A concise and accessible introduction for students new to international relations and for the general reader wishing to understand this fascinating subject. It offers the most up-to-date guide to the major issues and areas of debate.

Introduction Part 1: Conflict, Competition and Compromise: Basic Elements of International Relations 1. Anarchy and the Origin of IR 2. Thinking about Self-Interest 3. Mitigating Anarchy: Building World Politics 4. Thinking about World Politics 5. Criticizing World Politics. Review and Conclusions to Part 1 Part 2: Globalization and Interdependence: Shared Problems Need Shared Solutions 6. The Progress of World Politics 7. Thinking about Globalization 8. Threats to Interdependence. Review and Conclusions to Part 2

Peter Sutch is currently head of the Politics Department and Senior Lecturer in Political Thought and International Relations at Cardiff University. His current research is on international law and international justice.

Juanita Elias is Senior Lecturer in International Politics at the University of Adelaide, Australia. Her research interests include gender perspectives in international political economy, the politics of corporate social responsibility and the political economy of Malaysia and South East Asia.