Table of Contents

1.
Introduction
2. States
3. Nations and
Society
4. Political
Economy
5. Democratic
Regimes
6. Nondemocratic
Regimes
7. Advanced
Democracies
8. Communism and
Postcommunism
9. Less-Developed
and Newly Industrializing Countries
10. Political
Violence
11. Globalization
and the Future of Comparative Politics

About the Author

Jeffry A. Frieden is Professor of Government at Harvard University. He specializes in the politics of international monetary and financial relations. Frieden is the author of Currency Politics: The Political Economy of Exchange Rate Politics and (with Menzie Chinn) of Lost Decades: The Making of America's Debt Crisis and the Long Recovery. His previous books include Global Capitalism: Its Fall and Rise in the Twentieth Century; Debt, Development, and Democracy: Modern Political Economy and Latin America, 1965-1985; and Banking on the World: The Politics of American International Finance. He is also the co-author or co-editor of many other books on related topics. His articles on the politics of international economic issues have appeared in a wide variety of scholarly and general interest publications. David A. Lake is the Jerri-Ann and Gary E. Jacobs Professor of Social Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He is, most recently, the author of Hierarchy in International Relations. His other books include Entangling Relations: American Foreign Policy in Its Century and Power, Protection and Free Trade: International Sources of U.S. Commercial Strategy, 1887-1939. In addition, he is co-editor of 10 volumes and author of over 80 articles and book chapters on international relations, international political economy, and American foreign policy. He is Associate Dean of Social Sciences and Director of the Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research at UCSD. In 2013, he received the UCSD's Chancellor's Associates Awards for Excellence in Research in Humanities and Social Sciences. Kenneth A. Schultz is Professor of Political Science at Stanford University. His research examines international conflict and conflict resolution, with particular focus on the domestic political influences on foreign policy choices. He is the author of Democracy and Coercive Diplomacy, as well as numerous book chapters and articles in scholarly journals. He received the 2003 Karl Deutsch Award from the International Studies Association, and the 2011 Dean's Award for Distinguished Teaching from Stanford's School of Humanities and Sciences.

Reviews

I really like the chapter on domestic politics and war and think it's very well executed. It provides clear, insightful arguments about the different ways in which domestic politics can lead to war.--Todd Allee, University of Illinois

The best international relations textbook that I've used. A well-organized and rigorous approach to the topic which introduces students to strategic bargaining and game theoretical concepts in a way that is accessible for all.--Andrew Konitzer, Samford University

This book looks much better than any of the others I've seen.--Chad Rector, George Washington University

A major contribution to the existing selection of introductory IR textbooks. I liked the analytical structure of the text very much. The consistency in themes and emphasis on a core analytical framework was most helpful.--Lisa Martin, University of Wisconsin

An outstanding text overall. This text is an improvement on other books and will be welcomed by many.--Idean Salehyan, University of North Texas

Frieden, Lake, and Schultz provide an introductory textbook that offers an integrated framework for analysis and exposes students to cutting-edge research in international relations, while remaining easily readable and accessible to students. I thoroughly enjoyed teaching with it.--Ashley Leeds, Rice University

I find the interests/interactions/institutions approach to be quite useful and quite clear.--Stephen Saideman, McGill University

I love the capstone chapter. How can I sum up a semester? This chapter shows me how. I like the way it weaves theory and history together with policy and normative concerns to address questions about probable futures. It provides an innovative and satisfying conclusion to a very interesting and promising approach.--Darren Hawkins, Brigham Young University

I think the framework is an excellent one for an introductory text. Indeed, I will certainly use the book in my course for this reason.--Glenn Palmer, Pennsylvania State University

It brings a new and almost intuitive framework to the analysis of issues by focusing on the interests involved. More important, it does not limit itself to one major paradigm, as realists, liberals, radicals, and even constructivists can use the idea of interests/interactions/institutions as a springboard.--Michael Kanner, University of Colorado, Boulder

More analytically rigorous than some current texts, but also one that is written at a level that students in an introductory course can follow.--Layna Mosley, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Much, much better than the other options I have considered. This book gets away from the stale debate between contending 'Isms' and makes it much easier to tell students about current research.--Benjamin Fordham, Binghamton University

Organized around a series of 'puzzles, ' this book perfectly balances the key theoretical notions at the foundation of the strategic approach with a genuine concern for real-world issues.--Renato Corbetta, University of Alabama, Birmingham

The chapter on international financial relations has made a complex topic very accessible.--Andrew Cortell, Lewis & Clark College

There is no question that Frieden/Lake/Schultz is one of the best IR textbooks out there.--Tobias Hofmann, College of William & Mary

This text offers a nice alternative to the 'isms' approach to teaching introductory international relations. It is theoretically rich but takes care to couple abstract concepts with memorable examples that solidify students' understanding.--Todd Sechser, University of Virginia

This text reflects the most exciting developments in international relations research over the last 15 years. It is probably the best introductory text on international relations I have ever seen.--Megan Shannon, University of Mississippi

This text strikes me as precisely the right way to go. The text is able to address a broad array of issues/topics and to do so in a unified fashion that focuses on scientific inquiry.--Will Moore, Florida State University

Well written and thoughtful and gives enough but not too much theory.--Ron Mitchell, University of Oregon

Written in an exceptionally clear and engaging style.--Patricia Sullivan, University of Georgia

Head and shoulders above anything else out there.--David Leblang, University of Virginia