Exploring the concept of monetary power, this work delves into how states utilize international currency relationships to enhance security through coercive means. The author presents a comprehensive taxonomy of monetary power forms and identifies the conditions for their effectiveness. By analyzing historical cases from various nations throughout the twentieth century, he demonstrates the reality of monetary power, examining its influence under different regimes and the factors that drive states to employ it, revealing both its successes and failures.
An argument for the classical realist approach to world politics An Unwritten Future offers a fresh reassessment of classical realism, an enduring approach to understanding crucial events in the international political arena. Jonathan Kirshner identifies the fundamental flaws of classical realism's would-be successors and shows how this older, more nuanced and sophisticated method for studying world politics better explains the formative events of the past. Kirshner also reveals how this approach is ideally equipped to comprehend the vital questions of the present-such as the implications of China's rise, the ways that social and economic change alter the balance of power and the nature of international conflict, and the consequences of the end of the US-led postwar order for the future of world politics. Laying out realism's core principles, Kirshner discusses the contributions of the perspective's key thinkers, including Thucydides, Hans Morgenthau, and Raymond Aron, among others. He illustrates how a classical realist approach gives new insights into major upheavals of the twentieth century, such as Britain's appeasement of Nazi Germany and America's ruinous involvement in Vietnam. Kirshner also addresses realism's limits and explores contemporary issues, including the ascent of great power challengers, the political implications of globalization, and the diffusion of power in modern world politics. A reexamination of the realist tradition, with a renewed emphasis on the crucial roles played by uncertainty, contingency, and contestation, An Unwritten Future demonstrates how a once-popular school of thought provides invaluable insights into pressing real-world problems. -- Provided by publisher
Urban Flight takes place in New York City in the despairing days of 1975, when the Big Apple flirted with bankruptcy and its mean streets teetered on the edge of anarchy. A year after Nixon's resignation, Jason Sims, one-time sixties idealist and part-time musician, finds himself piloting a helicopter for a television news station's traffic reports. Jason agrees to do some extra flying for the station's mysterious owner, and during these extra-curricular flights observes activities that could be related to the urban corruption scandal and possible murder that his best friend, journalist Adam Shaker, has been investigating. As Jason becomes inadvertently enmeshed in the City's political crisis (and a new love interest) he confronts the demons of his past and experiences a personal re-awakening.
The book delves into the intricate relationship between globalization and national security, highlighting three key processes: economic exchange, information flow, and marketization. It examines how these processes influence state power, conflict dynamics, and the role of non-state actors, particularly terrorists, in leveraging globalization for their objectives. The essays emphasize that neglecting globalization's impact complicates the understanding of power dynamics, war prospects, and strategic decisions among states, making it essential for contemporary security analysis.
The book presents a compelling case for classical realism as a framework for understanding global politics, emphasizing its relevance in addressing contemporary international issues. It critiques modern theories and highlights the enduring nature of power dynamics, state interests, and historical context in shaping political behavior. Through rigorous analysis, the author advocates for a return to foundational principles of realism, arguing that they provide clearer insights into the complexities of global relations and the motivations of state actors.
Jonathan Kirshner, an expert in International Political Economy at Cornell University, explores themes related to finance and culture in his recent work, "Hollywood's Last Golden Age." He also contributes to the academic discourse on global finance as a coeditor of significant texts like "The Great Wall of Money" and "The Future of the Dollar." His scholarship reflects a deep engagement with the intersections of economics and media.
