Bringing together the most influential scholars in the field, the fifth edition of this best-selling book provides unrivaled coverage of international relations theories and arguments.

Dunne, Kurki, and Smith explore the full spectrum of theoretical perspectives and debates, ranging from the historically dominant traditions of realism, liberalism, and Marxism to traditionally marginalized postcolonialism and green theory. The fifth edition features a new chapter on global IR, encouraging students to critically reflect on the context of the field's development and appreciate the importance of viewing international relations theories from truly representative perspectives.

Each chapter is dedicated to a particular theory and features a case study that bridges theory and practice by showing how theory can be used to explain real world political dilemmas, while accompanying case study questions encourage analytical thinking and help listeners understand the value of applying theory to concrete political problems.

Spotlights on key books and articles encourage listeners to go beyond the textbook and develop their research interests, exploring important works in the field.