This collection examines some of the classic questions of international relations_the role of interests, ideals, power balances, and norms in determining the actions of nations_though the lens of a set of powerful countries. Given the writers' expertise in these regions of the world, Powers and Principles also offers insight into the foreign policies of the nations that will shape the twenty-first century world.

What if the major global and regional powers of today's world came into closer alignment to build a stronger international community and shared approaches to twenty-first century threats and challenges? The Stanley Foundation posed that question to thirty-three top foreign policy analysts in Powers and Principles: International Leadership in a Shrinking World. Contributing writers were asked to describe the paths that nine powerful nations, a regional union of twenty-seven states, and a multinational corporation could take as constructive stakeholders in a strengthened rules-based...