The Tragedy of Great Power Politics
Encyclopedia
The Tragedy of Great Power Politics is a book by the American scholar John Mearsheimer
on the subject of international relations theory
. In the book, Mearsheimer lays out the theory of offensive realism
, showing its key assumptions, evolution from early realist theory, and providing some predictions for the future. Many of the predictions of the book are considered somewhat pessimistic, as Mearsheimer sees a world where great power conflict will never end. The book was published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2001.
John Mearsheimer
John J. Mearsheimer is an American professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago. He is an international relations theorist. Known for his book on offensive realism, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics, more recently Mearsheimer has attracted attention for co-authoring and publishing...
on the subject of international relations theory
International relations theory
International relations theory is the study of international relations from a theoretical perspective; it attempts to provide a conceptual framework upon which international relations can be analyzed. Ole Holsti describes international relations theories act as a pair of coloured sunglasses,...
. In the book, Mearsheimer lays out the theory of offensive realism
Offensive realism
In international relations, offensive realism is a variant of political realism. Like realism, offensive realism regards states as the primary actors in international relations. However, offensive realism adds several additional assumptions to the framework of structural realism...
, showing its key assumptions, evolution from early realist theory, and providing some predictions for the future. Many of the predictions of the book are considered somewhat pessimistic, as Mearsheimer sees a world where great power conflict will never end. The book was published by W.W. Norton & Company in 2001.