The Foreign Encounter in Myth and Religion Modes of Foreign Relations and Political Economy

The Foreign Encounter In Myth And Religionis the second volume ofModes of Foreign Relations and Political Economy, a three-volume project which is changing the way we think about international relations.In the first, Deutscher prize-winning volume, Kees van der Pilj introduced the ground-breaking argument that our current international system of nation states is merely a historically specific form of foreign relations, rather than a permanent fixture. Now he traces the key characteristics of 'foreign encounters' over time, showing that myth, religion and ethical philosophies have always informed the way that societies have interacted with outsiders. This points us towards the future state of international relations.A truly masterful work,The Foreign Encounter In Myth And Religion, is a must for upper-undergraduates and academics at the cutting edge of international relations theory.

Kees Van der Pijl is Professor of International Relations at the University of Sussex. He holds a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship. His books include The Making of the Atlantic Ruling Class (1984) and Transnational Classes and International Relations (1998). Nomads, Empires, States (Pluto, 2007) won the Deutscher Prize.