Global challenge

[The authors'] goal in writing [the book] was to provide the student with a thorough introduction to the theoretical premises, historical setting, structure and process, and most important contemporary issues of world politics. A consistent theme is the extent to which the interstate system itself is being challenged by the changes we explore. [They] also chose to write a text that clearly intertwined empirical knowledge about the subject matter of world politics with the normative choices that confront decision makers and private citizens. -Pref.