Continuity and Change in World Politics: Competing Perspectives

by Barry B. Hughes

This text provides a comprehensive, theoretically coherent and integrated introduction to the world politics of security, international economics and global public policy issues. It also provides a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0130835781
• ISBN13: 9780130835789
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Length: 499 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.9" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Anyone got a thumb to spare? This book gets three thumbs up!

I was first introduced to this book as a debater, and it has since become our team's bible. Hughes succeeds in pointing us to broad trends in the development of international relations while avoiding making sweeping generalisations reminiscent of The Clash of Civilisations by Samuel Huntington. His analysis of the increasing dominance of non-state actors is exceedingly well-written and well-supported with evidence. In addition, he introduces the reader to the theoretical framework behind international relations, covering worldviews such as eco-wholism, realism and so on. More importantly, he directly, rather than obliquely, relates these worldviews to events actually taking place, striking a fine balance between theory and practice. The book explores the possible successors to the nation state as the dominant means of global political organisation, for example regionalism and federalism. He succeeds in applying concepts borrowed from other disciplines to international studies, such as game theory with regard to crisis management and the economic concept of common property resources with regard to the protection and destruction of the global environment. Needless to say, it also deals with the WTO, UN and its organs (for eg the International Court of Justice), Multinational Corporations and other increasingly important international actors. Hughes backs up excellent content and logic with a lucid writing style that does not use jargon without first explaining the terms. What I liked most about the book, however, was its organisation. A book with a scope this broad easily becomes haphazard and confusing. While avoiding the trap of divorcing what are really inter-related components of the world, Hughes divides his book neatly according to subject rather than in chronological order. This book is very useful for students of Geography, World History and International Economics. A good book to arouse an interest in International Relations, and a good book if you already have such an interest.