An Introduction to World Politics

Conflict and Consensus on a Small Planet

By (author) Richard Oliver Collin, Pamela L. Martin

Not available to order

Publication date:

13 July 2012

Length of book:

664 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781442218048

In today’s world, students need to know that there is more to politics than just politics. This clearly written text introduces students to world politics as a combination of comparative politics and international relations in an increasingly interconnected globe and explores topics that are sometimes left out of the equation: health care; the status of children; changing roles of women in the developing world; and the interplay among population growth, resources, the environment, and sustainable development. Designed specifically for introductory-level students, the book balances theory with authentic insights and examples that provide a compelling window into the struggles of citizens worldwide.

Introduction
Part I: Introduction to a Small Planet
1. Global Literacy: Understanding a Complicated World
2. Levels of Analysis: The People, Places, and Things We Study
3. Community and Conflict: A Quick Look at the Planet
4. The Country in Question: Sovereign States and Nations
Part II: How the World Functions: Freedom and Political Conflict
5. Containing Conflict: The International Community
6. Freedom and Ideology: Imagining an Ideal World
7. How Democracies Manage Freedom and Conflict
Part III: Kinds of Conflict: The World When Things Go Wrong
8. Conflict and Less-Free Societies
9. Conflict, Violence, War, and Mayhem
10. The War of the Mind: Violent Ideological Conflict
11. The War of the Heart: Violent Nationalist Conflict
Part IV: Population, Poverty, Resources, and Human Development
12. Economic Development: The Rich and the Wretched
13. Too Many Plates at the Table: Population and Political Conflict
14. The Greening of a Blue Planet
Appendices
Glossary

Most introductory international relations texts fail in two main ways that are troublesome for instructors. The first is the failure to provide the background necessary to consider theories and ideas in the field. This text provides this material in a thoughtful and creative way before discussing the formalities of the discipline, preparing the students to go beyond recapitulation to genuine understanding. The second is the failure to prepare for a lack of motivation by students often uninformed about world concerns, who require an original way to entice them forward. This text utilizes a broad approach that will appeal to the interests of diverse undergraduates by its presentation of relevant examples and current dilemmas, reflecting the teaching expertise of its authors and their singular background as world citizens. I would highly recommend this book for any international relations course.