33 Books That Every International Studies Student Should Read
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Attempting to create a concise, foundational reading list for fellow students of international studies is a daunting task. In fact, I’d argue that it’s just as difficult as creating a list for any other interdisciplinary field of study that attempts to bridge the gap between data analysis, STEM fields, sociological theory, and a wide breadth of one-off case studies that attempt to explain human behavior in absolute terms. With content dating back to Thucydides, we’re confronted with thousands of world-renowned scholars and standalone works of note. This list tries to narrow that body of information to 33 books which have undoubtedly shaped the field over the past five millennia — reaching back to the Bronze Age times of warring Sumerian city-states and our earliest tangible examples of diplomacy. By no means is this the be-all and end-all of IR book lists, but I personally consider these reads to have significantly impacted my own interpretation of international affairs and the political history that has shaped our world today.
1. Man, the State, and War (1959); Kenneth N. Waltz
Kenneth N. Waltz — a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War — was [controversially] one of the most influential scholars in the modern field of international relations theory. In Man, the State, and War (1959), Waltz employs his famous “images of analysis” method to categorize the causes of war into three levels of varying complexity, as he examines the role of individuals, sovereign states, and the anarchic system while observing patterns of conflict throughout history.
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2. Theory of International Politics (1979); Kenneth N. Waltz
It would be a disservice to Waltz’s impact on international studies not to include Theory of International Politics (1979). Twenty years after Man, the State, and War (1959), Waltz puts pen to paper and develops and entirely new school of international relations theory: neorealism. By incorporating neoclassical economics into his works, Waltz attempts to add structure to a state system fraught with anarchy. Developing the baseline for international relations theory since 1979, and laying the groundwork for foreign policy in practice, Theory of International Politics became one of the most important works of political science in the 20th century.
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3. The Best and the Brightest (1972); David Halberstam
In The Best and the Brightest (1972), journalist David Halberstam teaches us about the disastrous consequences of arrogant, short-sighted foreign policy through the example of the Vietnam War. By criticizing the absurd policies crafted by intellectuals and politicians in the Kennedy administration, Halberstam documents the dangerous effects of international affairs “without any common sense.” The Best and the Brightest (1972) serves as a sobering reminder to practitioners that foreign policy is only effective when well-researched and well-planned.
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4. The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001); John J. Mearsheimer
University of Chicago professor and graduate of the United States Military Academy, John J. Mearsheimer has been writing on international relations theory since the early 1980’s. In The Tragedy of Great Power Politics (2001), Mearsheimer crafts a new subsection of realist thinking: offensive realism. Mearsheimer acknowledges that humanity may never experience an era of peace between great powers, therefore he attempts to justify their struggle for dominance through understanding the need to maximize offensive capabilities and project power.
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5. Why the West Rules — For Now: The Patterns of History, and What They Reveal About the Future (2010); Ian M. Morris
Although a work of history and not technically international studies, it would be foolish to disregard the contentions made in Why the West Rules — For Now (2010). By comparing the Western and Eastern worlds, historian Ian M. Morris argues that the defining factors behind the West’s global dominance are luck and physical geography, instead of religion, culture, genetics, or politics. He argues that the West’s ability to wage war, colonize, rapidly industrialize, and develop scientific/technological breakthroughs is the result of our historical geography and formerly abundant, exploitable resources.
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6. Nations and Nationalism (1983); Ernest Gellner
In Nations and Nationalism (1983), Ernest Gellner expands upon his theory of nationalism first developed in Thought and Change (1964). Gellner characterizes “nationalism” as a system of beliefs in which the political unit and the national, patriotic unit of a state operate in a singular sphere. Gellner attributes nationalism’s rise to the advent of modernity, resulting in movements towards cultural homogeneity, linguistic standardization, and so forth. Definitely an important read to understand issues facing the West in 2020.
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7. Perception and Misperception in International Politics (1976); Robert Jervis
Through the application of cognitive psychology to international relations, Robert Jervis examines patterns in the political decision-making process when actors are confronted with time constraints, stress, and cognitive bias. Jervis believes, by analyzing past successes/failures in foreign policy making, individuals can implement better policy by learning from past leaders’ mistakes. If we can understand history, we won’t be doomed to repeat it.
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8. Politics Among Nations: The Struggle for Power and Peace (1948); Hans Morgenthau
Hans Morgenthau, the father of political realism, established his school of thought as the driving force behind international politics in Politics Among Nations (1949). As states fight to maximize power in an anarchical system, Morgenthau outlines the qualities that drive these states into fierce competition. Hans Morgenthau’s legacy is one of paramount importance, as his landmark contributions to the study of international politics and international law shaped U.S. foreign policy throughout the Cold War. Morgenthau avoids subjective topics like ideology and motive, but rather creates an objective framework applicable to any state in history.
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9. Bureaucratic Politics and Foreign Policy (2006); Morton Halperin
In Bureaucratic Politics and Foreign Policy (2006), Morton Halperin examines the role of the federal bureaucracy in the decision-making process. Halperin gives us insight into how foreign policy is actually crafted in the United States by analyzing the contributions from Congress, military officers, political appointees, academic advisors, statesmen, and so forth. It’s important to understand that foreign policy is not developed unilaterally, but is rather the result of multiple, often bickering actors coming to a conclusion. The internal mechanisms and institutions that craft U.S. foreign policy can sometimes be at odds with each other, and Halperin helps makes sense of it all.
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10. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies (1997); Jared Diamond
Similar to historian Ian M. Morris, Jared Diamond attempts to explain Eurasian hegemony in Guns, Germs, and Steel (1997), and how environmental factors and a series of positive feedback loops have led to the West’s dominance. Diamond argues that physical geography has afforded the West opportunities unlike any other region of the world, allowing the West to rapidly undergo cultural enrichment and scientific advancement. With a historical narrative dating back 13,000 years, Jared Diamond examines Eurasia’s movement towards agrarianism. This swift transition from a nomadic lifestyle to sedentary civilization allowed for the establishment of city-states, population explosions, individual specialization, and the ability to easily facilitate trade.
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11. The Anarchical Society: A Study of Order in World Politics (1977); Hedley Bull
The Anarchical Society (1977) is known for many contributions to international studies — with “new medievalism” and the establishment of the English school of international relations — to name a few. Hedley Bull attempts to imagine alternatives to the state system while simultaneously documenting the erosion of sovereignty in the face of globalization. Bull argues that external actors, such as transnational institutions, religious institutions, entire cultures, multinational corporations, etc., are encroaching on the territories ruled by sovereign states, and that states are slowly losing the right to rule within their own borders.
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12. Orientalism (1978); Edward W. Said
In Orientalism (1978), Edward W. Said changes our perspective with regards to “the East.” Said argues that the West’s patronizing, fictional, and arrogant depictions of peoples inhabiting Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are a result of centuries of imperialism. Said believes that the West’s misunderstanding of Eastern societies only reinforces further conflict while attempting to reinforce Western dominance over the peoples they once conquered. This is an imperative primer for post-structuralism and its influence in international relations, as well as an introduction to better understand how Eastern, high context societies operate in comparison to the West.
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13. The Twenty Years’ Crisis, 1919–1939: An Introduction to the Study of International Relations (1939); E. H. Carr
An essential reading for students of international relations, as well as anyone interested in classical realism, The Twenty Years’ Crisis (1939) is an account of international instability in the post-World War I era. E. H. Carr documents the radical changes in international politics between 1919 and 1939, following the establishment of the League of Nations and subsequent collapse of empires worldwide. As states radicalized in search for a utopian governmental structure, revolution and economic collapse plagued the West and eventually led to the bloodiest conflict in human history: World War II.
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14. The Coming Anarchy: Shattering the Dreams of the Post Cold War (2000); Robert D. Kaplan
A collection of essays by Robert D. Kaplan, The Coming Anarchy (2000) describes a chaotic world following the collapse of the Soviet Union and seemingly peaceful immediate aftermath. Tribal warfare and genocide plagues Africa, religious conflict erupts in the Middle East, volatile democracies go to war in Southern Europe, global inequality gaps continue to increase, and so forth. Kaplan creates a chilling account of a world beaten by violence and disease following the end of one of the most intense geopolitical rivalries in history. The idealistic world the West envisioned following the Cold War turned out to be not-so-idealistic, and now we’re feeling the consequences.
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15. The End of History and the Last Man (1992); Francis Fukuyama
One of the most controversial titles on this list, The End of History (1992) by Francis Fukuyama contends that Western liberal democracy in a post-Cold War world could possibly be the end of human sociocultural evolution. As autocratic nations worldwide slowly embrace democracy, the competition between democracy and authoritarianism comes to an end. In direct contradiction with Karl Marx, Fukuyama believes that capitalism and democracy will displace communism, instead of the other way around. The End of History (1992) has sparked debates amongst international relations scholars since its release, with most of the debates still ongoing.
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16. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order (1996); Samuel P. Huntington
Written in response to Francis Fukuyama’s The End of History (1992), The Clash of Civilizations (1996) is, without a doubt, the most controversial and debated book on this list. Samuel P. Huntington argues that conflict in a post-Cold War world won’t come from warring democracies and autocracies, but rather conflict will be rooted in identity politics. Huntington divides the world into “major civilizations” that are segregated on cultural lines, including the West, the East, Latin America, the Muslim world, the Orthodox world, Sub-Saharan Africa, and so on. These civilizations are divided mostly on ethno-religious grounds, such as the “Western Christian” civilization and the “Hindu” civilization. Huntington argues that, since governmental style is no longer the cause of conflict, identity and personal background will fuel violence in a world post-1991.
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17. After Hegemony: Cooperation and Discord in the World Political Economy (1984); Robert O. Keohane
After Hegemony (1984) is considered by many to be the leading text in American neoliberalism and institutionalism. Keohane examines cooperation between capitalist societies following World War II through the establishment of what he calls “international regimes.” As American hegemony disappeared in the Cold War era and the world became bipolar, the U.S. relied on various institutions, allies, and non-governmental actors to combat the threat of the Soviet Union and the encroachment of far-left politics. After Hegemony (1984) looks at decentralized Cold War alliances and attempts to predict future cooperation in the coming decades.
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18. Neorealism and Its Critics (1989); Robert O. Keohane
A collection of essays compiled and edited by Robert O. Keohane as a response to Kenneth Waltz’s Theory of International Politics (1979), Neorealism and Its Critics (1989) is a loosely structured debate of neoliberal and neorealist thinkers surrounding points made in Waltz’s body of work. Keohane works to contextualize neorealism in history, pointing-out its mishaps and successes along the way. Neorealism and Its Critics (1989) is structured as a commentary on the current state of international relations scholarship and where the major schools of thought will move in the future.
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19. History of the Peloponnesian War (c.423–401 BCE); Thucydides
Thucydides is the undisputed father of modern historiography and widely considered to be the first scholar of classical realism. The battle between Athens and Sparta, and their allied city-states, is possibly the first well-documented account of war and diplomacy. Although excerpts from the History of the Peloponnesian War (c. 423 BCE), like the Melian Dialogue, are commonly found in introductory courses to international studies, the full text grants a greater understanding of ancient warfare than any excerpts could ever provide. Thucydides also details early examples of classical realism in practice, a school of thought that wouldn’t be standardized and popularized until Hans Morgenthau.
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20. Turbulence in World Politics (1990); James N. Rosenau
As a work of constructivism, James N. Rosenau attempts to re-conceptualize international relations theory though the eyes of individuals and communities. Rosenau finds that realism and liberalism are inadequate for explaining turmoil in the Third World post-World War II, so he therefore goes into the field to understand how social shifts and cultural movements impact the global mindset. By classifying the world as a multi-polar, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural entity, Rosenau breaks down the various identities that shaped the geopolitical era between 1945 and 1990.
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21. The Art of War (c. 5th c. BCE); Sun Tzu
Still used today by the CIA, Marine Corps, U.S. Army, NFL teams, and businesses alike, The Art of War (c. 500 BCE) is one of the most impactful works of military strategy in history. Even in 2020, armies worldwide swear upon The Art of War (c. 500 BCE) as a foundational text of military tactics that’s still useful today. The Vietcong used to recite lines before battle, the 6th President of Finland, Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim, used its teachings to fight effectively in the Russo-Japanese War, the Finnish Civil War, and World War II, and The Art of War (c. 500 BCE) still remains a required reading for Japanese military officers. The importance of this work cannot be stressed enough for those studying international relations.
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22. Social Theory of International Politics (1999); Alexander Wendt
Drawing from key teachings in sociology, social psychology, and anthropology, Alexander Wendt promotes a constructivist way of thinking in Social Theory of International Politics (1999) by arguing that state behaviour can be explained through examining the shared norms and values amongst individuals within that state. Wendt believes that, just because the state system is anarchical, states aren’t inherently required to constantly act egotistically and in their own self-interest. Wendt rejects materialism in the political decision-making process and attempts to understand policy as the result of values.
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23. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty (2012); Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson
By applying the teachings of institutional economics, developmental theory, game theory, history, and human geography, Acemoğlu and Robinson attempt to understand why some states successfully industrialize and become prosperous, whereas some fail miserably. All in all, they argue that successful states “inclusively” combine each governing aspect of a society, such as economic institutions, bureaucratic institutions, religious institutions, etc., and allow these institutions to naturally blend. It’s often the ignorance of leaders and their bureaucracy that contribute to a state’s failure, but Acemoğlu and Robinson search for other reasons to complement failed politics.
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24. Arms and Influence (1966); Thomas C. Schelling
In Arms and Influence (1966), Thomas C. Schelling argues that the “diplomacy of violence,” the threat of war and destruction of humanity in a nuclear era, is more influential than war itself. By drawing upon examples such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the bombing campaigns in Vietnam, the Berlin Crisis, etc., Schelling describes the United States’ threat of direct violence as a bargaining ability used by great powers to intimidate the enemy. Arms and Influence (1966) has been influential in cultivating the schools of both offensive and defensive realism, as well as simplifying concepts like mutually assured destruction (MAD).
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25. Vom Kriege (1816–1830); Carl von Clausewitz
On War (1830) in English, this lengthy manuscript remains one of the most influential, yet controversial writings on military strategy. Carl von Clausewitz, a Prussian general known for his role in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, take a philosophical approach to war instead of outlining concrete tactics. Clausewitz believed that war is not governed by a standard set of universal principles, but it has exhibited certain universal qualities and patterns throughout history. By critically analyzing war, Clausewitz creates a dialectical system to develop important concepts such as the “fog of war,” the “centers of gravity,” the “balance of power,” and so on.
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26. Economic Statecraft (1985); David A. Baldwin
Acting as a realist, David A. Baldwin justifies the usage of economic sanctions and economic intimidation in Economic Statecraft (1985). As an alternative to hard power, Baldwin believes that using economic power could be a method of avoiding conflict altogether. Baldwin views the “free market” as an instrument of political institutions ready to be abused, and that through manipulating the market as an offensive tool, states can achieve their goals through non-violent means.
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27. Il Principe (1532); Niccolò Machiavelli
Very few philosophers have had an impact on Western politics like Niccolò Machiavelli. In The Prince (1532), Machiavelli attempts to justify immoral actions on behalf of statesmen as a “means to an end” in accomplishing narcissistic goals. Machiavelli documents the ways in which leaders amass wealth, honor, power, and fame. The Prince (1532) is a classic text in modern Western politics, and students of international relations need to understand its role in describing the motivations of actors in the political process. Without individuals heading states, no one would be that the helm to guide states towards maximizing their power.
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28. Globalization and Its Discontents (2002); Joseph E. Stiglitz
Nobel laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz takes the IMF and World Bank head-on in Globalization and Its Discontents (2002) by refuting the neoliberal, neoclassical, “Western consensus” on economic policy that led to disastrous consequences in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Stiglitz finds no proof to back a neoliberal market structure, and discovers that discourses on “laissez-faire” economics are just a combination of political nonsense and bad science. He finds that economic policies implemented by major Western states and transnational institutions are more constrictive than liberating, ultimately leading to more problems than solutions.
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29. Diplomacy (1994); Henry Kissinger
Diplomacy (1994), written by the one of the most controversial figures in the past century of U.S. policymaking, is a lengthy history of realist policy in practice during the 1900’s. Diplomacy (1994) focuses on the balance of power between imperial states prior to World War I, it critiques liberal concepts such as collective security and self-determination, it examines the development of the Soviet Union’s sphere of influence post-World War II, and much more. Everything from the League of Nations to the fall of the Berlin Wall is covered by Kissinger in a little over 900 pages. Definitely a read for the historical perspective, let alone for the author himself.
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30. Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics (2004); Joseph Nye
“Soft power,” a term coined by Joseph Nye in the mid-1980’s, describes a state’s ability persuade. Soft power, opposite of hard power, relies on non-violent tactics to win over allies and enemies alike. Joseph Nye developed this concept in response to the neoconservative movement’s focus on using the United States’ military to solve our problems. Nye believes that the only way to succeed against non-state enemies in a post-Cold War world is through persuasion and non-violent acts, whereas hard power only provokes more retaliation.
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31. Crusaders and Pragmatists: Movers of Modern American Foreign Policy (1979); John G. Stoessinger
A different approach to understanding international relations, Stoessinger examines “great men” and their influence over statecraft. While realism traditionally teaches that leaders are irrelevant in the state system and liberalism argues for an institutional approach, Stoessinger argues that many great U.S. foreign policy decisions were the result of one man working unilaterally. From Woodrow Wilson to Jimmy Carter, many pivotal decisions in U.S. history were the result of individuals instead of the “invisible hand” of the anarchical system.
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32. The Israel Lobby & U.S. Foreign Policy (2007); Stephen M. Walt & John J. Mearsheimer
The Israel Lobby (2007) is a work documenting the faults of lobbying in the decision-making process. Walt and Mearsheimer identify a “lobby” of individuals, institutions, and businesses operating in the United States that are consistently working to push U.S. policy in a pro-Israel direction. However, unbeknownst to the lobby itself, their actions and consequential U.S. policies in the Middle East is both detrimental to Israel’s interests as well as U.S. interests. The Israel Lobby (2007) is an example of how non-governmental actors can get involved in foreign policy and totally screw it up in the process.
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33. The Wretched of the Earth (1961); Frantz Fanon
Few works of the 20th century explored the psychological, dehumanizing effects of European colonization (and decolonization) on Africa to the extent that Frantz Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth (1961) did. Read by Jean-Paul Sartre and Huey P. Newton alike, The Wretched of the Earth (1961) is one of the most detailed theoretical analyses of decolonization in existence, and one of the most important readings for students of international relations in the 21st century.
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Alexander Leslie is a foreign policy analyst, freelance journalist, and has an M.A. in Eurasian, Russian, & East European Studies from Georgetown University. His interests include U.S.-Georgia relations, energy politics, and studies in counterterrorism policy.
Contact: aejleslie@gmail.com
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