Written by eminent sociologists, this book introduces and assesses some of the most influential, recent sociological theories. Each chapter explains the theory and describes a related program of empirical research. Chapters are authored by the actual founders (and/or leading exponents) of these theoretical programs; many chapters contain a description of the inception, growth, and present status of the theoretical program. The book covers a broad range of sociological concerns, from the in...

The authors of this ambitious book address a fundamental political question: why are leaders who produce peace and prosperity turned out of office while those who preside over corruption, war, and misery endure? Considering this political puzzle, they also answer the related economic question of why some countries experience successful economic development and others do not. The authors construct a provocative theory on the selection of leaders and present specific formal models from which...

Much attention has been given in the past to the onset of war—to what causes it. The authors of this timely study argue that what war causes is just as important a question. In The Diffusion of War Randolph M. Siverson and Harvey Starr investigate the “contagion” of war — or how and under what circumstances conflicts grow once they begin.Given the great consequences of the expansion of war—economic costs, human costs, and political change, for the participants and also for the internationa...

Most would agree that political leaders want to stay in office. What does this mean for foreign policymaking? The essays in this book probe the way in which the desire of political leaders to stay in office shapes the choices they make in foreign policy. Moving beyond theories of international politics that emphasize the pursuit of power by the state as the goal of foreign policy, the writers look at the domestic political reasons why leaders might pursue greater power in the world for the...