Books by Charles L. Glaser
Rational Theory of International Politics: The Logic of Competition and Cooperation
By Charles L. Glaser
“This ambitious book offers a deductive theory of state security policies that builds on work by Kenneth Waltz, John Mearsheimer, and Alexander Wendt. Unlike Waltz and like Wendt, Glaser contends that the anarchic structure of the international system does not automatically lead to competitive policies; cooperation is possible if states properly assess their rivals' motives. . . . [T]his is an important work for serious students of security studies.” – Choice
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Within the realist school of international relations, a prevailing view holds that the anarchic structure of the international system invariably forces the great powers to seek security at one another's expense, dooming even peaceful nations to an unrelenting struggle for power and dominance. Rational Theory of International Politics offers a more nuanced alternative to this view, one that provides answers to the most fundamental and pressing questions of international relations.
Why do states sometimes compete and wage war while at other times they cooperate and pursue peace? Does competition reflect pressures generated by the anarchic international system or rather states' own expansionist goals? Are the United States and China on a collision course to war, or is continued coexistence possible? Is peace in the Middle East even feasible? Charles Glaser puts forward a major new theory of international politics that identifies three kinds of variables that influence a state's strategy: the state's motives, specifically whether it is motivated by security concerns or "greed"; material variables, which determine its military capabilities; and information variables, most importantly what the state knows about its adversary's motives.
Rational Theory of International Politics demonstrates that variation in motives can be key to the choice of strategy; that the international environment sometimes favors cooperation over competition; and that information variables can be as important as material variables in determining the strategy a state should choose.
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Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 978-0691143712
Release Date: May 16, 2010
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"Honorable Mention for the 2011 Best Book, International Security Studies Section of the International Studies Association"
"Glaser should be commended for demonstrating how even realist assumptions can lead to cooperative and peaceful outcomes in international politics. The manner in which he reaches these conclusions is also praiseworthy, particularly his attention to detail. Glaser interrogates important realist concepts and lays bare their conceptual and methodological shortcomings, before correcting or adapting them appropriately. This makes Glaser's restatement of realism the most sophisticated yet." – Benjamin Martin, Political Studies Review
"Rational Theory of International Politics is an important book that should not be missed by those interested in IR. The book offers a comprehensive theory of rationalism which does much to forward the internal debates of the realist school. The analysis of material variables, where Glaser's mastery of the topic is evident, is the highlight of the book. Further, the extended analysis of information variables is a most welcome addition to a school that has largely ignored their importance." – Sophia Dingli, Millennium: Journal of International Studies
Analyzing Strategic Nuclear Policy
By Charles L. Glaser
Part of Princeton Legacy Library Series
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
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With sweeping changes in the Soviet Union and East Europe having shaken core assumptions of U.S. defense policy, it is time to reassess basic questions of American nuclear strategy and force requirements. In a comprehensive analysis of these issues, Charles Glaser argues that even before the recent easing of tension with the Soviet Union, the United States should have revised its nuclear strategy, rejecting deterrent threats that require the ability to destroy Soviet nuclear forces and forgoing entirely efforts to limit damage if all-out nuclear war occurs. Changes in the Soviet Union, suggests Glaser, may be best viewed as creating an opportunity to make revisions that are more than twenty years overdue. Glaser's provocative work is organized in three parts. "The Questions behind the Questions" evaluates the basic factual and theoretical disputes that underlie disagreements about U.S. nuclear weapons policy. "Alternative Nuclear Worlds" compares "mutual assured destruction capabilities" (MAD)--a world in which both superpowers' societies are highly vulnerable to nuclear retaliation--to the basic alternatives: mutual perfect defenses, U.S. superiority, and nuclear disarmament. Would any basic alternatives be preferable to MAD? Drawing on the earlier sections of the book, "Decisions in MAD" addresses key choices facing American decision makers.
Originally published in 1990.
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Publisher: Princeton University Press
Part of Series: Princeton Legacy Library
ISBN: 978-0691606781
Publication Date: July 14, 2014
Managing U.S. Nuclear Operations in the 21st Century
Edited by Charles Glaser, Austin Long, and Brian Radzinsky
Exploring how the United States manages its still-powerful nuclear arsenal
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Arms control agreements and the end of the Cold War have made the prospect of nuclear war a distant fear for the general public. But the United States and its principal rivals—China and Russia—still maintain sizable arsenals of nuclear weapons, along with the systems for managing them and using them if that terrible day ever comes.
Managing U.S. Nuclear Operations in the 21st Century focuses on how theories and policies are put into practice in managing nuclear forces in the United States.
It addresses such questions as: What have been the guiding priorities of U.S. nuclear strategy since the end of the Cold War? What nuclear attack options would the president have during a war? How are these war plans developed and reviewed by civilian and military leaders? How would presidential orders be conveyed to the uniformed men and women who are entrusted with U.S. nuclear weapons systems? And are these communications systems and supporting capabilities vulnerable to disruption or attack?
The answers to such questions depend on the process by which national strategy for nuclear deterrence, developed by civilian leaders, is converted into nuclear war plans and the entire range of procedures for implementing those plans if necessary.
The chapter authors have extensive experience in government, the armed forces, and the analytic community. Drawing on their firsthand knowledge, as well as the public record, they provide unique, authoritative accounts of how the United States manages it nuclear forces today.
This book will be of interest to the national security community, particularly younger experts who did not grow up in the nuclear-centric milieu of the Cold War. Any national security analyst, professional, or government staffer seeking to learn more about nuclear modernization policy and the U.S. nuclear arsenal should be interested in this book. It should also be of interest to professors and students who want a deep understanding of U.S. nuclear policy.
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Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
ISBN: 0815739613
Release Date: October 4, 2022
Crude Strategy: Rethinking the US Military Commitment to Defend Persian Gulf Oil
Edited by Charles L. Glaser and Rosemary A. Kelanic
"How and to what extent should America militarily defend Persian Gulf oil? With uncommon clarity, this book lays bare the questions and assumptions that lie at the heart of this timely issue. The analysis is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand continued US military presence in the region."
– Jeff Colgan, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Brown University
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Should the United States ask its military to guarantee the flow of oil from the Persian Gulf? If the US security commitment is in fact strategically sound, what posture should the military adopt to protect Persian Gulf oil?
Charles L. Glaser and Rosemary A. Kelanic present a collection of new essays from a multidisciplinary team of political scientists, historians, and economists that provide answers to these questions. Contributors delve into a range of vital economic and security issues: the economic costs of a petroleum supply disruption, whether or not an American withdrawal increases the chances of oil-related turmoil, the internal stability of Saudi Arabia, budgetary costs of the forward deployment of US forces, and the possibility of blunting the effects of disruptions with investment in alternative energy resources. The result is a series of bold arguments toward a much-needed revision of US policy toward the Persian Gulf during an era of profound change in oil markets and the balance of power in the Middle East.
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Publisher: Georgetown University Press
ISBN: 978-1626163348
Publication Date: August 12, 2016