The Globalization of World Politics

By John Baylis, Patricia Owens, Steve Smith

Book Overview

Celebrating its landmark tenth edition, The Globalization of World Politics remains the best-selling and most comprehensive introductory text to international relations.

Fully updated and expanded, this milestone edition continues to tackle the most urgent and complex challenges that dominate international relations today. Written by leading scholars in the field, The Globalization of World Politics now includes brand new chapters on ecological thought in international relations, the rise of the modern international order, and Marxist theories of international relations.

Tailored pedagogical features are seamlessly woven throughout the text and are designed to help students to cultivate analytical thinking and bridge the gap between theory and real-world practice. Interactive activities such as multiple-choice questions and the 'Opposing Opinions' feature foster active learning, enhancing students' understanding of key concepts and debates.

Key features

- Unrivalled coverage of history, theory, structures, processes, and international issues by leading international scholars makes it ideal for introductory courses while also being a valuable reference for the remainder of an IR degree.

- Reflects the latest developments in the field including the US presidential elections, climate change, and Artificial Intelligence.

- A wide-range of case studies span cultures and geographies and highlight contemporary crises such as the UN and conflict in Gaza, ending plastics pollution, and the Russia-Ukraine war, connecting theory to today's most pressing international challenges.

- Integrated learning features, including author videos, opposing opinions features, and end-of-section multiple-choice questions are carefully developed to help students achieve a firm foundation in the discipline.

- Carefully edited by highly respected International Relations experts John Baylis, Steve Smith and Patricia Owens to ensure a coherent style throughout, making it ideal for students who are new to international relations.

- Available as an e-book enhanced with self-assessment activities and multi-media content to offer a fully immersive experience and extra learning support.

New to this edition

- New Chapter 3: The rise of the modern international order by Ayse Zarakol

- New Chapter 8: Marxist theories of international relations by Ma a Pal

- New Chapter 13: Ecological thought in International Relations by Andrea Brock

- Expanded coverage of non-Western approaches, particularly perspectives from the Global South, are woven throughout all the chapters to emphasise the importance of viewing international relations from representative and varied perspectives.

- Updated exploration of the contemporary crisis of the liberal international order and the challenge of the second Trump administration to ideas about 'globalization'.

Digital formats and resources

The Globalization of World Politics is available for students and institutions to purchase in a variety of formats and is supported by extensive online resources.

The e-book offers a mobile experience and convenient access, with learning resources embedded and hyperlinked throughout to offer self-assessment activities and extra support: www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/ebooks

The student resources, accessible via the e-book and Politics Trove, include:
- Topical videos
- End-of-section multiple-choice questions
- Flashcard glossary

The book's teaching resources, accessible online for adopting lecturers, include:
- PowerPoint slides
- Test bank
- Question bank

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0198899807
• ISBN13: 9780198899808
• Release Date: July 2026
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 672 Pages
• Weight: 3.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.8" x 10.4"

Customer Reviews

Book review

The Globalization of World Politics The condition of the book was great and it was delivered quicly

Excellent book on International Relations!

This is the fourth edition of Baylis and Smith's (which now includes Owens) The Globalization of World Politics. The book is of great use in introducing the novice to the field of international relations as well as being a reliable companion for the experienced scholar. It is of invaluable assistance as a good source of reference in writing papers and in serving as a primary textbook. It is indeed a great manual for bachelors and masters' level students and their lecturers. I used this textbook as a student and now I am using it as an instructor. My students have found it to be reader-friendly to the point that they have even been reading on their own ahead of what is required of them which says a lot. Essentially, Baylis and Smith do a great job in describing difficult and complex notions and concepts in a straightforward and lucid manner. If you have not yet purchased it, waste no more time in doing so. You will definitely not regret it. 5 Stars

VERY GOOD

THE BOOK WAS IN THE CONDITION DESCRIBED AND I GOT IT WITHIN THE TIMEFRAME SPECIFIED. THANK YOU.

Outstanding, clear written and comprehensive!

This book is by far the best international politics textbook I have ever used. It covers a whole full range of issues concerning not only the basic stuff such as war and peace, but also modern days issues such as environmental problems and nationalism. A great book.

A concise text for the student of International Relations!

The field of International Relations is vast and ever changing. This text by Drs. Baylis and Smith is clearly written, smartly organized, and as relevant as you can get for a field that has undulated in the time it has taken me to write this short review. I would recommend this text to any and all students in their graduate programs who need a text that will tie together the "loose ends" of their programs and form an invaluable reference guide for years to come. This text is especially useful for students in the United States in order to break out of the US-centric model of thought and be exposed to the prominent theorists and practitioners in the UK.