations - Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
Prisoner’s Dilemma
The Realist Perspective
The Liberal Perspective
The Identity Perspective
Critical Theory Perspectives
Levels of Analysis
Interaction of Perspectives and Levels of Analysis: Casual Arrows
Revisiting Statements About World War I
Summary: Relevance in the Real World

Part I: Internal Conflict and War

2. Perspectives on World History - Change and Continuity
The Realist View of World History
Liberal Accounts of World History
Identity Views of World History
Critical Theory Views of World History
Summary

3. World War I - World on Fire
Europe in 1914
Realist Explanations
Liberal Explanations
Identity Explanations
Critical Theory Explanations
Summary

4. World War II - Why Did War Happen Again?
Causes of Madness
Liberal Accounts
Realist Accounts
Identity Matters
Critical Theory Perspective
Summary

5. The Origins and End of the Cold War
The Long Telegram
Snapshot of the Cold War
Realist Explanations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
Identity Explanations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
Liberal Explanations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
Critical Theory Perspective
Summary

6. From 11/9 to 9/11 - The World of the 1990s
From 11/9 to 9/11
Liberal Accounts of the World of the 1990s
Realist Interpretations of the World of the 1990s
Identity Perspectives on the World of the 1990s
Critical theory Perspective: American Empire
Summary

7. Terrorism and the World after 9/11 - Global and Local Conflicts
The Liberal Perspective on Global Terrorism and Local Conflict
The Realist Perspective on Global Terrorism and Local Conflict
The Identity Perspective on Global Terrorism and Local Conflict 
The Critical Theory Perspective on Terrorism and Local Conflict
Summary

Part II: Globalization and the World Economy

8. History of Globalization - Mercantilism, Pax Britannica, and Pax Americana
Causes of Globalization
Realist Explanations
Liberal Explanations
Identity Explanations
Summary

9. How Globalization Works in Practice
Everyday Globalization
How Globalization Works from the Different Perspectives
Domestic and Foreign Economic Policies
Mainstream and Critical Theory Perspectives
Summary

10. Trade, Investment, and Finance - Engines of Growth
How the Perspectives View Trade, Investment, and Finance Trade
Investment
Finance
Summary

11. Miracle and Missed Opportunity - Development in Asia and Latin America
What is Development?
How the Perspectives View Development
Measuring Development and Inequality
Asia - The Development Miracle?
Latin America – A Lost Decade?
Summary

12. Foreign Aid and Domestic Governance - Development in Africa and the Middle East
Perspectives on Development: Resources, Governance, and Democracy
Sub-Saharan Africa
The Middle East and North Africa
Summary

13. Global Inequality, Imperialism, and Injustice - A Critical Theory Perspective
Mainstream Perspectives
A Critical Theory Perspective
Colonialism and Imperialism
Dependency
World Systems
Multinational Corporations and Exploitation of Labor
Marginalized Minorities: Global Injustice
Persisting Global Inequality
Summary

Part III: Global Forces for Change

14. World Environment - Population, Pollution, and Pandemics
Identity View - Environment as Globalist Ideas
Liberal View - Environment as a Common Task
Realist View – Environment as a Resource
Critical Theory Perspective – Environment as System Failure
Population
Resources – Food, Energy, Water, and Biodiversity
Pollution and Global Warming
Pandemics
Summary

15. Global Civil Society - Nonstate Actors and Human Rights
Global Governance
Transnational Nongovernmental Organizations
Humanitarian Intervention
Evolution of Human Rights
United Nations Human Rights Regime
European Human Rights Regime
Other Regional Human Rights Regimes
Summary

16. Global Governance - International and Regional Institutions
State
Intergovernmental Organizations
United Nations
International Economic Institutions
Regional Organizations
Summary

Conclusion - Applying Perspectives and Levels of Analysis: The Case of the Democratic Peace
Evidence
Explanations
Summary
Coda

The main contribution of the book is to articulate a solid and logical sequence of methods, theories and history, giving students insight into the economic and political challenges arising from globalization. Students find in this book the instruments to link the world of political ideas to sets of facts in international relations. Professors are reminded of their perennial scholarly duty to teach students how to assess competing worldviews to explain every aspect of international relations. In sum, this is one of the most comprehensive textbooks in our field.

Striking just the right balance in content and readership level, Professor Nau’s Perspectives on International Relations has been well received in both my graduate and undergraduate seminars. The extensive application of classical and contemporary international relations theories to key global issues, core concepts and methodological problems has furthered students’ understanding and appreciation of the complexities of international relations. Moreover, Nau’s text has served as an indispensable review for my graduate students preparing for comprehensive exams in the field.

World politics is an exceedingly complex subject, and the myriad ways scholars study and teach it make it seem still more complex. More than most textbooks, Henry Nau's helps students by imposing some order on this complexity. The seriousness with which Nau takes history; his clear treatment of political economy as well as of international security; and above all his applications of three major schools of thought - realism, liberalism, and constructivism - make this a superb introduction.

I have used this textbook on several occasions and find it admirably suited to the needs of an introductory class in international relations. Its coverage is comprehensive and balanced, including a range of theoretical perspectives with a welcome combination of conceptual and substantive material. It relates theory to the daily practice of international politics and is written in a clear and engaging manner.

Henry R. Nau has taught political science and served in government for more than thirty years. He is currently Professor of Political Science and International Affairs in the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University, specializing in international relations and U.S. foreign policy.

From 1981 to 1983, he served on the National Security Council as senior director responsible for international economic affairs. He also served, between 1975 and 1977, as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs in the Department of State. In 1977 he received the State Department's Superior Honor Award.

His books include At Home Abroad: Identity and Power in American Foreign Policy; Trade and Security: U.S. Policies at Cross-Purposes; The Myth of America's Decline: Leading the World Economy into the 1990s; and National Politics and International Technology: Nuclear Reactor Developments in Western Europe.

Click here for more on Henry Nau.

Instructor’s Resources

Include a test bank, PowerPoint lecture slides, an instructor’s manual, and all of the text’s graphics.

nau.cqpress.com

A rich companion website features chapter overviews, quizzes, flashcards, annotated web links, and exercises.