Jodok Troy

Imitating the desire of others is inherent to the struggle for power in international politics. The imitation of desire is a human trait seldom recognized in International Relations studies, let alone conceptualized. The imitation of desire that takes place among entities—as opposed to being intentionally generated by them—challenges the conventional wisdom of International Relations that assumes rational autonomous individuals. This book identifies the root of Realism, pointing out its awareness of the conflicting impact of desire and imitation in a world driven by restless comparison. It subsequently demonstrates the conceptual value of mimetic theory while proposing a template of understanding international polities, starting from assumptions of disorder and violence. This volume not only contributes to the study of conflict based on the imitation of the desire of others among international polities, but also proposes in its conceptualization that it is worth looking at studies of agency and structure, normative change, peace, and reconciliation.

Can smaller countries achieve through cooperation what superpowers cannot achieve by force? The military forces of the United States are reluctant to engage in peacekeeping, stabilization, and nation building, and the complexity of working in a national bureaucracy that is bigger and more divided than the United Nations and European Union combined makes response by the world's superpower difficult. Still, the chaotic margins of international order need stabilizing if they are not to threaten western and global interests in perpetuity. Herein lies the challenge of expeditionary missions for smaller advanced democracies: reject the technological fantasy of future war scenarios, come to terms with the social context of violence and the human implications of managing it, and project stabilization globally in support of a consensus that will survive a changing world order. Mission Critical will appeal to scholars, military, and strategic planners in countries small and large with an interest in sharing the heavy lifting of international security more effectively.