Link : US Foreign Policy, 4th edition by Michael Cox & Doug Stokes, Oxford University Press, 25 March 2026
Link : US Foreign Policy, 4th edition by Michael Cox & Doug Stokes, Oxford University Press, 25 March 2026
Edited by Michael Cox, Professor Emeritus of International Relations, London School of Economics, and Doug Stokes, Professor in International Relations, Modul University, Vienna.
Michael Cox is Professor Emeritus of International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE). He was one of the founding directors of LSE’s foreign policy think tank LSE IDEAS, and he also holds a visiting professorship at the Catholic University of Milan. The author, editor and co-editor of over 30 books, his most recent include Agonies of Empire: American Power from Clinton to Biden (Bristol University Press, 2022); Afghanistan: Long War – Forgotten Peace (LSE Press, 2022); and Ukraine: Russia’s War and the Future of the Global Order (LSE Press, 2023).
Doug Stokes is Professor in International Relations, Modul University, Vienna. He was previously Director of Exeter University’s Strategy and Security Institute, and Senior Research Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). His major research focus is on the durability of the US-led liberal international order and the ways in which great powers can use military power to shape international relations. His books include Against Decolonisation: The Campus Culture Wars and the Decline of the West(Polity, 2023) and Global Energy Security and American Hegemony (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010).
Description Critical: brings together diverse perspectives from many of the world’s leading foreign policy experts. US Foreign Policy gives students the tools to critically evaluate America’s role in a fast-changing and increasingly contested international system. The return of Donald Trump to the White House, the ongoing strategic competition with China, the war in Ukraine, and conflicts in the Middle East all feature prominently in updated chapters. Key features · 24 chapters tackle a range of topics, including the historical rise of the US through to the long march from the end of the Cold War to the new era of geopolitics; domestic factors shaping US foreign policy; the sources of American power; climate change; the role of gender in shaping foreign policy; regional challenges; and America’s military role in the world. · The 4th edition sees the return of some of the most important voices in the debate on US foreign policy while at the same time introducing students to a number of new contributors. · Provides readers with the historical context, theoretical frameworks, and empirical analyses needed to understand the complex forces shaping America’s role in the world. · Offers insights into the enduring patterns and emerging trends in US foreign policy, examining its institutional foundations, regional dimensions and key issue areas. New to this edition · Builds on the strengths of previous editions while reflecting on the significant changes in US foreign policy since 2018. · Updated to cover the Biden presidency and the start of the second Trump administration, helping students to understand the dynamics of contemporary US foreign policy. ·All chapters have been completely revised, and ten new chapters cover climate change; internal divisions affecting America’s global influence; the current state of US democracy and its implications for foreign policy; the dollar’s role in sustaining US power; America’s approach to military conflict; the US’ relationship with Europe, India, Latin America and the Caribbean; and how America’s soft power has evolved in recent years. The 4th edition is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats: the e-book and Politics Trove offer a mobile experience and convenient access along with PowerPoint slides for lecturers, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support for students.
US Foreign Policy gives students the tools to critically evaluate America’s role in a fast-changing and increasingly contested international system. The return of Donald Trump to the White House, the ongoing strategic competition with China, the war in Ukraine, and conflicts in the Middle East all feature prominently in updated chapters.
New to this edition
Section 1: Framing US foreign policy
1: Introduction: US foreign policy: past, present, and future, Michael Cox and Doug Stokes
2: Theories of US foreign policy, Brian C. Schmidt
Section 2: The past as present
3: The US rise to world power: 1776-1945, Walter LaFeber
4:Rethinking the American Century? From Truman to Trump, 1945-2025, Michael Cox
Section 3: Home front
5:US democracy in crisis, Brian Klaas
6:Regional polarization and US foreign policy, Peter Trubowitz
7:Elites and US foreign policy, Inderjeet Parmar and Valentina Aronica
Section 4: American power
8:Fragmented superpower?, Timothy J. Lynch
9:Dollar hegemony, Carla Norrlöf
10:Soft power and US foreign policy: A post-liberal turn?, Hendrik W. Ohnesorge
Section 5: The United States and war
11:The American way of war, Michael J. Williams
12:Military power, Caroline Kennedy-Pipe and Wooyun Jo
Section 6: New security issues
13:Gender, Sylvia Bashevkin
14:Climate change, Guri Bang and Robyn Eckersley
Section 7: The return of geopolitics
15:The return of great power competition, Jeffrey W. Taliaferro
16:Russia in the age of Putin, Peter Rutland
Section 8: Asian dilemmas
17:America in an Asian century, Feng Zhang
18:The future of Indian-US Relations, Tanvi Madan
Section 9: Regional challenges
19:US foreign policy in a changing Middle East, Toby Dodge
20:Pax Transatlantica: NATO from the Cold War to the war in Ukraine, Jussi M. Hanhimäki
21:Latin America and the Caribbean: The Monroe Doctrine and beyond, Alvaro Mendez and Chris Alden
Section 10: Contending futures
22:The myths of American decline, Stephen G. Brooks and William C. Wohlforth
23:The end of Pax Americana, Christopher Layne
24:Why the liberal order will survive, G. John Ikenberry
25:Trump and the future of US foreign policy, Anatol Lieven
“A uniquely insightful, comprehensive, and incisive contribution to a topic that is as significant for the historical study of international relations as it is for understanding contemporary debates about the US’ global role. At a time when US engagement beyond its borders is dominating conversation across the globe, this volume provides a detailed understanding of the most relevant historical context, theoretical perspectives, and policy perspectives.” – Leslie Vinjamuri, President and CEO, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
“Among the best collections available on US foreign policy. It draws on a diverse group of distinguished contributors, provides the right combination of theory and policy, and covers the most critical issues.” – Michael Mastanduno, Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government, Dartmouth College
“Combines broad empirical overviews and sophisticated theoretical takes, written by an A-Team of authors. The collection provides concise chapters and rich bibliographies, making it an ideal companion both for knowledge on the fly and for further, in-depth engagement.” – Halvard Leira, Research Director, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs and Associate Editor, European Journal of International Relations
“This is possibly one of the best manuals on US foreign policy currently available to university students. A great mix of theory and policy along with a wealth of information and nuanced analysis.” – Eugenio Lilli, Lecturer and Program Director of the MA in American Politics and Foreign Policy, University College Dublin
“Offers a compelling and insightful examination of pivotal regions and themes shaping America’s global role today, making it a timely and valuable resource for understanding the evolving landscape of US international relations.” – Hamdy A. Hassan, Professor of Political Science, Zayed University, Dubai
The 4th edition is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats: the e-book and Politics Trove offer a mobile experience and convenient access along with PowerPoint slides for lecturers, navigation features and links that offer extra learning support for students.
For more information about e-books, please visit OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
