1st Edition

Hegemony or Empire? The Redefinition of US Power under George W. Bush

Edited By Charles-Philippe David, David Grondin Copyright 2007

    American power has been subjected to extensive analysis since September 11, 2001. While there is no consensus on the state of US hegemony or even on the precise meaning of the term, it is clear that under George W. Bush the US has not only remained the 'lone superpower' but has increased its global military supremacy. At the same time, the US has become more dependent on its economic, financial and geopolitical relationships with the rest of the world than at any other time in its history, markedly since the events of 9/11. The distinguished scholars in this volume critically interpret US hegemony from a range of theoretical and topical perspectives. They discuss the idea of empire in the age of globalization, critique the Bush doctrine, analyze the ideologies underpinning a new American imperialism and examine the influence of neo-conservatism on US foreign and domestic policy.

    Introduction Coming to Terms with America’s Liberal Hegemony/Empire, David Grondin; Part 1 Representations of American Hegemony/Empire: The Global and Domestic Implications of US Redefinition of Power; Chapter 1 Theory Wars of Choice: Hidden Casualties in the ‘Debate’ Between Hegemony and Empire, Robert Vitalis; Chapter 2 Geopolitics, Grand Strategy and the Bush Doctrine: The Strategic Dimensions of US Hegemony under George W. Bush, Simon Dalby; Chapter 3 Representing Homeland Security, Aida A. Hozic; Chapter 4 Revolution or ‘Business as Usual’? International Law and the Foreign Policy of the Bush Administration, Shirley V. Scott; Chapter 5 Dealing with Hegemony at Home: From Congressional Compliance to Resistance to George W. Bush’s National Security Policy, Frédérick Gagnon; Part 2 Perceptions of American Hegemony: The US Redeployment of Power and its Regional Implications; Chapter 6 In Search of a Policy Towards Islamism: The United States at War Against Global Terror, Onnig Beylerian; Chapter 7 The Clash Between Europe and the United States: A New Cold War?, Julien Tourreille, Élisabeth Vallet; Chapter 8 The Limits to American Hegemony in Asia, Andre Laliberte; Chapter 9 The Role of the United States in Western Africa: Tying Terrorism to Electoral Democracy and Strategic Resources, Cedric Jourde; Chapter 10 Contribution or Constraint? The Role of the North American Periphery in Redefining US Power, Stephen Clarkson; conclusion Revisiting US Hegemony/Empire, Charles-Philippe David;

    Biography

    Charles-Philippe David is Full Professor in the Political Science Department, and Director of the Centre for United States Studies at the University of Québec at Montréal, Canada. David Grondin is Assistant Professor of International Relations in the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

    'This is a comprehensive and very insightful scholarly contribution to the debate about the US exceptional and controversial role in international relations today. The authors address the topics of hegemony, power politics, geopolitics, and the balance of domestic and foreign policies. The book should be suitable for class use in the fields of international relations, US foreign policy, or global studies.' Eric Shiraev, George Mason University, USA 'The essays are all well-documented and offer much information. The authors present different theses, but all agree that the degree of US supremacy after 9/11 has had negative by-products for the international system.' The International Spectator '...timely and illuminating, allowing the reader to understand the issues discussed her a little better.' Etudes internationales