Average Customer Review:
 ( 7 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
 new perspectivesOct 14, 1998
Drawing heavily on Foucault and the philosophy of identity, this book provides a new and logically sound alternative to viewing international relations through the currently dominant neo-realist paradigm. It is well documented and provides a solid explanation of our foreign policy that takes into account such complex social factors as the quest for identity, as opposed to observing foreign policy as simply a political or economic power-play. It is an excellent book with a unique perspective, and should be read by anyone who desires a complete view of how nations relate with each other.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 An intelligent political treatise, but somewhat ineffectualApr 07, 2004
Campbell does a great job in meta-theory, and his critiques of the realist epistemic are very convincing. However, his reading of US foreign policy is very allegorical and his interpretation, much like other deconstructivist works, has an authority that is difficult to contest. Nevertheless, as a critical viewpoint in how danger is constructed in our society, it definitely gets you thinking.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 Leftist, but in a good way.....Sep 23, 1999
I'm inclined to disagree with the reader form New York - while I can't imagine Campbell ever liking much about the Reagan administration's foreign policy, I nonetheless believe that his work asks questions which are not easily (read: comfortably) answered in american foreign policy.That being said, this is NOT a book for the reader uninitiated to either abstractly theoretical examinations of internation political science, or to the postmodern/poststructuralist philosophy project. All the same, though, a fascinating read for those in the field, or with an interest...
great example of discourse analysisNov 29, 2007
By G. Marlier
interesting use of discourse analysis in constructing a theory of the legitimization of sovereignty. theory of identity being a performance where identity is mutually constituted through self/other distinctions is not new, but the application to US State identity is.
Overall, the arguments are debatable, but the methods are interesting and thought provoking. The most interesting aspect of the book is idea that the US State uses an "evangelism of fear" to identify a danger/enemy and presents the State as the only legitimate protection against that danger/enemy. In this way the "war on terror" justifies obedience to the State, and constitutes identity by differing the self from the other, or the "us" from "them." The terrorists are the bad guys, and US foreign protects the good guys ("us")from "them." Therefore, US foreign policy serves to contruct identity.
1 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Good reading if you are interested in IR TheoryJan 16, 2006
By Peter D'Autry
"PDA"
This is a good book because it goes against the current of academic IR talk-talk, it is not attempting to become an IR pet-paradigm that is divorced from reality. Not that I am a 'post positivist' of sorts, i simply enjoyed reading Prof. Campbells book because I could learn something new. The book is accesible, it is not written in an esoteric and obsucrantist prose, contrary to some of his peers who are in fashion in mainstream IR. It is original and allows one to look through different glasses at a reality that is a reality, meaning a reality that is not pulled out of the head of some 'theorist' that needs, you guessed, his 'theory' to be made somehow comprehensible. Highly recommended for those IR students that want to learn in an original way something new about International Politcs.
See all 7 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
based on 7 reviews
