Description
Book SynopsisThis book addresses problems and puzzles associated with identifying international norms and the influence of these norms on the behavior of different states in international relations in a regional context. Kacowicz's research traces several international norms of peace and security and examines their impact in Latin America between 1881 and 2001.
Trade Review"This is a serious book by an intellectually mature scholar. The book is written with great clarity and will make an original contribution to the field." –Michael Francis, University of Notre Dame
"Kacowicz (Hebrew Univ. of Jerusalem) examines how Latin America has regularly avoided major sources of conflict within the region. Specifically, the author attempts to broaden the theoretical foundations of international relations by analyzing the norms of peace and security affecting the quality of the Latin American international society. ...important and noteworthy contributions. With clearly written chapters that center on the theoretical features of international norms and carefully researched chapters that empirically examine Latin America, the book is suitable for graduate-level courses in international relations, comparative politics, or Latin American issues. Highly recommended."—Choice
"Kacowicz examines the role of international norms in accounting for Latin America's relatively benign international relations . . . At a general level, Kacowicz sees international norms at work in Latin American states' frequent use of third-party arbitration to resolve disputes and in numerous peaceful cessions and exchanges of territory over the years. He also assesses the impact of norms in 11 specific case studies involving territorial and other 'security' conflicts between Latin American states from the 1880s to present." —Journal of Peace Research
“Arie Kacowicz addresses the ongoing 'norms debates' in the international relations literature and attempts a synthetic perspective on norms. The attempt at synthesis is an important one and well done . . . the work is useful and significant in advancing the debate and our understanding of norms.” —Perspectives on Politics
“A welcome contribution to the growing body of knowledge produced by scholars working at the intersection of international and domestic politics . . . The strengths of this book are many . . . the framework for studying international norms is excellent . . . the case studies are well executed and provide a wealth of valuable information to the reader . . . This is a fine book that deserves serious attention from scholars and policy makers alike.” - Political Science Quarterly
