A comparative test of theories of polarity and conflict

详细信息   

• 作者：Zhang ; Wanfa ; Ph.D.
• 学历：Ph.D.
• 年：2009
• 关键词：Bipolarity ; Conflict ; Multipolarity ; Polarity ; Uni
• 导师：Gibler, Douglas, Oneal, John
• 毕业院校：The University of Alabama
• Department：Political Science
• 专业：International Relations, Political science, International law
• ISBN：9781109602036
• CBH：3390657
• Country：USA
• 语种：English
• FileSize：631032
• Pages：192

文摘

Works on the relationship between polarity and war in the past produce inconsistent, sometimes, self-conflicting conclusions. This is caused by the lack of a comparable way of conceptualizing and defining polarity and the lack of a common gauge for estimating that relationship. This research addresses these methodological shortcomings and explores the linkage between the international system of the major powers and dyadic conflict by conducting a comparative study of polarity and war. It tests the targeted relationship using: (1) a number of quantifiable polarity concepts proposed by several representative scholars, including John Mearsheimer, Jack Levy, Charles Kegley and Gregory Raymond, and George Modelski; (2) a common research design that has incorporated the Kantian variables and has drawn the essence from the latest progress in this discipline, and (3) an objective method of calculating a continuous measure of the polarity among the great powers. Such a research design can compare the impact of various types of polarity on the onset of wars while controlling for both realist and Kantian influences. It provides a broad prospective on the connection between polarity and war. This study confirms the existence of a connection between polarity and war of unipolarity > bipolarity > multipolarity in order of peacefulness.