Students love good stories. That is why case studies are such a powerful way to engage students while teaching them about concepts fundamental to the study of international relations. Cases in International Relations helps students understand the context of headline events in the international arena. Organized into three main parts—military, economic, and human security—the book’s fifteen cases examine enduring and emerging issues from the longstanding Arab-Israeli conflict to the rapidly changing field of cyber-security. Compatible with a variety of theoretical perspectives, the cases consider a dispute’s origins, issue development, and resolution so that readers see the underlying dynamics of state behavior and can try their hand at applying theory.
- Case Summary boxes at the start of each chapter provide a useful jumping off point: a snapshot of the key issues at play, the global context in which the dispute occurs, key actors and their motives, and relevant IR concepts.
- A Timeline in every chapter allows students to note, at-a-glance, a case’s major developments in an issue’s escalation and resolution.
- Concept Focus boxes discuss a germane concept or set of concepts that help students analyze the case at hand.
- Spotlight boxes highlight an aspect or moment in a dispute’s pathway to conflict and cooperation, bringing added depth to the case.
- Chapter-ending Case Analysis questions direct students’ attention to the factors involved in decision-making.
- Annotated Suggested Readings and Web Resources point students toward more information.
Table of Contents
1. Pathways to Conflict and Cooperation
PART I: MILITARY SECURITY
2. Who Will Control the South China Sea?
3. Interstate War with Iraq
4. The Cyclical Arab-Israeli Conflict
5. Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions
6. Responding to Terrorism after 9/11
7. The Uncertain Battleground of Cyber Security
PART II: ECONOMIC SECURITY
8. Organizing World Trade
9. The World Food Council: Ending World Hunger
10. Global Monetary Policy in Crisis
11. Uniting Europe through a Common Currency
PART III: HUMAN SECURITY
12. Humanitarian Relief after the Haitian Earthquake
13. Libya’s Uprising and the Responsibility to Protect
14. The International Regime Governing the Arctic
15. Immigration Tensions over the U.S.-Mexico Border
16. Social Responsibility and the BP Oil Spill
“I like that the authors discuss cooperation and conflict not in vacuums, but as nuanced situations. Too many textbooks simplify these concepts, and it is refreshing to see an introductory textbook treat these complicated matters with a clear approach to understanding the complexity.” - Jessica Philipp, University of Phoenix
“Conflict and cooperation need to be studied together. Cases in International Relations: Pathways to Conflict and Cooperation
is well-organized, interesting, and detailed. Its organizing framework shows that even non-traditional areas have implications for the security and safety of states and individuals.” - Michael Kanner, University of Colorado
"Cases in International Relations: Pathways to Conflict and Cooperation
is a dynamic and important text for international relations courses. It incorporates the range of approaches to international relations in an effective and meaningful manner, with timely and diverse case studies that allow students to identify patterns and trends in world affairs. The broad spectrum of conflict and cooperation is presented in a way that guides students through a careful analysis of the causes, results, and potential courses of action within each event or issue, encouraging applied and critical thinking." - Tom Lansford, The University of Southern Mississippi, Gulf Coast
Glenn Hastedt, James Madison UniversityGlenn Hastedt
holds a Ph.D. in political science from Indiana University. Formerly the chair of the political science department at James Madison University, he is now professor and chair of the justice studies department. He is the author of American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, Future, 9th edition
(2011) and editor of American Foreign Policy Annual Edition
(2013). He edited Controlling Intelligence
(1991) and co-edited Intelligence Analysis and Assessment
(1996). Hastedt has also authored articles on in intelligence in Intelligence and National Security, Defense Intelligence Journal, International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence
, as well as chapters in edited volumes on intelligence.
Vaughn P. Shannon, Wright State UniversityVaughn P. Shannon
is associate professor of political science at Wright State University, where he specializes in international security, foreign policy analysis, and Middle East politics. His research has been published in numerous journals, including International Organization, International Studies Quarterly, European Journal of International Research, Security Studies
, and Foreign Policy Analysis
. Most recently he is co-editor of Psychology, Constructivism, and International Relations: An Ideational Alliance
Donna L. Lybecker, Idaho State UniversityDonna L. Lybecker
is associate professor in the department of political science at Idaho State University, where she specializes in environmental politics and international relations. Her research activities focus on the western United States, the North American borders, and Latin America. Recent publications include articles in Environmental Politics, International Journal of Sustainable Society,
and Politics and Policy
Features: Graphics from the Book and Case Notes
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