Critical Theorists and International Relations

A wide range of critical theorists is used in the study of international politics, and until now there has been no text that gives concise and accessible introductions to these figures. Critical Theorists and International Relations provides a wide-ranging introduction to thirty-two important theorists whose work has been influential in thinking about global politics.

Each chapter is written by an expert with a detailed knowledge of the theorist concerned, representing a range of approaches under the rubric ‘critical’, including Marxism and post-Marxism, the Frankfurt School, hermeneutics, phenomenology, postcolonialism, feminism, queer theory, poststructuralism, pragmatism, scientific realism, deconstruction and psychoanalysis.

Key features of each chapter include:

• a clear and concise biography of the relevant thinker
• an introduction to their key writings and ideas
• a summary of the ways in which these ideas have influenced and are being used in international relations scholarship
• a list of suggestions for further reading

Written in engaging and accessible prose, Critical Theorists and International Relations is a unique and invaluable resource for undergraduates, postgraduates and scholars of international relations.

Jenny Edkins is Professor of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. Her books include Global Politics: A New Introduction, with Maja Zehfuss (Routledge, 2008)

Nick Vaughan-Williams is Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Exeter. He is co-editor of Terrorism and the Politics of Response (Routledge 2008).