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The origins of great power rivalries : a rationalist theory of principled motivations, and historical context / Michael F. Joseph.

Cambridge eBooks: Frontlist 2026 Available online

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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Joseph, Michael F., Author.
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Great powers.
Strategy.
World politics.
United States--Foreign relations--China.
United States.
China--Foreign relations--United States.
China.
Physical Description:
1 online resource (xvii, 317 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).
Edition:
1st ed.
Place of Publication:
Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2026.
Summary:
Michael F. Joseph's The Origins of Great Power Rivalries advances a comprehensive rationalist theory of how great powers assess emerging threats; why enduring great power rivalries unfold through either delayed competition, or delayed peace; and how diplomacy functions when rising powers emerge on the scene. In an important departure from traditional realist theory, Joseph argues that countries are motivated by distinct principles - normative values that shape foreign policy beyond simple security concerns. Exploring instances of great power competition, he explains why rational states draw qualitative inferences about rivals' intentions by examining the historical context of their demands, not just military capabilities. Offering an analysis of great power rivalries since 1850, Joseph illuminates British reactions to Stalin at the beginning of the Cold War, among other rivalries. He animates a theoretically sophisticated defense of America's approach to China in the post-Cold War era with 100s of Washington-insider interviews.
Contents:
The strategic problem at the origins of great power rivalries
My innovation : enriching how we understand state-motives
How principled motives and qualitative signals resolve the strategic tension at the origins of great power rivalries
Inside the analyst's mind : experimental war game simulation with US national security elites
Anglo-Russian relations and the origins of Cold War
Explaining the origins of great power rivalries since 1850 : a medium-n analysis
Evaluating the US' China policy and intelligence (1990-2020).
Notes:
Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 17 Jul 2026).
ISBN:
9781009752787

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