The Oxford Handbook of Grand StrategyThierry Balzacq, Ronald R. Krebs A clearly articulated, well-defined, and relatively stable grand strategy is supposed to allow the ship of state to steer a steady course through the roiling seas of global politics. However, the obstacles to formulating and implementing grand strategy are, by all accounts, imposing. The Oxford Handbook of Grand Strategy addresses the conceptual and historical foundations, production, evolution, and future of grand strategy from a wide range of standpoints. The seven constituent sections present and critically examine the history of grand strategy, including beyond the West; six distinct theoretical approaches to the subject; the sources of grand strategy, ranging from geography and technology to domestic politics to individual psychology and culture; the instruments of grand strategy's implementation, from military to economic to covert action; political actors', including non-state actors', grand strategic choices; the debatable merits of grand strategy, relative to alternatives; and the future of grand strategy, in light of challenges ranging from political polarization to technological change to aging populations. The result is a field-defining, interdisciplinary, and comparative text that will be a key resource for years to come. |
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actors alliances American Grand Strategy analysis approach argue Balzacq Basil Liddell Hart British Cambridge University Press capabilities century challenge chapter China Clausewitz Cold Cold War concept Conflict Cornell University Cornell University Press covert action culture debate decline defense democracies diplomacy diplomatic domestic politics Donald Trump Drezner economic statecraft edited effects European example force Foreign Affairs foreign policy global goals grand strategy groups Hegemony ideas identity ideology Ikenberry influence institutions intelligence International Politics International Relations International Security international system Ithaca John Ikenberry Journal Krebs leaders legitimation liberal liberal internationalism Liddell Hart means Mearsheimer military power national interest National Security networks Nexon norms nuclear operations Organization Oxford University Press peace Peter Feaver policymakers Posen practice Princeton University Press pursue realist rising role scholars Second World War Security Studies social Soviet Union state’s structure Sun Tzu tegic term theory threat Thucydides Trump United Wohlforth World Politics York