International Relations: A Very Short Introduction

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		International Relations: A Very Short Introduction
		International Relations: A Very Short Introduction

Of undoubtable relevance today, in a post-9-11 world of growing political tension and unease, this Very Short Introduction covers the topics essential to an understanding of modern international relations. Paul Wilkinson explains the theories and the practice that underlie the subject, and investigates issues ranging from foreign policy, arms control, and terrorism, to the environment and world poverty. He examines the role of organizations such as the United Nations and the European union  , as well as the influence of ethnic and religious movements and terrorist groups which also play a role in shaping the way states and governments interact. This up-to-date book is required reading for those seeking a new perspective to help untangle and decipher international events.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

网友对International Relations: A Very Short Introduction的评论

真不愧是简介，够简洁！

This book performs pretty much as advertised. It presents a concise [not to say 'abridged'] version of how international relations work,
This is hardly the book you would want for in-depth analysis.
But for a quick overview of the topic, it has depth enough.
Hence the 4-stars

I found myself very disappointed in this addition to the VSI series. I have come to expect a very high standard from that series of books and Wilkinson's book does not come close to that standard.
The problem is that Wilkinson seems to have made no attempt to provide anything like a standard overview of a field. That normally requires an author to write a little outside of their subareas of expertise as they attempt to provide a broad and neutral introduction to their field as a whole. Wilkinson decided on a different approach. Instead he chose to give us an impressionistic and partial overview. The book really should have been titled "A very short (and occassionally tedious) overview of what Paul Wilkinson knows of International Relations".
But, of course, few would buy such a book.
What are Wilkinson's sins? There is no real attempt to provide a history of the field. Two pages on Machiavelli and Grotius each. That's pretty much it. As another reviewer noted, what Wilkinson does is largely talk about the types of actors (states, NGOs, etc.) and even does that in a very impressionistic manner. For instance, there is no mention of the World Bank or the IMF which seems an odd omission considering Wilkinson's politics.
And let's talk about those politics. I enjoy Bush bashing as much as anyone. For the time period between 2000-2008, I was probably the most notorious Bush basher among the large group of mechanics, electricians and process technicians that I work with in a facilities department. The trouble with Bush bashing in a book like this is that it will render the book outdated. This book will become more and more outdated as time goes on.
By contrast, a book like Ikle's Every War Must End will not because his examples are choosen from about a hundred years of foolishness by a dozen or so different countries.
So ultimately, the decision by Wilkinson to use the Bush administration as the paragon of foolishness (while understandable) renders Wilkinson's book less useful.
Wilkinson frequently argues poorly for his position. Wilkinson even indulges in a Fox News specialty, the "some people say" argument on p. 57: "there are some international scholars who argue". There is no attribution as to who he is talking about so that translates to "I feel that..".
Wilkinson could have done better. He obviously knows his subject and has observed the international scene for a long time. He simply did not want to take the time to write the book he should have written.
Perhaps I can described my impression of this work no more succinctly than to say that it appears to have been dashed off during a term break.
I hate to say it but for the first time I really cannot recommend one of the VSI series.

Too anglocentric. Not enough realism.

Because of the obvious importance of international relations, I eagerly awaited the release of this book, but I've just finished reading it and came away disappointed. The problem is that the book doesn't seem to have any significant audience for which it offers substantial value:

1. The book doesn't provide a textbook-style introduction to international relations. Instead, it's more of a commentary on the subject, consisting largely of the author's personal observations and opinions. So readers seeking a short but systematic introduction to the subject, as currently understood by scholars, will be disappointed.

2. Even if one expects only a commentary on international relations, readers who have been paying attention to the world scene for a while will find the content of the book to be fairly obvious. So the book won't offer much enlightenment for the typical person interested enough in international relations to consider a book on the subject.

3. For readers with very little knowledge of world affairs, and who would therefore be happy with an introductory commentary on international relations, this book probably falls short again because the writing style seems a bit too pretentious for that audience. So the book isn't even well suited for neophytes.

In short, I can't think of anyone to recommend the book to. If you're looking for a short introduction to international relations, I'd say keep looking ...

rented it.

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