We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Find out more

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

Print Price: $73.99

Format:
Paperback
408 pp.
189 mm x 246 mm

ISBN-13:
9780198814443

Copyright Year:
2021

Imprint: OUP UK


International Relations Theories

Fifth Edition

Edited by Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki and Steve Smith

Unrivalled coverage of IR theories from leading experts whose case studies show readers how theory can be applied to address concrete political problems.

Bringing together the most influential scholars in the field, the fifth edition of this best-selling text provides unrivalled coverage of international relations theories and arguments.

Dunne, Kurki and Smith explore the full spectrum of theoretical perspectives and debates, ranging from the historically dominant traditions of realism, liberalism and Marxism to traditionally marginalised postcolonialism and green theory. The fifth edition features a new chapter on global IR, encouraging students to critically reflect on the context of the field's development and appreciate the importance of viewing international relations theories from truly representative perspectives.

Each chapter is dedicated to a particular theory and features a case study that bridges theory and practice by showing how theory can be used to explain real world political dilemmas, whilst accompanying case study questions encourage analytical thinking and help readers understand the value of applying theory to concrete political problems.

Spotlights on key books and articles encourage readers to go beyond the textbook and develop their research interests, exploring important works in the field.

Readership : Undergraduate politics and international relations students taking a module in international relations theory.

1. Steve Smith: Introduction: Diversity and Disciplinarity in International Relations Theory
2. Colin Wight and Milja Kurki: International Relations and Social Science
3. Richard Ned Lebow: Classical Realism
4. John J. Mearsheimer: Structural Realism
5. Bruce Russett: Liberalism
6. Jennifer Sterling-Folker: Neoliberalism
7. Tim Dunne: The English School
8. Mark Rupert: Marxism
9. Steven Roach: Critical Theory
10. Karin Fierke: Constructivism
11. Ann Tickner and Laura Sjoberg: Feminism
12. Roland Bleiker and David Campbell: Poststructuralism
13. Shampa Biswas: Postcolonialism
14. Toni Erskine: Normative IR Theory
15. Robyn Eckersley: Green Theory
16. Colin Hay: International Relations Theory and Globalization
17. Amitav Acharya: Global International Relations
18. Ole Waever: Still a Discipline After All These Debates?

Instructor's Manual
- PowerPoint slides
Student Study Guide
- Web links
- Flashcard glossary
- Revision guide
- Pointers/help with answering case study questions

Professor Tim Dunne is Pro-Vice Chancellor at The University of Queensland (UQ) and Senior Researcher at the Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect. Previously, he was Executive Dean of Humanities and Social Science at UQ. Prior to moving to Queensland, he was Professor of International Relations and Head of School at the University of Exeter. He began his career at the University of Wales in Aberystwyth after completing doctoral training at the University of Oxford. He is a widely published author, having written and edited twelve books and over fifty articles and chapters. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.

Professor Milja Kurki is Professor of International Relations Theory at Aberystwyth University. Her areas of interest are international relations theory, philosophy of science, democracy and democracy promotion, critical theory and more recently scientific cosmology, social-natural science nexus and posthumanism. Between 2008 and 2012 she acted as the Principal Investigator of a major research project 'Political Economies of Democratisation' funded by the European Research Council. She is a co-editor of the journal International Relations, Director of the Planetary Challenges and Politics Centre and the Director of Research in the Department of International Politics. Her PhD was focused on the analysis of the meaning of causality in IR scholarship. She then led a major ERC project on the conceptual foundations of democracy promotion practices between 2008 and 2012, a project which involved extensive policy engagement.

Professor Sir Steve Smith has been Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Exeter since October 2002. He was previously Senior Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) and Professor of International Politics at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, as well as Head of the Department of International Politics, and Director of the Centre for Public Choice Studies at the University of East Anglia. Sir Steve is a graduate of the University of Southampton and holds a BSc in Politics and International Studies, an MSc in International Studies and a PhD in International Relations. He has written or edited 17 books, published well over 100 academic papers and has given over 170 academic presentations in 22 countries. Sir Steve was knighted in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to higher education locally and nationally.

Making Sense in the Social Sciences - Margot Northey, Lorne Tepperman and Patrizia Albanese

Special Features

  • Expert line-up of contributors offer coverage of dominant and emerging theories and arguments from diverse perspectives.
  • Includes coverage of historically marginalised theories, including postcolonialism and environmentalism.
  • A case study in each chapter shows how theory can be used to explain real-world problems and dilemmas and additional questions to encourage students to analyse and evaluate the different theories for themselves.
  • Boxes highlighting key books or articles introduce students to prominent works in the field to encourage wider reading and research interests.
New to this Edition
  • New chapter on global IR by Professor Amitav Acharya encourages students to critically reflect on the context in which IR developed and appreciate the importance of viewing international relations theories from truly representative perspectives.
  • Revised part structure introducing each section provides an overarching narrative to the text, helping students to understand and interpret different approaches.
  • Updated online resources include pointers on answering case study questions, supporting students to apply theories to real world issues.