Book Review: Other Areas: Justifying Ballistic Missile Defence: Technology, Security and Culture

Published date01 May 2013
DOI10.1111/1478-9302.12016_51
Date01 May 2013
Subject MatterBook Review
As for the methodology,the volume is mainly based
on a case study approach employing qualitative analysis.
The widespread use of primary sources, especially in
Arabic, is praiseworthy. Overall, Fault Lines in Global
Jihad is a unique volume,comprehensive (if not exhaus-
tive), well organised, cautious and written in a clear
style by specialists.The volume f‌ills an important gap in
the literature on terrorism and, particularly, on jihad-
ism. It can be considered as a valuable resource for
scholars, analysts and policy makers.
Francesco Marone
(University of Pavia)
International Relations Theory and Regional
Transformation by T. V. Paul (ed.). Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2012. 308pp., £19.99,
ISBN 978 1 107 60455 1
A compilation of succinct and interesting articles, this
edited volume broadens scholarship on regions and
regional change through a variety of styles and perspec-
tives. Virtually all students of international relations
understand that IR theories – realism, liberalism, con-
structivism and others – can provide satisfactory explana-
tions of various soul-crushing systemic puzzles, but they
face shortcomings when applied to regional contexts.
International RelationsTheory and Regional Transformation is
a step in this direction and goes some way towards
correcting this uneven record.This volume’s key argu-
ment is that, although the leading paradigms of IR are
heavily grounded in Western experience and systemic
understanding, they can still provide substantial insights
to visualise positive regional transformation.
An impressive line-up of distinguished IR theorists
provides a rich analysis of regional transformation, by
developing regional-level analytical frameworks, from
the perspective of their school of thought. Following
the introductory chapters on conceptual issues by T.V.
Paul and Barry Buzan, Part II addresses the realist
position on regions. Dale Copeland and Jeffrey Talia-
ferro bring in various strands of realist perspectives on
regional orders that assess regional stability through
the probability of conf‌lict and the conditions of coop-
eration. In Part III, John Oneal and John Owen
provide a liberal viewpoint, especially concerning eco-
nomic interdependence, inter national/regional institu-
tions and democratic sources of regional order and
peace. Their view is that only the Kantian tripod can
ensure regional cooperation and enduring peace. In
the next section, Amitav Acharya and Vincent Pouliot
present constructivist perspectives in terms of the
power of ideas and security communities. According
to them, regional cooperation can be achieved by
common identities and intersubjective norms that
foster trust among the members of a given region.
The eclectic notions of regional orders are the focus
of Part V. In their compelling presentations, Norrin
Ripsman and John Hall argue that none of the three
paradigms of IR – realism, liberalism and constructiv-
ism – can adequately explain regional transformation,
especially in isolation, and a simultaneous approach is
fruitful in this respect. And f‌inally, while charting a
course for future research on regional transformations,
Stefanie von Halatky concludes the volume by pre-
senting its central theme.
By taking a balanced approach, the book signif‌i-
cantly deals with all paradigms and squeezes out
various policy-relevant ideas for regional transforma-
tion, especially akin to the European model of
regional security community. This volume must cer-
tainly be welcomed as a much-needed initial step
towards a better understanding of regional transfor-
mations from a vast range of scholarly perspectives. It
is a noteworthy starting point for all those who wish
to widen their regional horizons through cross-
theoretical dialogue, especially advanced students and
scholars.
Surinder Mohan
(University of Delhi)
Justifying Ballistic Missile Defence: Technology,
Security and Culture by Columba Peoples. Cam-
bridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010. 299pp.,
£18.99, ISBN 9780521130417
New literature debating and investigating nuclear arms
makes a welcome contribution because of the limited
number of publications after the Cold War. Justifying
Ballistic Missile Defence: Technology, Security and Culture
addresses several of the contemporary nuclear arms
issues, especially measures against ballistic missiles.
Although several other countries are mentioned, the
book is mainly a study of US anti-ballistic missile
initiatives. Columba Peoples is a lecturer in interna-
tional relations at the University of Bristol and a pro-
ponent of critical security studies that challenge the
BOOK REVIEWS 257
© 2013 TheAuthors. Political Studies Review © 2013 Political Studies Association
Political Studies Review: 2013, 11(2)

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