Unipolar World: An Unbalanced Future

The Unipolar World explains the international politics of the contemporary world. It completes structural realism by setting forth a theory of international politics when there is only one superpower. The authors distinguish between unipolarity and hegemony, and make analogy to the price leader model of microeconomics. Their research support realist predictions that a unipolar world will be relatively stable, and characterized by bandwagoning, flexible alliances, and resistance by the unipolar power to international law. When defensive power seems to have an advantage, the unipolar power will avoid involvement in international conflict, and unipolarity will be reinforced When offensive poser seems to have an advantage, the unipolar power will launch preventive wars, undermining its position in the international system.

The Unipolar World explains the international politics of the contemporary world. It completes structural realism by setting forth a theory of international politics when there is only one superpower. The authors distinguish between unipolarity and hegemony, and make analogy to the price leader model of microeconomics. Their research support realist predictions that a unipolar world will be relatively stable, and characterized by bandwagoning, flexible alliances, and resistance by the unipolar power to international law. When defensive power seems to have an advantage, the unipolar power will avoid involvement in international conflict, and unipolarity will be reinforced When offensive poser seems to have an advantage, the unipolar power will launch preventive wars, undermining its position in the international system.

Major Thomas S. Mowle, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy. He is the author of Allies at Odds: The United States and the European Union, Palgrave, 2004. The book assesses the causes of the persistent trans-Atlantic disagreements over multilateral issues, in both the Clinton and Bush administrations. He has published articles in International Studies Perspectives, Political Psychology, and Strategic Insights, and chapters in Michael Innes, ed., Bosnian Security After Dayton: New Perspectives, Routledge, 2006, and Nursin Güney, ed., Contentious Issues of Security and the Future of Turkey, Ashgate, 2006. Major Mowle served in the Strategy, Plans, and Assessment Division, Headquarters Multinational Force-Iraq, Baghdad, from August to December 2004. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from The Ohio State University.

David H. Sacko is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the United States Air Force Academy. He has published in International Studies Quarterly, Conflict Management and Development and the Journal of Political Science Education. Since arriving at the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2002, Dr. Sacko has researched for the Institute of National Security Studies. His current research assesses current and future threats to the security of Central Europe. David H. Sacko received his Ph.D. in Political Science in 2003 from the Pennsylvania State University.