Analyzing Strategic Rivalries in World Politics

Analyzing Strategic Rivalries in World Politics

Author: William R. Thompson

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-11-20

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 9811666717

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Strategic rivalries are contests between states that view one another as threatening competitors and treat each other as enemies. A disproportionate amount of interstate conflict is generated by a relatively small number of these pairs of states engaged in rivalries that can persist for years. Thus, to understand interstate peace and conflict, it is useful to know how rivalries work in general and more specifically. In the past two decades, a strenuous effort has been mounted to introduce the concept of rivalry and demonstrate its utility in unraveling conflict situations. Yet all rivalries are not exactly alike. We need to move to a more rewarding differentiation of how they differ in general. Principal rivalries are those antagonisms that are most significant to the decision makers in a state. The main distinction on issues about which rivals dispute are positional and spatial concerns. Positional rivalries contend over regional and global influence. Spatial rivals contend over which state deserves to control disputed territory. Interventionary rivalries predominate in sub-Saharan Africa. Their primary focus involves neighboring states attempting to influence who rules and how co-ethnics are treated. This book updates the inventory of strategic rivalries from 1816 to 2020. Principal rivalries are identified for the first time and cover the same period. A theory stressing the two main types of rivalry (positional and spatial) is elaborated and tested. Regional variations on the origins and terminations of spatial rivalry are explored and interpreted. In addition, attention is paid to fluctuations in the intensity of positional rivalries by examining the working of the contemporary major power triangle (United States, Soviet Union/Russia, and China) and, more generally, the dynamics of regional power that are rising in terms of their relative capability and status in the system. Variations in cooperation and termination dynamics both in general and according to rivalry type are also examined. Overall, the emphases of the book are split between demonstrating the utility of distinguishing among rivalry types and examining selected rivalry dynamics.


Book Synopsis Analyzing Strategic Rivalries in World Politics by : William R. Thompson

Download or read book Analyzing Strategic Rivalries in World Politics written by William R. Thompson and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-11-20 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Strategic rivalries are contests between states that view one another as threatening competitors and treat each other as enemies. A disproportionate amount of interstate conflict is generated by a relatively small number of these pairs of states engaged in rivalries that can persist for years. Thus, to understand interstate peace and conflict, it is useful to know how rivalries work in general and more specifically. In the past two decades, a strenuous effort has been mounted to introduce the concept of rivalry and demonstrate its utility in unraveling conflict situations. Yet all rivalries are not exactly alike. We need to move to a more rewarding differentiation of how they differ in general. Principal rivalries are those antagonisms that are most significant to the decision makers in a state. The main distinction on issues about which rivals dispute are positional and spatial concerns. Positional rivalries contend over regional and global influence. Spatial rivals contend over which state deserves to control disputed territory. Interventionary rivalries predominate in sub-Saharan Africa. Their primary focus involves neighboring states attempting to influence who rules and how co-ethnics are treated. This book updates the inventory of strategic rivalries from 1816 to 2020. Principal rivalries are identified for the first time and cover the same period. A theory stressing the two main types of rivalry (positional and spatial) is elaborated and tested. Regional variations on the origins and terminations of spatial rivalry are explored and interpreted. In addition, attention is paid to fluctuations in the intensity of positional rivalries by examining the working of the contemporary major power triangle (United States, Soviet Union/Russia, and China) and, more generally, the dynamics of regional power that are rising in terms of their relative capability and status in the system. Variations in cooperation and termination dynamics both in general and according to rivalry type are also examined. Overall, the emphases of the book are split between demonstrating the utility of distinguishing among rivalry types and examining selected rivalry dynamics.

Strategic Rivalries in World Politics

Strategic Rivalries in World Politics

Author: Michael P. Colaresi

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2008-01-10

Total Pages: 281

ISBN-13: 1139468790

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International conflict is neither random nor inexplicable. It is highly structured by antagonisms between a relatively small set of states that regard each other as rivals. Examining the 173 strategic rivalries in operation throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, this book identifies the differences rivalries make in the probability of conflict escalation and analyzes how they interact with serial crises, arms races, alliances and capability advantages. The authors distinguish between rivalries concerning territorial disagreement (space) and rivalries concerning status and influence (position) and show how each leads to markedly different patterns of conflict escalation. They argue that rivals are more likely to engage in international conflict with their antagonists than non-rival pairs of states and conclude with an assessment of whether we can expect democratic peace, economic development and economic interdependence to constrain rivalry-induced conflict.


Book Synopsis Strategic Rivalries in World Politics by : Michael P. Colaresi

Download or read book Strategic Rivalries in World Politics written by Michael P. Colaresi and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2008-01-10 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: International conflict is neither random nor inexplicable. It is highly structured by antagonisms between a relatively small set of states that regard each other as rivals. Examining the 173 strategic rivalries in operation throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, this book identifies the differences rivalries make in the probability of conflict escalation and analyzes how they interact with serial crises, arms races, alliances and capability advantages. The authors distinguish between rivalries concerning territorial disagreement (space) and rivalries concerning status and influence (position) and show how each leads to markedly different patterns of conflict escalation. They argue that rivals are more likely to engage in international conflict with their antagonists than non-rival pairs of states and conclude with an assessment of whether we can expect democratic peace, economic development and economic interdependence to constrain rivalry-induced conflict.

Great Strategic Rivalries

Great Strategic Rivalries

Author: James Lacey

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016-10-11

Total Pages: 681

ISBN-13: 019062048X

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From the legendary antagonism between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War to the Napoleonic Wars and the two World Wars of the twentieth century, the past is littered with long-term strategic rivalries. History tells us that such enduring rivalries can end in one of three ways: a series of exhausting conflicts in which one side eventually prevails, as in the case of the Punic Wars between ancient Rome and Carthage, a peaceful and hopefully orderly transition, like the rivalry between Great Britain and the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, or a one-sided collapse, such as the conclusion of the Cold War with the fall of the Soviet Union. However, in spite of a wealth of historical examples, the future of state rivalries remains a matter of conjecture. Great Strategic Rivalries explores the causes and implications of past strategic rivalries, revealing lessons for the current geopolitical landscape. Each chapter offers an accessible narrative of a historically significant rivalry, comprehensively covering the political, diplomatic, economic, and military dimensions of its history. Featuring original essays by world-class historians--including Barry Strauss, Geoffrey Parker, Williamson Murray, and Geoffrey Wawro--this collection provides an in-depth look at how interstate relations develop into often violent rivalries and how these are ultimately resolved. Much more than an engaging history, Great Strategic Rivalries contains valuable insight into current conflicts around the globe for policymakers and policy watchers alike.


Book Synopsis Great Strategic Rivalries by : James Lacey

Download or read book Great Strategic Rivalries written by James Lacey and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-11 with total page 681 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the legendary antagonism between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War to the Napoleonic Wars and the two World Wars of the twentieth century, the past is littered with long-term strategic rivalries. History tells us that such enduring rivalries can end in one of three ways: a series of exhausting conflicts in which one side eventually prevails, as in the case of the Punic Wars between ancient Rome and Carthage, a peaceful and hopefully orderly transition, like the rivalry between Great Britain and the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, or a one-sided collapse, such as the conclusion of the Cold War with the fall of the Soviet Union. However, in spite of a wealth of historical examples, the future of state rivalries remains a matter of conjecture. Great Strategic Rivalries explores the causes and implications of past strategic rivalries, revealing lessons for the current geopolitical landscape. Each chapter offers an accessible narrative of a historically significant rivalry, comprehensively covering the political, diplomatic, economic, and military dimensions of its history. Featuring original essays by world-class historians--including Barry Strauss, Geoffrey Parker, Williamson Murray, and Geoffrey Wawro--this collection provides an in-depth look at how interstate relations develop into often violent rivalries and how these are ultimately resolved. Much more than an engaging history, Great Strategic Rivalries contains valuable insight into current conflicts around the globe for policymakers and policy watchers alike.

War and Peace in International Rivalry

War and Peace in International Rivalry

Author: Paul Diehl

Publisher: University of Michigan Press

Published: 2001-10-22

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9780472088485

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How do enduring rivalries between states affect international relations?


Book Synopsis War and Peace in International Rivalry by : Paul Diehl

Download or read book War and Peace in International Rivalry written by Paul Diehl and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2001-10-22 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do enduring rivalries between states affect international relations?

Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa

Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa

Author: Imad Mansour

Publisher: Georgetown University Press

Published: 2020-06-01

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1626167680

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Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa is the first book to examine issue-driven antagonisms within groups of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) states and their impact on relations within the region. The volume also considers how shock events, such as internal revolts and regional wars, can alter interstate tensions and the trajectory of conflict. MENA has experienced more internal rivalries than any other region, making a detailed analysis vital to understanding the region’s complex political, cultural, and economic history. The state groupings studied in this volume include Israel and Iran; Iran and Saudi Arabia; Iran and Turkey; Iran, Iraq, and Syria; Egypt and Saudi Arabia; and Algeria and Morocco. Essays are theoretically driven, breaking the MENA region down into a collection of systems that exemplify how state and nonstate actors interact around certain issues. Through this approach, contributors shed rare light on the origins, persistence, escalation, and resolution of MENA rivalries and trace significant patterns of regional change. Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa makes a major contribution to scholarship on MENA antagonisms. It not only addresses an understudied phenomenon in the international relations of the MENA region, it also expands our knowledge of rivalry dynamics in global politics.


Book Synopsis Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa by : Imad Mansour

Download or read book Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa written by Imad Mansour and published by Georgetown University Press. This book was released on 2020-06-01 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa is the first book to examine issue-driven antagonisms within groups of Middle East and North Africa (MENA) states and their impact on relations within the region. The volume also considers how shock events, such as internal revolts and regional wars, can alter interstate tensions and the trajectory of conflict. MENA has experienced more internal rivalries than any other region, making a detailed analysis vital to understanding the region’s complex political, cultural, and economic history. The state groupings studied in this volume include Israel and Iran; Iran and Saudi Arabia; Iran and Turkey; Iran, Iraq, and Syria; Egypt and Saudi Arabia; and Algeria and Morocco. Essays are theoretically driven, breaking the MENA region down into a collection of systems that exemplify how state and nonstate actors interact around certain issues. Through this approach, contributors shed rare light on the origins, persistence, escalation, and resolution of MENA rivalries and trace significant patterns of regional change. Shocks and Rivalries in the Middle East and North Africa makes a major contribution to scholarship on MENA antagonisms. It not only addresses an understudied phenomenon in the international relations of the MENA region, it also expands our knowledge of rivalry dynamics in global politics.

Turmoil and Order in Regional International Politics

Turmoil and Order in Regional International Politics

Author: William R. Thompson

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-04-10

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9819905575

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This edited book complements and follows up on the book, Thompson and Volgy et al, Regions, Power and Conflict: Constrained Capabilities, Hierarchy, and Rivalry. It is predicated in part on the paucity of published material available on comparing regional international politics. Monadic, dyadic, and systemic approaches all have their uses and have been exploited extensively. The same cannot be said about comparative regional analysis. The premise is that a great deal of international politics takes place within regional parameters. Most states simply lack the capability or interest in devoting many resources to extra-regional affairs. Yet each region is distinctive. In some, military coups remain common while they have died out as a form of political practice in others. A few have been highly conflictual and then become more pacific, while others persist in their conflict intensity. Some have powerful neighbors with intervention tendencies, while others are surrounded by relatively weak states. Some are rich; others are poor. The point is that regions, all with proper names, have attributes that can be harnessed through comparison to explain why regional behavior differs greatly across the planet. The aim is to replace the proper names with the leading variables that appear to drive behavior. For instance, to shrug and say “that’s the Middle East for you” does not take us very far. Replacing the Middle East label with conceptualization about how a set of small, weak, autocratic states behave subject to high penetration by major powers might take us farther than shrugging off regional identity. We have good reasons to think that comparative regional analysis can deliver an explanatory value-added product just as much as alternative “levels of analysis” can. Ultimately, we might desire to integrate separate levels of analysis, rather than segregating them. But in the short term, we need to encourage comparative regional analysis because it is the least developed perspective. Why that might be the case can be debated, but it stems in part from our disciplinary tendencies for some analysts to specialize in regional behavior largely in a descriptive vein while others prefer to focus on explaining universal behavior. Comparative regional behavior tends to be squeezed out by regional scholars who suspect generalization about behavior and universal scholars who suspect particular contexts such as regions. Comparative regional analysis requires analysts who are willing to explore generalization but acknowledge regional contexts more explicitly than is customary. At the same time, more general substitutes for those regional labels must be introduced if explanatory headway is to be achieved.


Book Synopsis Turmoil and Order in Regional International Politics by : William R. Thompson

Download or read book Turmoil and Order in Regional International Politics written by William R. Thompson and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-04-10 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited book complements and follows up on the book, Thompson and Volgy et al, Regions, Power and Conflict: Constrained Capabilities, Hierarchy, and Rivalry. It is predicated in part on the paucity of published material available on comparing regional international politics. Monadic, dyadic, and systemic approaches all have their uses and have been exploited extensively. The same cannot be said about comparative regional analysis. The premise is that a great deal of international politics takes place within regional parameters. Most states simply lack the capability or interest in devoting many resources to extra-regional affairs. Yet each region is distinctive. In some, military coups remain common while they have died out as a form of political practice in others. A few have been highly conflictual and then become more pacific, while others persist in their conflict intensity. Some have powerful neighbors with intervention tendencies, while others are surrounded by relatively weak states. Some are rich; others are poor. The point is that regions, all with proper names, have attributes that can be harnessed through comparison to explain why regional behavior differs greatly across the planet. The aim is to replace the proper names with the leading variables that appear to drive behavior. For instance, to shrug and say “that’s the Middle East for you” does not take us very far. Replacing the Middle East label with conceptualization about how a set of small, weak, autocratic states behave subject to high penetration by major powers might take us farther than shrugging off regional identity. We have good reasons to think that comparative regional analysis can deliver an explanatory value-added product just as much as alternative “levels of analysis” can. Ultimately, we might desire to integrate separate levels of analysis, rather than segregating them. But in the short term, we need to encourage comparative regional analysis because it is the least developed perspective. Why that might be the case can be debated, but it stems in part from our disciplinary tendencies for some analysts to specialize in regional behavior largely in a descriptive vein while others prefer to focus on explaining universal behavior. Comparative regional behavior tends to be squeezed out by regional scholars who suspect generalization about behavior and universal scholars who suspect particular contexts such as regions. Comparative regional analysis requires analysts who are willing to explore generalization but acknowledge regional contexts more explicitly than is customary. At the same time, more general substitutes for those regional labels must be introduced if explanatory headway is to be achieved.

The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries

The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries

Author: Paul Francis Diehl

Publisher: University of Illinois Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 9780252066733

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It's hard to think of Israel without also remembering the country's long-standing problems with its Arab neighbors. Similarly, India and Pakistan have long been less than cordial to each other. The concept of enduring rivalries and conflicts tantamount to militarized competition between two states is rapidly emerging as a subject of research in international relations. The nine contributors to The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries place the concept in its empirical and theoretical context, exploring how such rivalries arise, what influences their development, and when and how they may escalate to war.


Book Synopsis The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries by : Paul Francis Diehl

Download or read book The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries written by Paul Francis Diehl and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It's hard to think of Israel without also remembering the country's long-standing problems with its Arab neighbors. Similarly, India and Pakistan have long been less than cordial to each other. The concept of enduring rivalries and conflicts tantamount to militarized competition between two states is rapidly emerging as a subject of research in international relations. The nine contributors to The Dynamics of Enduring Rivalries place the concept in its empirical and theoretical context, exploring how such rivalries arise, what influences their development, and when and how they may escalate to war.

The Sino-Indian Rivalry

The Sino-Indian Rivalry

Author: Šumit Ganguly

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2023-06-30

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 1009193538

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Draws on theoretical literature on international rivalries to explain the origins and evolution of the Sino-Indian rivalry.


Book Synopsis The Sino-Indian Rivalry by : Šumit Ganguly

Download or read book The Sino-Indian Rivalry written by Šumit Ganguly and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2023-06-30 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Draws on theoretical literature on international rivalries to explain the origins and evolution of the Sino-Indian rivalry.

The Politics of Peace

The Politics of Peace

Author: Christopher Oren Clary

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 540

ISBN-13:

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Why do states that consider one another enemies opt to pursue cooperation instead of continue conflict? When do states replace military competition with normal interstate politics? This dissertation proposes and tests a new theory to explain the emergence of peace between rivals. It finds that economic crises create incentives for national leaders to pursue conciliatory behavior toward strategic rivals, but these incentives are disrupted when leaders face veto players within their government. Economic urgency motivates leaders to consider new policies, compelling them to focus their attention on revising rather than merely sustaining core elements of their state's grand strategy. Economic necessity is insufficient, however, since the presence of competing power centers within a government raises the political cost of pursuing new policies. Even when leaders perceive peace to be in the national interest, they are unlikely to be able to transform relations with a rival so long as internal veto players exist. Only when both economic need and political capability are present is rivalry termination possible. To test this theory, this dissertation utilizes a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. It employs process tracing and congruence procedure in detailed studies of the history of four cases: the U.S.-Soviet rivalry from 1964 to 1989, the Sino-Soviet rivalry from 1958 to 1989, the Sino-U.S. rivalry from 1958 to 1972, and the Indo-Pakistani rivalry from 1947-1999. These cases provide substantial within- and across-case variation in the variables important for domestic primacy theory, as well as variation associated with potential alternative explanations that might confound hypothesis testing if excluded from the analysis. These historical accounts are supplemented with quantitative data on the universe of over 100 strategic rivalries since World War II, 67 of which have terminated. Using this data, I demonstrate that rivalries are more than three times as likely to end when conditions are favorable according to domestic primacy theory than they are when conditions are unfavorable.


Book Synopsis The Politics of Peace by : Christopher Oren Clary

Download or read book The Politics of Peace written by Christopher Oren Clary and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 540 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do states that consider one another enemies opt to pursue cooperation instead of continue conflict? When do states replace military competition with normal interstate politics? This dissertation proposes and tests a new theory to explain the emergence of peace between rivals. It finds that economic crises create incentives for national leaders to pursue conciliatory behavior toward strategic rivals, but these incentives are disrupted when leaders face veto players within their government. Economic urgency motivates leaders to consider new policies, compelling them to focus their attention on revising rather than merely sustaining core elements of their state's grand strategy. Economic necessity is insufficient, however, since the presence of competing power centers within a government raises the political cost of pursuing new policies. Even when leaders perceive peace to be in the national interest, they are unlikely to be able to transform relations with a rival so long as internal veto players exist. Only when both economic need and political capability are present is rivalry termination possible. To test this theory, this dissertation utilizes a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. It employs process tracing and congruence procedure in detailed studies of the history of four cases: the U.S.-Soviet rivalry from 1964 to 1989, the Sino-Soviet rivalry from 1958 to 1989, the Sino-U.S. rivalry from 1958 to 1972, and the Indo-Pakistani rivalry from 1947-1999. These cases provide substantial within- and across-case variation in the variables important for domestic primacy theory, as well as variation associated with potential alternative explanations that might confound hypothesis testing if excluded from the analysis. These historical accounts are supplemented with quantitative data on the universe of over 100 strategic rivalries since World War II, 67 of which have terminated. Using this data, I demonstrate that rivalries are more than three times as likely to end when conditions are favorable according to domestic primacy theory than they are when conditions are unfavorable.

Reconsidering the East Asian Peace

Reconsidering the East Asian Peace

Author: William R. Thompson

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2024-08-01

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 1040099750

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This volume re-examines the notion of the East Asian peace, arguing that it requires updating for the current and near-future context of US-Chinese rivalry. The “East Asian peace” refers to the remarkable change in conflict levels in eastern Eurasia over the past 80 years or even the past 130 years or so. Prior to the late 1970s, East Asia was regarded as the most conflictual region on the planet. Although insurgencies have continued in places such as Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, after the 1980s East and Southeast Asia became one of the world’s least conflictual regions. Geopolitics and economic development worked hand in hand to reduce conflict in the region and, in this respect, the East Asian peace has been a confluential peace. The general problem with a confluential peace is that the factors that shape it evolve over time, and the specific circumstances in question seem to be evolving in a different direction, with East Asia shaping up to be the most central locale of the contest between US and Chinese hegemony, both regionally and perhaps globally. This book argues that the idea of the East Asian peace now requires adjustment to the current and near-future context. The more general arguments presented here focus on alternative interpretations of how regional peace and order should be interpreted, while the more specific arguments involve interpretations of Chinese and other countries’ behavior in the context of the heightened rivalry between China and the United States. This book will be of much interest to students of East Asian politics, peace studies, foreign policy, and international relations.


Book Synopsis Reconsidering the East Asian Peace by : William R. Thompson

Download or read book Reconsidering the East Asian Peace written by William R. Thompson and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2024-08-01 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume re-examines the notion of the East Asian peace, arguing that it requires updating for the current and near-future context of US-Chinese rivalry. The “East Asian peace” refers to the remarkable change in conflict levels in eastern Eurasia over the past 80 years or even the past 130 years or so. Prior to the late 1970s, East Asia was regarded as the most conflictual region on the planet. Although insurgencies have continued in places such as Myanmar, Thailand, and the Philippines, after the 1980s East and Southeast Asia became one of the world’s least conflictual regions. Geopolitics and economic development worked hand in hand to reduce conflict in the region and, in this respect, the East Asian peace has been a confluential peace. The general problem with a confluential peace is that the factors that shape it evolve over time, and the specific circumstances in question seem to be evolving in a different direction, with East Asia shaping up to be the most central locale of the contest between US and Chinese hegemony, both regionally and perhaps globally. This book argues that the idea of the East Asian peace now requires adjustment to the current and near-future context. The more general arguments presented here focus on alternative interpretations of how regional peace and order should be interpreted, while the more specific arguments involve interpretations of Chinese and other countries’ behavior in the context of the heightened rivalry between China and the United States. This book will be of much interest to students of East Asian politics, peace studies, foreign policy, and international relations.