Description
Book SynopsisInternational Conflict: Logic and Evidence is based on the premise that proper understanding of international conflict a necessary prerequisite for achieving peace can come only from logic and evidence, not from opinion and anecdote. This groundbreaking book introduces students to international conflict's key theories and empirical research. Throughout the text, author Stephen L. Quackenbush gives examples that enable readers to see the theory in real-world events, and provides the data from the most recent research. Covering the entire process of interstate war, from causes of conflict to escalation, conduct, resolution, and recurrence, the book provides readers with a fascinating, thorough study that will help them understand how international conflict works.
Trade Review"International Conflict: Logic and Evidence is a superb introduction to the ideas and apparatus of the conflict processes field. The book covers the entire process of war in a succinct way. By the last page, students have a basic familiarity with offense and defensive realism, stability, and polarity, expected utility theory, and other major areas of the literature."
-- Patrick James
"Quackenbush has written a highly readable and intellectually stimulating book. I have no doubt that students will find the content useful for advancing their understanding of warfare. Equally importantly, the book’s emphasis on explaining the scientific method and carefully delineating various approaches to scientific research make it especially useful. Indeed, the book helps readers understand how the social sciences ‘do’ science, which is one of its most unique and appealing features."
-- Bruce W. Dayton
"International Conflict: Logic and Evidence is a textbook that could serve as both a text and also a great reference for original research. It collects and generalizes some of the most focused and important research topics in the scientific study of war over the past thirty years (at least)."
-- Brent Steele
Table of ContentsPart I: Foundations Chapter 1: The Scientific Study of War What Is Science? The Scientific and Classical Approaches Levels of Analysis Dangerous Dyads A Process Model of War Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 2: Identifying Wars and Militarized Disputes International Conflict in the Past Two Centuries Defining War Militarized Interstate Disputes Other Measures of International Conflict Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 3: Rational Choice Theory Rationality Expected Utility Theory Game Theory Bargaining Model of War Conclusion Key Concepts Part II: Causes of War and Militarized Disputes Chapter 4: Contiguity and Territory Contiguity and International Conflict Identifying Opportunity for Conflict Territorial Issues and International Conflict Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 5: Power Defining and Measuring Power Polarity and Stability Offense-Defense Balance Power Transition Theory Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 6: Alliances Types of Alliances Why Do States Form Alliances? Drawbacks of Alliances Measuring Shared Interests Alliances and Conflict Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 7: Democratic Peace Empirical Findings Regarding the Democratic Peace Explaining the Democratic Peace The Kantian Triangle Alternative Explanations Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 8: Deterrence Types of Deterrence Classical Deterrence Theory Perfect Deterrence Theory Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 9: Escalation of Disputes to War Patterns of Escalation Contextual Factors Leading to Escalation Strategy, Interaction, and Escalation Conclusion Key Concepts Part III: The Conduct and Aftermath of War Chapter 10: Military Doctrine and Strategy The Study of Warfare Military Strategy Principles of War Modeling Combat Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 11: Evolution of War War Expansion War Duration War Outcomes Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 12: War Termination and Consequences Bargaining and War Termination Consequences of War Conclusion Key Concepts Chapter 13: Recurrent Conflict and Rivalry Recurrent Conflict Settlements and Recurrent Conflict International Rivalry Conclusion Key Concepts Part IV: Conclusions Chapter 14: What Have We Learned About War? The Cumulation of Knowledge The Importance of Theory Key Concepts
