International Relations Affects Everyone's Lives: Their Security, Economic Well-being, Rights And Freedoms, And The Environment They Share. Recently We Have Seen The Transformation From A World Of Empires To Today's World Of Sovereign States, Which Are Enmeshed In A Complex Array Of International Institutions, All Exercising Degrees Of Political Authority. The New Global Organization Of Political Authority Has Far-reaching Consequences. This Very Short Introduction Untangles This Complex World, Providing An Accessible Framework For Understanding The Contours Of Global Political Change. Christian Reus-smit Treats Theory As An Indispensable Tool For Grasping International Relations, But Demystifies Theorizing, Introducing It As An Everyday Human Practice. He Surveys A Range Of Theories, From Realism To Feminism: Reading Them As Contrasting Perspectives On The Global Organization Of Political Authority. Historically, Such Organization Has Been Shaped By Diverse Social Forces, Four Of Which Are Discussed In Detail: Shifting Patterns Of Warfare, Changing Economic Conditions, Struggles For Rights, And The Politics Of Culture. Reus-smit Concludes With A Reflection On The Future Of International Relations In An Era Of Profound Global Change. About The Series: The Very Short Introductions Series From Oxford University Press Contains Hundreds Of Titles In Almost Every Subject Area. These Pocket-sized Books Are The Perfect Way To Get Ahead In A New Subject Quickly. Our Expert Authors Combine Facts, Analysis, Perspective, New Ideas, And Enthusiasm To Make Interesting And Challenging Topics Highly Readable.