ABSTRACT

Constructing the World Polity brings together in one collection the theoretical ideas of one of the most influential International Relations theorists of our time. These essays, with a new introduction, and comprehensive connective sections, present Ruggie's ideas and their application to critical policy questions of the post-Cold War international order. Themes covered include:
* International Organization. How the 'new Institutionalism' differs from the old.
* The System of States. Explorations of political structure, social time, and territorial space in the world polity.
* Making History. America and the issue of 'agency' in the post-Cold Was era. NATO and the future transatlantic security community. The United Nations and the collective use of force.

chapter |40 pages

Introduction

What makes the world hang together? Neo-utilitarianism and the social constructivist challenge

chapter |4 pages

Part I International organization

“I wouldn’t start from here if I were you”

chapter 4|29 pages

Multilateralism at century’s end

chapter |6 pages

Part II The system of states

Problematizing Westphalia

chapter 5|18 pages

Political structure and dynamic density

chapter 6|17 pages

Social time and ecodemographic contexts

chapter 7|27 pages

Territoriality at millennium’s end

chapter |4 pages

Part III The question of agency

Making history in the new era

chapter 10|16 pages

UN forces: whither—or whether?

chapter |15 pages

Notes

chapter |4 pages

Publications by John Gerard Ruggie