Making War on the World: How Transnational Violence Reshapes Global Order

Mark Shirk's book "Making War on the World" explores how states respond to transnational violence by redrawing conceptual boundaries and developing new forms of control, surveillance, and rights. It argues that states use creative responses to defeat transnational threats and make and transform the state and global order.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 01 March 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The state plays a pivotal role in shaping politics, as it establishes and upholds boundaries that differentiate its sphere of influence from the outside world. However, states encounter numerous threats that transcend their geographical and conceptual boundaries, challenging their authority and legitimacy. Transnational violent actors, who operate beyond these limits, further undermine the states' claims to political power.

In his insightful book, "Making War on the World," Mark Shirk delves into historical and contemporary state responses to transnational violence. He examines a range of crises that have plagued the state system throughout different eras, including golden-age piracy in the eighteenth century, anarchist "propagandists of the deed" at the turn of the twentieth century, and the rise of al-Qaeda in recent years. Through his analysis, Shirk argues that states redefine their conceptual boundaries, such as the distinction between "international" and "domestic," in order to comprehend and confront transnational threats.

States respond to forms of political violence that challenge boundaries by developing innovative strategies that involve new forms of control, surveillance, and rights. These responses gradually shape and transform the state and global order. Shirk conducts extensive archival research and conducts interviews with policy makers and experts to provide a comprehensive account of the subject matter.

By combining rich detail and theoretical insight, "Making War on the World" offers a profound understanding of the role played by pirates, anarchists, and terrorists in shaping global order. It sheds light on the complex dynamics between states, transnational actors, and the broader international system. This book is a valuable contribution to the study of state formation, international relations, and security studies.

Weight: 398g
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231201872