Understanding War and Peace

Undergraduate multi-author textbook by leading conflict scholars focusing on the roots of global conflicts and the various means used to resolve them.

Dan Reiter (Edited by)

9781009125031, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 20 July 2023

450 pages
25.5 x 20.2 x 2.5 cm, 1 kg

'Cleverly conceived and lucidly written, this book relies on leading scholars to provide a sweeping education about the field of international relations: its topics, methods, and debates.' Jennifer M. Lind, Dartmouth College

Written for undergraduate students studying the politics of conflict and cooperation, Understanding War and Peace considers the roots of global conflicts and the various means used to resolve them. Edited by Dan Reiter with contributing authors who are all leading scholars in the field, it balances approachable, engaging writing with a conceptually rigorous overview of the most important ideas in conflict studies. Focusing on concepts, policy, and historical applications, the text minimizes literature reviews and technical jargon to engagingly present all major topics in international conflict, including nuclear weapons, peacekeeping, terrorism, gender, alliances, nuclear weapons, environment and conflict, civil wars, public opinion. Enriching the textbook pedagogy, each chapter concludes with a summary of a published quantitative study to introduce students with no prior quantitative training to quantitative analysis. Online resources for instructors include an instructor manual, a test bank and contemporary case studies for each chapter topic regarding the conflict in Ukraine.

Contents
Preface Dan Reiter
Introduction Dan Reiter
Section 1. Broad Perspectives: 1. Bargaining and War Dan Reiter
2. Sex, Gender and Violence Valerie M. Hudson and Dan Reiter
Section 2. Domestic Politics and War: 3. Domestic Political Institutions and War Jessica L. P. Weeks
4. Public Opinion and War Christopher Gelpi
5. Leaders and War Michael C. Horowitz
6. Economics and War Paul Poast
Section 3. Conflict Within States: 7. Civil Wars Kathleen Gallagher Cunningham
8. Terrorism Philip B. Potter
Section 4. Diplomacy and Conflict: 9. International Alliances Dan Reiter
10. Mediation and Peacekeeping Kyle Beardsley
Section 5. Special Topics in Conflict: 11. Nuclear Weapons Michael C. Horowitz
12. Drone Warfare Sarah E. Kreps
13. Environment and Conflict Cullen S. Hendrix.

Subject Areas: International relations [JPS]