Global Politics has long been praised for providing students with the historical and theoretical background to understand the complexities of international relations. Indeed, one of the key strengths of the text continues to be its clear, comprehensive coverage of the historical and tehoretical bases of world affairs. It introduces the major theories and paradigms important in the study of internatinal relations, integrates theory into the dicussion of many topics, and presents a straightforward history of the international system from itsinception to the present. But more than a discussion of what has occurred in the past and why, this Ninth Edition is also a thorough study of the contemporary issues and events influencing modern international relations. These topics include globalization, one of the most important processes affecting relations between states and nonstate actors today, as well as coverage of the developing world, ethnic conflict, regional integration, international norms, the politics of environmental problems, and challenges to state power and sovereignty. In short, Global Politics develops three key themes, the historical, the contemporary and policy-oriented, and the theoretical - and emphasizes the extent to which they complement one another. -Pref.