Primacy and Its Discontents: American Power and International Stability

by Michael E. Brown (Editor), Sean M. Lynn-Jones (Editor), Owen R. Coté Jr. (Editor)

The unprecedented military, economic, and political power of the United States has led some observers to declare that we live in a unipolar world in which America enjoys primacy or even hegemony. At the same time public opinion polls abroad reveal high levels of anti-Americanism, and many foreign governments criticize U.S. policies. Primacy and Its Discontents explores the sources of American primacy, including the uses of U.S. military power, and the likely duration of unipolarity. It offers theoretical arguments for why the rest of the world will -- or will not -- align against the United States. Several chapters argue that the United States is not immune to the long-standing tendency of states to balance against power, while others contend that wise U.S. policies, the growing role of international institutions, and the spread of liberal democracy can limit anti-American balancing. The final chapters debate whether countries are already engaging in "soft balancing" against the United States. The contributors offer alternative prescriptions for U.S. foreign policy, ranging from vigorous efforts to maintain American primacy to acceptance of a multipolar world of several great powers.

Contributors Gerard Alexander, Stephen Brooks, John G. Ikenberry, Christopher Layne, Keir Lieber, John Owen IV, Robert Pape, T. V. Paul, Barry Posen, Kenneth Waltz, William Wohlforth

413 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2006

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Michael E. Brown is an American academic and Professor of International Affairs, Political Science, and Gender Studies at the George Washington University. He served as Dean of the Elliott School of International Affairs from 2005 to 2015. Brown holds a Ph.D. in Government from Cornell University and has held senior roles at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, Harvard’s Belfer Center, and Georgetown University. His research focuses on international security. Known for his distinctive orange necktie, Brown has become a recognizable figure on campus—except during Halloween week, when he sets it aside.

Reviews

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

U.S. primacy remains of 'prime' importance to the current and future course of international politics. These superb ten essays capture the sources of, disputes about, and reactions to U.S. primacy. An excellent source for courses in international relations and American foreign policy.
Robert Art, Brandeis University

The United States is by a wide margin the most powerful state in the world today. Primacy and Its Discontents is an astonishing, state-of-the-art collection of articles about this profound change in the structure of international politics and its implications for the rest of the world. The authors discussions of the sources, durability, and management of American primacy and their debate over whether and how other states can balance against U.S. power crackle with energy and insights that inform both the academic and policy communities.
Randall Schweller, Ohio State

For centuries, the balance of power has been the central precept of international politics, so what happens when one country's overwhelming primacy makes restraining alliances seem obsolete? This collection of top-quality essays by premier scholars offers lively debates over alternatives such as "soft balancing" and multilateral institutional constraints. Primacy and Its Discontents is ideal for getting students thinking in the classroom.
Jack Snyder, Columbia University

This is an excellent collection. The chapters penetrate to the heart of recent debates over the reality of U.S. primacy, the stability of the global order, and the nature of efforts to counter American power. With their combination of theoretical insight and solid empirical analysis, these essays are essential reading for graduate and undergraduate courses on American security policy in the post-9/11 world.
Dale Copeland, University of Virginia