This topical textbook outlines conflict, crisis, and war as central challenges in the international security arena, exploring their history, evolution, nature, dynamics, and trends. Patrick James and James M. Scott discuss the major approaches to analysing conflict, crisis, and war and identify the key avenues for managing them.

Engaging with major scholarly work, the textbook combines scientific realism, analytic eclecticism, and the multilevel and graphic approach of systemism to establish the meaning and importance of theory and linkages across levels of analysis. Reflecting on policy practices, James and Scott explore system, state and individual level explanations of, and approaches to, managing and preventing conflict, crisis, and war. They ultimately advocate for an integrated approach that addresses and connects multiple levels of analysis for a more thorough and nuanced understanding.

Key Features:

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• Applies an innovative approach with unique visual tools
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• Encourages comprehension of major concepts, theories, and practices and critical thinking
• Includes core feature boxes which present real-world applications to illustrate a concept and reflect on a point of explanation in greater depth

Theoretically informed and conceptually innovative, this textbook is vital to students and scholars of international politics, international relations, and terrorism and security.

About the Author
Patrick James, Dana and David Dornsife Dean's Professor of International Relations, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Southern California and James M. Scott, University Professor and Chair, Department of Politics and Government, Illinois State University, USA

Reviews
'In this timely, comprehensive, and thought-provoking book, Patrick James and James M. Scott offer an integrated approach to the study of conflict processes that brings together multiple levels of analysis. They masterfully blend existing scholarly work with unique visual tools and offer a wealth of illuminating examples from the real world. This authoritative text puts the pieces of the puzzle together in a highly accessible way, making it an extraordinary resource for all who are concerned with conflict in the contemporary global system.' -- Zeynep Taydas, Clemson University, USA
'Conflicts escalate from crisis to war due to domestic, regional, and international influences. Most approaches ignore this complexity or are too technical for non-specialists. The authors employ graphic analysis - supplementing words with images - so the complexity of international conflict is part of the theorizing yet is understandable by all.' -- Douglas Lemke, Pennsylvania State University, US



Book Information
ISBN 9781035311613
Author Patrick James
Format Paperback
Page Count 372
Imprint Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd
Publisher Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd