Ok, I haven't blogged in awhile, been real busy trying to remodel a room at the house, teach four classes and a lab session each week, and keep up with reading. Hey that's what I am blogging about now, reading, or reading and watching, what should people interested in political science, particularly international relations, read and watch. I am spurred to this effort by the work of Stephen Saideman and a piece at Ducks of Minerva. I have some overlap with both of these lists, and, of course Steve may not like it that I say you should read more realism, but hey, this is my two cents.
Mancur Olson, The Logic of Collective Action, I re-read it every few years. Why does the largest group not always win?
Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, one very cogent way to think about the puzzle that is our world is simply to realize that our world is a puzzle. Charity toward our fellow man, population, state, should teach us that we may not understand what is meant by words and actions that others take and often we have created bias that informs our understanding in a bad way.
Robert Gilpin, War and Change in World Politics, realism from a political economic perspective that also teaches us that while Marx is dead, and communism pretty much sucks, that Marx did understand a few things about perspective that can be applied to understanding competition for power and security.
John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, thoughtful, and easy to read. Wow, why can't everyone make interesting material approachable. And, yes, great power behavior is tragic.
Stephen Walt, The Origin of Alliances, why do we make friends, why do we take sides? I happen to agree with Walt, threat matters more than ideology.
Hugo Slim, Killing Civilians, one of the hardest to read (because of the content, no problems with style) books I ever picked up. Immensely valuable material, particularly for the sheltered in our midst, that I suggest everyone read in any class on warfare of any type.
Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics, a difficult read, but a must if you really want to understand constructivist viewpoints regarding international relations.
Brigitte Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, I would not normally recommend a textbook, but this one is useful and practical for understanding various ways of discussing, defining, and generally understanding terrorism.
Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State, and War, quoting from Ducks of Minerva, "Most successfuls comps outline in the history of academia," which sums up this book nicely.
St. Augustine The City of God and Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica, both need to be read, particularly if you want to really understand just war theory.
What to watch, I have to agree here with Steve, watch classic Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. I also recommend watching Breaker Morant and Lord of War for various reasons related to human behavior in wartime and human insanity in general.
Mancur Olson, The Logic of Collective Action, I re-read it every few years. Why does the largest group not always win?
Robert Jervis, Perception and Misperception in International Politics, one very cogent way to think about the puzzle that is our world is simply to realize that our world is a puzzle. Charity toward our fellow man, population, state, should teach us that we may not understand what is meant by words and actions that others take and often we have created bias that informs our understanding in a bad way.
Robert Gilpin, War and Change in World Politics, realism from a political economic perspective that also teaches us that while Marx is dead, and communism pretty much sucks, that Marx did understand a few things about perspective that can be applied to understanding competition for power and security.
John Mearsheimer, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, thoughtful, and easy to read. Wow, why can't everyone make interesting material approachable. And, yes, great power behavior is tragic.
Stephen Walt, The Origin of Alliances, why do we make friends, why do we take sides? I happen to agree with Walt, threat matters more than ideology.
Hugo Slim, Killing Civilians, one of the hardest to read (because of the content, no problems with style) books I ever picked up. Immensely valuable material, particularly for the sheltered in our midst, that I suggest everyone read in any class on warfare of any type.
Alexander Wendt, Social Theory of International Politics, a difficult read, but a must if you really want to understand constructivist viewpoints regarding international relations.
Brigitte Nacos, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, I would not normally recommend a textbook, but this one is useful and practical for understanding various ways of discussing, defining, and generally understanding terrorism.
Kenneth Waltz, Man, the State, and War, quoting from Ducks of Minerva, "Most successfuls comps outline in the history of academia," which sums up this book nicely.
St. Augustine The City of God and Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica, both need to be read, particularly if you want to really understand just war theory.
What to watch, I have to agree here with Steve, watch classic Star Trek and Battlestar Galactica. I also recommend watching Breaker Morant and Lord of War for various reasons related to human behavior in wartime and human insanity in general.
