Writing Security: United States Foreign Policy and the Politics of Identity

Rating:
Summary: An intelligent political treatise, but somewhat ineffectual
Review: Campbell does a great job in meta-theory, and his critiques of the realist epistemic are very convincing. However, his reading of US foreign policy is very allegorical and his interpretation, much like other deconstructivist works, has an authority that is difficult to contest. Nevertheless, as a critical viewpoint in how danger is constructed in our society, it definitely gets you thinking.

Rating:
Summary: An intelligent political treatise, but somewhat ineffectual
Review: I just want to take a moment to disagree with the gentle reader from NC. This was, in fact, my introduction to poststructural international relations theory. And while those who are familiar with the terms of the discourse will necessarily understand more than those who are only just beginning to engage these questions, one ought not be concerned about comprehending this book if one doesn't have a strong background. Indeed, the careful reader will be able to glean quite a bit about american foreign policy from this text, and will (hopefully) be given some grounds to continue his/her exploration into an ethical poststructual discourse of international relations.

Rating:
Summary: actually, a very sensible read
Review: I just want to take a moment to disagree with the gentle reader from NC. This was, in fact, my introduction to poststructural international relations theory. And while those who are familiar with the terms of the discourse will necessarily understand more than those who are only just beginning to engage these questions, one ought not be concerned about comprehending this book if one doesn't have a strong background. Indeed, the careful reader will be able to glean quite a bit about american foreign policy from this text, and will (hopefully) be given some grounds to continue his/her exploration into an ethical poststructual discourse of international relations.

Rating:
Summary: Leftist, but in a good way.....
Review: I'm inclined to disagree with the reader form New York - while I can't imagine Campbell ever liking much about the Reagan administration's foreign policy, I nonetheless believe that his work asks questions which are not easily (read: comfortably) answered in american foreign policy.

That being said, this is NOT a book for the reader uninitiated to either abstractly theoretical examinations of internation political science, or to the postmodern/poststructuralist philosophy project.

All the same, though, a fascinating read for those in the field, or with an interest...