Social Reach: A Connectivist Approach to American Identity and Global Governance

by Tian-jia Dong

Overview

Social Reach examines the identity of global leadership and the impact it has on global governance. Realism focuses on strategic interests; idealism focuses on norms and values. However, the 'either my interest or my value' approach toward international relations is not compatible with the identity of a global leader. The essence of international relations is 'relationship,' instead of interest or values. Tian-jia Dong proposes a connectivist perspective, which focuses on full-fledged connections through functional instrumentation and relational inclusion. Three logics—the logic of conquest, the logic of interdependence, and the logic of togetherness—are highlighted as the driving forces behind the dynamics of international relationship. Dong further illustrates two new concepts, 'connective authority' and 'connective democracy' as the guiding principles of global leadership and global governance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761840572
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	07/08/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	140
Product dimensions:	6.08(w) x 9.08(h) x 0.46(d)

About the Author

Tian-jia Dong(Ph.D. Boston College) is Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Westfield State College.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Preface and Acknowledgments
Part 2 1 The Social Order of a Global Village
Chapter 3 An Archaic World?
Chapter 4 Clash of Civilizations?
Chapter 5 The Convergence of Social Force in Political, Economic, and Cultural Spheres
Chapter 6 The Socially Connected Nation-States as Global Villagers
Chapter 7 The Dynamics of Capitalist Expansion
Chapter 8 Class Division and the Issue of Poverty
Chapter 9 The Three Logics of Social Research
Part 10 2 The Connective Power Dynamics
Chapter 11 A World of Structural-functional Connection
Chapter 12 A World of Functional Conflict and Dynamic Connection
Chapter 13 A World of Interconnected Units of Action
Chapter 14 The Connective Power Dynamics
Chapter 15 General
Chapter 16 "Connective"
Chapter 17 "Power Dynamics"
Part 18 3 The Connective Authority
Chapter 19 Establishing a Global Authority System
Chapter 20 Connective Authority Defined
Chapter 21 The Weberian Formulation Reframed
Chapter 22 The Logic of Conquest and the Authority of Instrumentation
Chapter 23 The Logic of Interdependence and the Authority of Inclusion
Chapter 24 Modification of the Weberian Typology
Part 25 4 Connective Democracy and Global Governance
Chapter 26 A Government or a Governance System-in-Being?
Chapter 27 World Government
Chapter 28 World Community
Chapter 29 Conditions of Peace and Effective Global Governance
Chapter 30 Form of Global Governance
Part 31 Conclusion: A Connectivist Construction of the American Identity and Global Leadership
Chapter 32 Who Are We?
Chapter 33 A Connectivist Response to Obama
Chapter 34 Global Leadership
Chapter 35 The Iraqi Issue
Chapter 36 The Middle East
Chapter 37 The Military
Chapter 38 The Issue of Nuclear Proliferation and Global Terrorism
Chapter 39 The Issue of Homeland Security
Chapter 40 Alliances and Partnerships
Chapter 41 The Connection between Foreign Policy and Formulation and Domestic Politics
Chapter 42 A Connectivist Response to Mitt Romney
Chapter 43 The Relationship between Theory and Policy
Chapter 44 The Issue of Leadership
Chapter 45 The Iraqi Policy
Chapter 46 The Tasks and the Strategies
Chapter 47 "Moving Forward"
Chapter 48 Toward a Relationship Oriented Foreign Policy
Chapter 49 Bibliography
Chapter 50 Index