The Rational Approach

Abstract

Rational Theory of International Politics: The Logic of Competition and Cooperation. By Charles Glaser . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010. 314 pp., $28.95 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-0-691-14372-9). Some of the most significant contributions to international relations theory have emerged only after decades of thought, incremental advancement, and the testing and retesting of ideas. Kenneth Waltz is the archetype here, with the 20-year period between Man, the State, and War (Waltz 1959) and Theory of International Politics (Waltz 1979) giving rise to a structural realist position that became so influential that John Mearsheimer declared almost everyone in the international relations theory world has been responding to it for more than 25 years (Mearsheimer 2006:109). In Charles Glaser's Rational Theory of International Politics: The Logic of Competition and Cooperation , we find another long journey to theory, one that began with a simple question that emerged while working on nuclear strategy and led, eventually, to the significant contribution that is this most recent volume. Clearly falling into the realm of international relations theory, Glaser's book is rightly lauded for its clarity, its meticulous attention to detail, and its keen analysis of the theoretical domain that is international politics. Like Waltz's work, it is likely to spark debate as some of the conclusions push up against both mainstream realist and liberal institutionalist positions, yet this should be taken as proof …