Thread by @ProfPaulPoast

This week in #ChicagoIntroIR2019, we're wrapping up our discussion of violence in international politics.

What are we reading to help us think about this topic?

[THREAD]

First, as listed on the syllabus, there are some REQUIRED readings from @IAJournal_CH's special issue on 100 years since the Treaty of Versailles.

One piece from the @IAJournal_CH special issue is by @LawDavF, who discusses changing perceptions in the costliness of great power war

academic.oup.com/ia/article-abs…

The other piece from the @IAJournal_CH special issue is by @oonahathaway & @scottjshapiro, who discuss the attempt (through the Kellogg-Briand pact) to outlaw war (this also relates to next week's topic on "Contracts" in international politics)

academic.oup.com/ia/article-abs…

Second, I have some SUPPLEMENTAL pieces to recommend. These will add to ideas brought forward in lecture

Not unrelated to the the two required pieces, I discuss the claim of a "Long Peace" and "Decline of War". This recently published @ForeignAffairs piece by @tanishafazal & myself offers a counter-narrative

foreignaffairs.com/articles/2019-…

I will also discuss how internal wars are influenced by the international system. One of my favorite articles on the topic (heck, one of my favorite articles period) is by @SKalyvas & @laiabalcells in APSR

cambridge.org/core/journals/…

I'll bring up the war in Yemen & the involvement of international actors. When I moderated a @PearsonInst, @UChiPolitics, & @pulitzercenter event
on the war w/ @mokhbersahafi & @JeffreyEStern, we discussed the involvement of external actors. Video 👇

When engaging these materials, keep in mind why the possibility of war and violence is a always present in the international system.

The most forceful statement on this idea comes from Merze Tate.

Her key work is "The Disarmament Illusion"

archive.org/details/disarm…

In it, she wrote what I view as the definitive statement on the "security dilemma" and why great power politics is "tragic"

Or, as Charles Tilly bluntly put it 👇

https://twitter.com/ProfPaulPoast/status/1185158364457766913

And both statements echo the classic remark by Von Clausewitz:

``War is merely the continuation of policy by other means.’’

For those who wish to see a VERY technical and advanced treatment of these ideas, check out the recent @IntOrgJournal piece by James Fearon

cambridge.org/core/journals/…

That's enough for now. Should be a fascinating (& sobering) week learning about the role of violence in international politics.

[END]

Addendum: Almost forgot to include one of my favorite recent blog posts on how we think about war in the international system. @cullenhendrix in @PVGlance on Giant Pandas & how WWI & WWII skew our understanding of major power war

politicalviolenceataglance.org/2017/11/21/cha…