International relations theory investigates the behavior and patterns of interaction among states... more International relations theory investigates the behavior and patterns of interaction among states in an international system, and the two most prominent traditions are Realism and Liberalism. Both schools of thought offer compelling evidence to explain developments and trends in international relations while emphasizing opposite phenomena; war in Realism and peace in Liberalism. The first part of this essay will examine the main arguments developed in John Mearsheimer's The Tragedy of Great Power Politics and Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye's Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition, which will be considered as representative literature for Realism and Liberalism, respectively. The contention of this essay is that Mearsheimer's Realism is limited in its analysis of international relations by overemphasizing global military conflict between "great powers," whereas Keohane and Nye's Liberalism provides a more nuanced worldview by accounting for how increasing economic and diplomatic integration enhances the prospects for global peace. A shortcoming of both works is that they are mainly concerned with developed "global North" states, and therefore limited in the scope of their arguments.
International relations theory investigates the behavior and patterns of interaction among states... more International relations theory investigates the behavior and patterns of interaction among states in an international system, and the two most prominent traditions are Realism and Liberalism. Both schools of thought offer compelling evidence to explain developments and trends in international relations while emphasizing opposite phenomena; war in Realism and peace in Liberalism. The first part of this essay will examine the main arguments developed in John Mearsheimer's The Tragedy of Great Power Politics and Robert Keohane and Joseph Nye's Power and Interdependence: World Politics in Transition, which will be considered as representative literature for Realism and Liberalism, respectively. The contention of this essay is that Mearsheimer's Realism is limited in its analysis of international relations by overemphasizing global military conflict between "great powers," whereas Keohane and Nye's Liberalism provides a more nuanced worldview by accounting for how increasing economic and diplomatic integration enhances the prospects for global peace. A shortcoming of both works is that they are mainly concerned with developed "global North" states, and therefore limited in the scope of their arguments.
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