Reason, Culture, Religion

This book provides a vivid critique of the modernist analysis of world politics by focusing on communalist and sacral discourses, and by asking: what might be a world affairs worthy of the name?

Ralph Pettman holds the foundation Chair of International Relations at the Victoria University of Wellington. A graduate of the London School of Economics and Political Science, his previous appointments include teaching and research posts at the University of Tokyo, Princeton University, and the Australian National University, as well as administrative posts at the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau and the Australian Human Rights Commission. Among his published works are: Commonsense Constructivism, or the Making of World Affairs (2000), Understanding International Political Economy, with readings for the fatigued (1996), State and Class: a Sociology of International Affairs (1976), and Human Behavior and World Politics: a Transdisciplinary Introduction (1975). He is currently writing a phenomenology of world affairs.