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International Society, Global Polity
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International Society, Global Polity
An Introduction to International Political Theory

  • Chris Brown - London School of Economics & Political Science, UK


February 2015 | 256 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

This book provides an overview of the current state of the art in International Political Theory (IPT). It offers a coherent account of the field of IPT, placing both traditional and modern work in a clear and logical framework.

The text moves from conventional accounts of the society of states to non-state-centric understandings of global politics. The first part covers international law, war, human rights and humanitarianism. The second part looks at the new human rights regime, the responsibility to protect, the ethics of war and global justice.

Each chapter includes annotated reading lists, highlighting directions you can take to further your reading.

International Society, Global Polity is perfect for students taking courses on International Political Theory, International Theory, Global Ethics and Global Justice.




 
Introduction to the Study of International Political Theory
 
PART ONE: INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY
 
International Society and International Law
 
War as an Institution of International Society
 
Human Rights, Humanitarianism and the Society of States
 
Challenges to the Society of States
 
PART TWO: THE EMERGING GLOBAL POLITY
 
The New Human Rights Regime
 
Intervention: The 1990s Learning Curve
 
The Responsibility to Protect
 
The Ethics of War and Violence in a Post-Westphalian Age
 
Global Justice
 
CONCLUSION
 
The Return of Realism in Theory and Practice

Chris Brown brings a wealth of experience and insight to understanding the unsettled surface of modern international relations. The connecting threads of the enterprise are the propositions that we are in transition from making the world intelligible in terms of the idea of the world as an international society, and alternatively as a global polity. The second proposition is that international political theory is applied political philosophy. What this means is that the book is driven by a strong argument which demonstrates the implications of viewing the world from the different perspectives, and a firm grounding in empirical international politics to keep theory securely anchored to the questions that animate the theory and practice of the discipline.

David Boucher
Professor of Political Philosophy and International Relations, Cardiff University

Very useful introduction to IPT for students without prior knowledge

Dr Par Engstrom
Institute of the Americas, University College London
October 29, 2015

This is a very helpful text for those students accessing this interdisciplinary course who have not previously studied international relations

Professor DONNA PANKHURST
Department of Peace Studies, Bradford University
August 4, 2015

Too theoretically driven, which does not exactly match the more empirical focus of the module.

Dr Tobias Bohmelt
Departmemt of Government, Essex University
March 16, 2015

The book touches upon the key challenges for pursuing a more just international society. It is written in a clear fashion and makes reading of very complex problems extremely inspiring. The theoretical arguments are well grounded on both historical and up-to-date empirical evidence. It offers arguments with relevant foreign policy implications.

Dr Alexandra Dias
Political Studies, New University of Lisbon
March 4, 2015

Used by some students, however they considered the book a heavy reading next to other class assignments. Therefore I have decided to recommend the book in the course manual, but not mandatory reading

Mrs Maria Garcia Alvarez
Communication and Media, Windesheim Honours College
March 4, 2015

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