Defining Power: Influence & Force in the Contemporary International System

"Defining power" describes changes in the power relationships in the international system since World War II. It begins by considering the implications involved in different definitions of power. It then looks at the international context in which power is exercised and how this has changed over time. Next it considers the techniques that are used to wield power, focusing on coercion, exchanges and persuasion. Finally, it provides an investigation of how military and economic resources are used in a coercive context.