An informative and engaging survey of the transitional state of contemporary global politics, this book engages readers in critical thinking about some of the most profound empirical and normative questions of our time—particularly how people will be organized politically and will govern their affairs in the 21st century—as it helps to make sense of today's complex, contradictory, and paradoxical trends; suggests how we might best conceptualize world politics in the early 21st century; and reflects on what the future may hold. Offers a compact study of international politics— focusing on a choice number of megatrends (i.e., globalization), and examining many important aspects of international relations (i.e., the politics of problem-solving in security, economic, and environmental issue areas; the growing diffusion of power; the growing fluidity of geo-political alignments; the ever expanding agenda of newly salient issues facing national government; and the growing importance of multinational corporations, nongovernmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, and other nonstate actors which are increasingly competing with states in shaping outcomes in world politics). Discusses sophisticated theories and concepts (such as the "paradigm debate" in international relations between realist/neorealist, liberal/neoliberal, and other schools); includes endnotes containing numerous citations of various works drawn on by the author. Includes many case studies and examples. For those in the international relations and political science fields, and for anyone concerned about the future of humankind. Read Less