This book frames the contentious political disputes surrounding Taiwan within the perspective of neorealist political theory. Analyzing the motives and relative importance that the actors involved bring to bear, Dr. Sang offers a timely intervention and a much-needed reality check on the role that Taiwan plays in structuring US-China-Japan trilateral relations—an issue that will dominate the years to come. This book will be of value to scholars, policymakers, and all those concerned with the future of Taiwan.

Increasingly scholars of international relations are rallying around the idea that "domestic politics matters." Few, however, have articulated precisely how or why it matters. In this significant book, Helen Milner lays out the first fully developed theory of domestic politics, showing exactly how domestic politics affects international outcomes. In developing this rational-choice theory, Milner argues that any explanation that treats states as unitary actors is ultimately misleading. She describes all states as polyarchic, where decision-making power is shared between two or more actors (such as a legislature and an executive). Milner constructs a new model based on two-level game theory, reflecting the political activity at both the domestic and international levels. She illustrates this model by taking up the critical question of cooperation among nations. Milner examines the central factors that influence the strategic game of domestic politics. She shows that it is the outcome of this internal game--not fears of other countries' relative gains or the likelihood of cheating--that ultimately shapes how the international game is played out and therefore the extent of cooperative endeavors. The interaction of the domestic actors' preferences, given their political institutions and levels of information, defines when international cooperation is possible and what its terms will be. Several test cases examine how this argument explains the phases of a cooperative attempt: the initiation, the negotiations at the international level, and the eventual domestic ratification. The book reaches the surprising conclusion that theorists--neo-Institutionalists and Realists alike--have overestimated the likelihood of cooperation among states.

Explore global politics with "Realism in International Relations," an essential read for understanding the theories shaping our world. This book offers a thorough examination of Realism, a foundational Political Science theory that delves into power dynamics, state behavior, and strategic interactions. Ideal for students, professionals, and enthusiasts, it provides valuable knowledge that is both profound and practical. Chapter Highlights: 1. Realism - Introduces core Realist principles, focusing on power politics and state self-interest in an anarchic system. 2. Neorealism - Expands on Realism by emphasizing structural constraints and their impact on state behavior. 3. Kenneth Waltz - Discusses Waltz’s transformative contributions to Neorealism. 4. Security Dilemma - Analyzes how state actions to enhance security can escalate tensions and arms races. 5. Offensive Realism - Explains this variant's view of states as inherently aggressive and power-maximizing. 6. Robert Gilpin - Reviews Gilpin’s insights into the intersection of economic and political factors in Realism. 7. Anarchy - Examines the absence of central authority and its effect on state behavior. 8. Defensive Realism - Looks at how states seek security and stability rather than dominance. 9. Theory of International Politics - Delves into key Realist principles and their implications. 10. Neoclassical Realism - Incorporates internal factors like state leadership into Realist theory. 11. International Relations - Provides context for Realist perspectives within the broader field. 12. International Relations Theory - Reviews various theories, highlighting Realism’s place in the theoretical landscape. 13. National Interest - Analyzes the role of national interest in shaping state behavior and policy. 14. Regime Theory - Explores how international regimes and institutions intersect with Realism. 15. International Security - Addresses issues of war, peace, and strategy through a Realist lens. 16. Constructivism - Contrasts Realism with Constructivism, focusing on ideas and identities. 17. Balance of Power - Examines how states prevent dominance within the international system. 18. English School - Offers a perspective on international order that complements Realism. 19. Randall Schweller - Highlights Schweller’s contributions to understanding state behavior and stability. 20. Liberal Institutionalism - Compares Realism with Liberal Institutionalism, which emphasizes international cooperation. 21. Classical Realism - Revisits the foundational theory focusing on human nature and power dynamics. By immersing yourself in "Realism in International Relations," you'll gain deep insights into the theories that drive global politics and strategic decisions, offering valuable perspectives beyond the book's cost.

In this much-anticipated revision of their unique text, the editors bring together fifteen top scholars to highlight the importance of both internal and external forces in foreign policymaking.

Amoral, cunning, ruthless, and instructive, this multi-million-copy New York Times bestseller is the definitive manual for anyone interested in gaining, observing, or defending against ultimate control – from the author of The Laws of Human Nature. In the book that People magazine proclaimed “beguiling” and “fascinating,” Robert Greene and Joost Elffers have distilled three thousand years of the history of power into 48 essential laws by drawing from the philosophies of Machiavelli, Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz and also from the lives of figures ranging from Henry Kissinger to P.T. Barnum. Some laws teach the need for prudence (“Law 1: Never Outshine the Master”), others teach the value of confidence (“Law 28: Enter Action with Boldness”), and many recommend absolute self-preservation (“Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally”). Every law, though, has one thing in common: an interest in total domination. In a bold and arresting two-color package, The 48 Laws of Power is ideal whether your aim is conquest, self-defense, or simply to understand the rules of the game.

The second half of the 20th century featured a strategic competition between the United States and the Soviet Union. That competition avoided World War III in part because during the 1950s, scholars like Henry Kissinger, Thomas Schelling, Herman Kahn, and Albert Wohlstetter analyzed the fundamental nature of nuclear deterrence. Decades of arms control negotiations reinforced these early notions of stability and created a mutual understanding that allowed U.S.-Soviet competition to proceed without armed conflict. The first half of the 21st century will be dominated by the relationship between the United States and China. That relationship is likely to contain elements of both cooperation and competition. Territorial disputes such as those over Taiwan and the South China Sea will be an important feature of this competition, but both are traditional disputes, and traditional solutions suggest themselves. A more difficult set of issues relates to U.S.-Chinese competition and cooperation in three domains in which real strategic harm can be inflicted in the current era: nuclear, space, and cyber. Just as a clearer understanding of the fundamental principles of nuclear deterrence maintained adequate stability during the Cold War, a clearer understanding of the characteristics of these three domains can provide the underpinnings of strategic stability between the United States and China in the decades ahead. That is what this book is about.

This book focuses on the non-military military means through which states intervene to balance the economic and military power of other states. Also available as Open Access.