Take a look inside the second edition!

Praise for Perspectives on International Relations

"In a crowded field, Henry Nau's textbook stands out..."
Peter J. Katzenstein, Cornell University

"...a lucid, multidimensional introduction to the intriguing ambiguities of world politics"
Robert O. Keohane, Princeton University

"...an outstanding textbook"
John J. Mearsheimer, University of Chicago

Lauded for its outstanding balance of accessibility and substance, Henry Nau’s Perspectives on International Relations lays a real foundation for further study in IR while delivering the critical thinking skills students need to grasp the events unfolding on the world stage. Adopters consistently report that the book’s even-handed application of three major viewpoints—realism, liberalism, and constructivism—is a singularly effective and engaging tool for getting students to understand how the seemingly abstract theories of IR make sense of global events and issues.

While maintaining its brevity and focus, the second edition’s revision features the latest in world affairs, advancements in the scholarship, and refined pedagogical features throughout.

New to this edition, in response to user reviews:

• Expanded coverage of Marxism, feminism, soft power, and other perspectives throughout the book and also in “Critical Theories” sections in each chapter;
• Expanded coverage of key issues in IR: terrorism, ethnic conflict, foreign policy, civil society, global governance, the democratic peace, environmental issues, NGOs, and human security;
• New “Spotlight” feature highlights the coverage of key ideas and concepts—e.g., alliances, balance of power, anarchy—so that students digest this information more readily;
• A new, friendlier interior design, including more learning tools, such as a marginal glossary, maps, photos, tables, and figures.

The book is still among the most affordable on the market with a suggested retail price of less than $55.

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES:

• MORE photos, with meaty and analytical captions, giving students a visual entrée into the perspectives.
• NEW “Thinking About…” chapter opener feature outlines each chapter’s organizational logic and identifies key arguments.
• UPDATED Using the Perspectives to Read Between the Lines boxes showcase the words and statements of politicians, pundits, and scholars on current world events. Nau shows students exactly how the three perspectives play a role in contemporary debates.
• REVISED Parallel Timelines show how realist, liberal, and identity perspectives emphasize different events, from the origins of WWI to the end of the Cold War, thus illuminating how the perspectives—in relation to one another—alternately view cause-and-effect relationships.
• MORE Perspectives and Levels of Analysis tables help students keep track of the ways that each perspective interprets events from the individual, domestic, and systemic levels of analysis.
• NEW “Spotlight” feature helps students locate and define core IR concepts across the book.
• NEW Marginal glossary helps students define concepts at a glance.

Introduction. Why We Disagree About International Relations
The Role of Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
Understanding the 9/11 Attacks
Weak vs. Strong
Failed Negotiations
Democratic Reform of Governments
Pervasive Violence
More Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
The Role of Methods
Rationalist vs. Constructivist
Sovereignty as Consequence or Construction
Correlation, Causation, and Process Tracing
Counterfactual Reasoning
Is One Perspective or Method Best?
The Role of Judgment
The Role of Ethics and Morality
Relativist Values
Universal Values
Pragmatic Values
Moral Choice
The Role of History
Summary

1. How to Think About International Relations: Perspectives and Levels of Analysis
Prisoner’s Dilemma
How the Realist Perspective Sees the Situation of the Prisoner’s Dilemma
How the Liberal Perspective Sees the Situation of the Prisoner’s Dilemma
How the Identity Perspective Sees the Situation of the Prisoner’s Dilemma
The Realist Perspective
Anarchy and Self-Help
State Actors
Power
Security Dilemma
Balance of Power
Polarity and Alliances
War
The Liberal Perspective
Reciprocity and Interdependence
Technological Change and Modernization: Civil Society and Human Security
How the Liberal and Realist Perspectives View Change: Nuclear Weapons
International Institutions, Law, and Path Dependence
Collective Goods: Collective Security, Trade, and Environment
Diplomacy, Compromise, and Legitimacy
Separating Democracy from the Liberal Perspective
The Identity Perspective
Ideas and the Construction of Identities
Social Constructivism
Anarchy Is What We Make of It
Relative Identities
Distribution of Identities
Democratic Peace
Other Identity Approaches
Critical Theories
Levels of Analysis
Systemic Level of Analysis
Domestic Level of Analysis
Individual Level of Analysis
Foreign Policy Level of Analysis
Interaction of Perspectives and Levels of Analysis: Causal Arrows
Revisiting Statements About World War I
Summary: Relevance in the Real World

PART I: International Conflict and War

2. Perspectives on World History
The Realist View of World History
Age of Empires
Age of Equilibrium
Emphasizing Power over Institutions and Ideas
Liberal Accounts of World History
From Villages to States
From Anarchy to Legitimacy
From Modernization to Institutions
Identity Views of World History
Religion and Pope Innocent III
French Culture and Richelieu
England and Domestic Ideologies
Identity and Westphalia
Norms and the Concert of Europe
International Law and Liberal Constitutionalism
Bismarck and German Identity
Critical Theory
Feminist Views of State Construction
Marxist Critique of Industrialization
World Systems Theory
Summary

3. World War I: World on Fire
Europe in 1914
Realist Explanations
The Rise of German Power
Power Balancing--Triple Entente and Triple Alliance
Rigid Alliances and Preemptive War
Future Balances and Preventive War
Power Transition and Hegemonic Decline
Cartelized Domestic Politics and German Aggression
Liberal Explanations
Secret Diplomacy—Bismarck
Clumsy Diplomacy--Wilhelm II
Misperceptions and Mobilization Plans
The Last Move
Weak Domestic Institutions
Insufficient Interdependence: Trade and the Hague Conferences
Identity Explanations
Militant and Racist Nationalism
Liberal Nationalism
Socialist Nationalism
Social Darwinism
Critical Theory
Summary

4. World War II: Why Did War Happen Again?
Causes of Madness
Liberal Solutions to War
Collective Security, Not Balance of Power
League of Nations
Why the League of Nations Failed
Realist Accounts
Versailles Treaty
Rapallo and Locarno
Germany Expands
Another Two-Front War
Japan and the Pacific War
Why Don’t Hegemons Stop?
Role of Misperceptions in Realist Accounts
Identity Matters
Cultural Nationalism
Liberal and Social Democracy
American Exceptionalism
Communist Nationalism
Fascist and Racist Nationalism
Ideological Constructions and Chasms
Critical Theories
Summary

5. The Origins and End of the Cold War
The Long Telegram
Snapshot of Cold War
Realist Explanations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
How the Cold War Started
How the Cold War Expanded
How the Cold War Ended
Identity Explanations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
Soviet Ideology--Marxist-Leninism
American Ideology—Truman Doctrine
Constructing the Cold War
Deconstructing the Cold War
Liberal Interpretations of the Origins and End of the Cold War
United Nations
Truman’s Blundering Diplomacy
NATO and the European Community
Cuban Missile Crisis from a Liberal Perspective
Detente and Helsinki Accords
The Information Revolution and the End of the Cold War
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
Success of Collective Security: The First Persian Gulf War
Demise of Collective Security: Somalia
Oslo Accords Fail in the Middle East
International Regimes: Arms Control, Courts and Development
Legitimacy and Intervention: Bosnia and Kosovo
Realist Interpretations of the World of the 1990s
Power Transition Realists: Unipolarity and Preemption
Power Balancing Realists: Stability and Containment
Counterweights--China, Russia, Japan, and the European Union
Asymmetric Threat and Warfare
Identity Perspectives on the World of the 1990s
Democracy: The End of History
Democracy or Culture?
Clash of Civilizations
Western or Universal?
Critical Theory Perspective: American Empire
Summary

7. Terrorism and the World after 9/11: Religious, Ethnic and National Conflicts
American Unilateralism: A Critique from the Liberal Perspective
Global War on Terror: A Realist Outlook
Differing Judgments About Al Qaeda and WMD
Democracy, Religion or What? An Identity Perspective
Greater Middle East Initiative
Fundamentalist Islam: A New Fanaticism
Divisions Within Islam: Sunnis and Shiites
Today’s Radical Islam
Whither the West and Radical Islam?
Local and Regional Roots of Conflict
Ethnic Conflicts
Realist Solutions--Partition
Liberal Solutions-- Peacekeeping and Reconciliation
Identity Solutions--Nation-Building
Critical Theory Perspective
Iraq--What Is the Solution?
National and Territorial Conflicts
Realist Solutions--Balancing Power
Liberal Solutions--UN Diplomacy and Sanctions
Identity Solutions--Democracy
China-Taiwan Conflict
Israeli-Palestine Conflict
Summary

PART II: Globalization and the World Economy

8. History of Globalization: Mercantilism, Pax Britannica, and Pax Americana
Causes of Globalization
Realist Explanations
Age of Mercantilism and Colonial Expansion
Pax Britannica
Interwar Period
Pax Americana: 1950-1973
Pax Americana: 1970s to Present
Liberal Explanations
Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions
Market Institutions and Laissez-Faire Trade Rules
Bretton Woods Institutions
Globalization Deepens: Spillover from Trade to Finance
Internet and Information Revolution
Complex Interdependence and Financial Crises
Identity Explanations
Rennaissance and the Protestant Ethic
Classical Economic Liberalism
Economic Nationalism and Marxism
Keynesian Economics and the Chicago School
Economic Battleground of the 1980s
Washington Consensus
Economic Nationalism Survives
Summary

9. How Globalization Works in Practice
Everyday Globalization
How Globalization Works from the Different Perspectives
Domestic and Foreign Economic Policies
Balance of Payments
Exchange Rate Policy
Trade Policy
Policies Toward Foreign Direct Investment and Portfolio Capital
Policies Toward People Flows
Macroeconomic Policies
Microeconomic Policies
Domestic Governance
Mainstream and Critical Theory Perspectives
Summary

10. Trade, Investment, and Finance: Engines of Growth
How the Perspectives View Trade, Investment, and Finance
Trade
Specialization and the Division of Labor
Comparative Advantage
Trade and Jobs
Trade Negotiations
Regional Trade
Investment
Resource-Based Foreign Investments
Manufacturing Foreign Investments
Service-Sector Foreign Investments
Are Multinational Corporations too Big?
Finance
Perspectives on the New Global Markets
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?
Stable Governments and Unstable Region
Sound Economic Policies
Export-Led Development
Limits to Export-Led Growth
Cultural and Social Cohesion
Latin America--A Lost Decade?
Unstable Governments and Stable Region
Import Substitution Policies
Opening Markets
Stubborn Inequality
Summary

12. Foreign Aid and Domestic Governance: Development in Africa and the Middle East
Perspectives on Development: Resources, Governance, and Democracy
Sub-Saharan Africa
Aid Is Not Enough
Millennium Initiative
A Poor and Divided Continent
Political Reforms
Economic Reforms
Human Development, Especially for Women
Foreign Aid
The Middle East and North Africa
Political Reforms and Regional Peace Settlements
Opening Trade and Investment Markets
Empowering Women in Society
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: Fragmenting and Unifying Issues

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
Population
Resources, Food, Energy, Water, and Biodiversity
Pollution and Global Warming
Pandemics
Critical Theory Perspective
Summary

15. Global Civil Society: Non-State Actors and Basic Human Rights
Global Civil Society and Global Governance
Forms of Global Governance: The Role of Civil Society
Substance of Global Governance: Human Rights
Sovereignty
Transnational Relations
Transnational Nongovernmental Organizations
Economic NGOs
Environmental NGOs
Law and Human Rights NGOs
Basic Human Rights
Evolution of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
UN Human Rights Regime
Human Rights Commission/Council
Convention on Women’s Rights
Rights of the Child
European Human Rights Regime
Other Regional Human Rights Regimes
Enforcing Basic Human Rights
Summary

16. Global Governance: International and Regional Institutions
State
Intergovernmental Organizations
Functional Organizations
Expert or Epistemic Communities
Perspectives on IGOs
United Nations
Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Intervention
Peacekeeping and Terrorism
Economic and Social Council
International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court
UN Reforms
International Economic Institutions
International Monetary Fund
World Bank
World Trade Organization
Regional Organizations
Neofunctionalism
European Union
Asian and Other Regional Institutions
Critical Theory Perspective
Summary

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

"In a crowded field, Henry Nau's textbook stands out in presenting theoretical material in a nuanced and accessible manner while at the same time offering comprehensive coverage of the major issues in world politics. The book succeeds brilliantly in distilling cutting-edge scholarship in a way that is readily accessible to all undergraduates who are exposed to the study of international relations for the first time."

“Henry Nau’s textbook constitutes a milestone in linking international relations theories to empirical questions of war and peace, the world economy, human rights and environmental policies. He systematically uses realism, liberalism and a constructivist identity perspective to shed light on the most pressing issues in world politics. As a result, he succeeds in demonstrating that one cannot study international affairs without theoretical perspectives. At the same time, he also shows that theories are not just philosophical devices, but have to be put to empirical use. To international relations scholars: Just assign the book! To students: Go get it and buy it!”

"Perspectives on International Relations offers students, new to the field, a user-friendly comprehensive survey of international relations. It successfully weaves the major theoretical traditions in IR into an informative narrative about world politics that helps the student grasp links between theory and practice. It offers a broad treatment of a wide range of global issues from war and peace to the workings of the global economy, the environment and human rights. As Henry Nau says, history illuminates many activities we engage in today; rich in world historical detail, this text demonstrates that it is vital to know about the past in order to understand our contemporary problems."

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.

NAU.CQPRESS.COM

Created specifically for this text, students will find a host study aids:

• Study: Brief, clear chapter summaries boil down core ideas and themes. Review questions help students identify areas for further study. Response boxes allow students to email answers to their instructors for credit or grades.
• Quiz: An average of twenty multiple choice and true/false questions per chapter test on factual and conceptual material. Automatically graded, these quizzes help students test their mastery of major concepts, prepare for exams, and report their quiz results to instructors.
• Flashcards: Handy online cards, viewable by definition or by term; students can also mark cards to go back to study, as well as shuffle and reset.
• Explore: Annotated web links help students locate materials for further research and reading.
• Exercises: Modeled after the “Using the Perspectives” boxes from the book, students try their hand at analyzing and evaluating real world documents. Response boxes allow students to email answers to instructors.

INSTRUCTOR’S RESOURCES AVAILABLE ONLINE

Quality classroom-ready materials available free to adopters, complete with:

• Test Bank of more than 700 multiple choice, short answer, and long essay questions available with Respondus test generation software. Customize your exams, scramble and create different versions, and offer print or online tests (compatible with Blackboard, WebCT, and eCollege).
• Over 170 PowerPoint Lecture Slides specially tailored to the text carefully highlight the book’s core concepts and include additional material for enhancing lectures and discussion.
• “Clicker” Slides. For those instructors who use student response systems, a set of additional slides help track participation, gauge comprehension, and instantly poll student opinion.
• Instructor’s Manual with clear chapter summaries, talking points and questions for discussions and lectures, and sample syllabi.