Constructing the World Polity brings together in one collection the theoretical ideas of one of the most influential International Relations theorists of our time. These essays, with a new introduction, and comprehensive connective sections, present Ruggie's ideas and their application to critical policy questions of the post-Cold War international order. Themes covered include:
* International Organization. How the 'new Institutionalism' differs from the old.
* The System of States. Explorations of political structure, social time, and territorial space in the world polity.
* Making History. America and the issue of 'agency' in the post-Cold Was era. NATO and the future transatlantic security community. The United Nations and the collective use of force.

eBook available with sample pages: PB:0415099919 EB:0203424263

For the past quarter century, John Gerard Ruggie has made fundamental contributions to international relations theorizing. His work has helped establish what is now described as the 'constructivist' approach to this field.
Ruggie has also sought to translate his theoretical insights into policy analysis and prescriptions. This volume of essays, with a new introduction and extensive connective sections, brings together his most influential theoretical ideas and their application to critical policy questions concerning the post-Cold War international order.
The book is divided into three sections -
1. International Organization. How the 'new Institutionalism' differs from the old. Introducing the concepts of regimes, epistemic communities, and multilateralism. Epistemological critiques of more conventional approaches.
2. The System of States. Explorations of political structure, social time, and territorial space in the world polity. The role of institutions in change of the system in states.
3. Making History. America and the issue of 'agency' in the post-cold was era. NATO and the future transatlantic security community. The United Nations and the collective use of force.

In the 21st century, the world is faced with threats of global scale that cannot be confronted without collective action. Although global government as such does not exist, formal and informal institutions, practices, and initiatives together forming "global governance" bring a greater measure of predictability, stability, and order to trans-border issues than might be expected. Yet, there are significant gaps between many current global problems and available solutions. Thomas G. Weiss and Ramesh Thakur analyze the UN's role in addressing such knowledge, normative, policy, institutional, and compliance lapses. The UN's relationship to these five global governance gaps is explored through case studies of some of the most burning problems of our age, including terrorism, nuclear proliferation, humanitarian crises, development aid, climate change, human rights, and HIV/AIDS."

One of the most vexing human rights issues of our time has been how to protect the rights of individuals and communities worldwide in an age of globalization and multinational business. Indeed, from Indonesian sweatshops to oil-based violence in Nigeria, the challenges of regulating harmful corporate practices in some of the world's most difficult regions long seemed insurmountable. Human rights groups and businesses were locked in a stalemate, unable to find common ground. In 2005, the United Nations appointed John Gerard Ruggie to the modest task of clarifying the main issues. Six years later, he had accomplished much more than that. Ruggie had developed his now-famous "Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights," which provided a road map for ensuring responsible global corporate practices. The principles were unanimously endorsed by the UN and embraced and implemented by other international bodies, businesses, governments, workers' organizations, and human rights groups, keying a revolution in corporate social responsibility. Just Business tells the powerful story of how these landmark "Ruggie Rules" came to exist. Ruggie demonstrates how, to solve a seemingly unsolvable problem, he had to abandon many widespread and long-held understandings about the relationships between businesses, governments, rights, and law, and develop fresh ways of viewing the issues. He also takes us through the journey of assembling the right type of team, of witnessing the severity of the problem firsthand, and of pressing through the many obstacles such a daunting endeavor faced. Just Business is an illuminating inside look at one of the most important human rights developments of recent times. It is also an invaluable book for anyone wanting to learn how to navigate the tricky processes of global problem-solving and consensus-building and how to tackle big issues with ambition, pragmatism, perseverance, and creativity.

In this much-anticipated analysis of global politics in the post-Cold War world. John Gerard Ruggie provides the most authoritative and valuable vision to date for understanding American foreign policy in the 1990s and beyond. A rich combination of idealism and political pragmatism, Winning the Peace offers a clear-eyed vision of America's future.