Focusing on the evolution of the international order after the Soviet Union's collapse, this book analyzes major powers' security behavior in a multipolar context. Kassab summarizes and critiques significant Post-Cold War literature, emphasizing the importance of predictive scholarship in understanding geopolitical dynamics. Through this evaluation, the work sheds light on the complexities of international relations and the shifting paradigms that shape global security strategies.
Political ideology is explored as a structural force that merges ideas, emotions, and people to reshape political discourse and governance. The book presents a theoretical framework explaining how ideologies arise as responses to perceived injustices, highlighting their role in the successes of democracy and the failures of communism and fascism. It posits that ideologies must integrate these three elements to gain the power necessary for societal transformation, ultimately influencing individual freedom and societal structure.
The book delves into the evolution of the international system's balance of power, focusing on the transition from a unipolar to a multipolar structure. It examines the conditions that facilitated this shift, identifies the key major states involved, and analyzes the role of weaker powers in shaping great power competition. Through these inquiries, it offers insights into contemporary global dynamics and the interplay between different levels of power.
The book explores the concept of grand strategies as survival tactics employed by states, particularly great powers, to maintain their status against rivals. It delves into the destructive nature of prestige-seeking behavior and highlights how weak states leverage their limited political power for economic aid from stronger nations. The interactions between weak and great powers shape an international system, where the collective support of weak states enhances the strength of a dominant power, influencing global dynamics and relationships.
Areas of State and Non-state Competition in Multipolarity
The book presents a theoretical framework that explores the creation of power vacuums and their significant effects on the international system. Through detailed analysis, it delves into how these vacuums arise and the subsequent implications for global dynamics, making it a critical resource for understanding international relations and power structures.
The Cases of Armenia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Lebanon, and Cambodia
Exploring the phenomenon of weak states, the book analyzes Armenia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Lebanon, and Cambodia to illustrate how vulnerability can lead to a surprising level of autonomy. The author contends that weak states, despite their limitations, can maneuver independently in the international arena, often escaping the influence of more powerful nations. This examination challenges conventional views on state strength and power dynamics, offering insights into the complexities of international relations.
Systemic Vulnerabilities in International Politics
This book studies systemic vulnerabilities and their impact on states and individual survival. The author theorizes that the structure of the international system is a product of the distribution of capabilities and vulnerabilities across states. States function or behave in terms of these systemic threats. The author examines a number of specific case-studies focusing on military, economic, environmental, political and cyber vulnerabilities, and how different states are impacted by them. Arguing that current attempts to securitize these vulnerabilities through defensive foreign policies are largely failing, the books makes the case for prioritizing economic development and human security.