How to Survive a Hostile World - by Patrick Porter

Book Synopsis

The oldest ideas are the best. This book is a defense of an ancient way of thinking about international politics: realism. Patrick Porter, a scholar of international relations, defends the realist approach to understanding the world by addressing head-on the most robust critiques of the tradition. Drawing from a wide literature, Porter restages three prominent criticisms of realism: that it is immoral, unrealistic, and provincial. In erudite, clear, and at times morbidly funny prose, Porter makes the case that realism is, in fact, everything its critics believe it is not: moral in its commitment to securing the polity and its interests in a world where there is no higher government; realistic and the best starting point for explaining how human groups tend to behave; and practical for use by everyone, everywhere, including beyond the Euro-Atlantic.

From Thucydides to Kautilya to Machiavelli, realists claim that the world is an inherently dangerous place defined by the shadow of conflict, whether we like it or not. As the 21st century grapples with multiple interlocking crises concerning economic dislocation, climate crisis, and war, we need realism now more than ever. This book is for readers who are looking for sensible guidance on how to work within that reality and survive in an increasingly hostile world.

Review Quotes

"At last, a leading scholar who truly 'gets' realism and knows how to convey that wisdom in an engagingly combative treatise. Patrick Porter serves up bracing, brisk, and learned defense of the realist tradition of statecraft and scholarship. He slices through decades of criticism and misunderstandings to reveal realism for what it is: an indispensable approach to action and explanation in a pitiless world." --William C. Wohlforth, Dartmouth College

"Patrick Porter's analysis of realism's continued relevance will engage both new and experienced students of international politics.While refuting those who dismiss realism as completely amoral, Eurocentric, and/or misguided, he provides a thought-proving exploration of how realism grapples with the challenges facingthe world today." --Susan Martin, King's College London

"This brilliant book is packed with insights into how the world works. Patrick Porter makes a compelling case that realism is not only moral but also realistic and universally applicable. Read it--you'll come away smarter." --Yuan-kang Wang, Western Michigan University

"Understanding the international anarchy in which we live matters.Patrick Porter brilliantly lays out the realist case for grasping what is happening around us and has been happening ever since Thucydides--the founder of international relations theory--laid out his dark paradigm in the fifth-century BC. An essential book." --Arthur M. Eckstein, University of Maryland, College Park

About the Author

Patrick Porter is Professor of International Security and Strategy at the University of Birmingham.