Fifty Key Thinkers in International Relations (Fifty Key Thinkers)

Rating:
Summary: A Timely Reference Work
Review: Griffiths' volume provides a welcome introduction to the field of international relations precisely because its focus is on the individual and collective contributions of the men and women who are responsible for its development throughout the 20th century. In order to understand the ways in which various "analytical perspectives" or schools of thought relate, it is particularly helpful to have cross-references at the end of each thinker's profile, i.e., Aron- Hoffmann, Morgenthau, Waltz. The organization of the volume is particularly strong because Griffiths wisely avoids trying to categorize thinkers strictly in established categories. Instead the reader is free to explore the ways in which each thinker has been influenced by his predecessors or contemporaries across the realist-liberalist spectrum or to ponder the differences that may well distinguish institutionalism from the liberal perspective in an era dominated by intra-state conflict. The Theory of International Society and International Organisation sections are particularly instructive to me in thinking and teaching about "cosmopolitan values" and the challenges to regional integration. As an educator engaged in "Internet pedagogy" on several continents, this volume is useful to assign as complementary reading to familiarize students from very different national educational backgrounds about the English-language literature that establishes the fundamentals of thought in the field.

Rating:
Summary: the book that you must have
Review: I am a student at the university where Mr Griffith works as a senior lecture. He is a good lecturer and his teaching style is so cool. He is a good writer, as well. He has many publications of his works related to the international politics. It proves that he is active in writing. So, I recommned you to buy his books.

Rating:
Summary: Essential Reference!
Review: This is a very good introduction to the field of international relations. As an undergraduate student unfamiliar with the scope of the subject, I highly recommend this book as a guide to the range of debates in contemporary international relations. In addition to the usual 'isms' in the field, Martin Griffiths provides excellent summaries of key thinkers in historical sociology and nationalism. The book is comprehensively cross-referenced, with a handy guide to further reading on each key thinker that he writes about. Highly recommended!