Hierarchy and flexibility in world politics : adaptation to shifting power distributions in the United Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund

Abstract

This text attempts to halt and roll back the confusion surrounding the concept of international stability. It is based on the premise that if we cannot agree upon what constitutes a stable international system, then we cannot hope to create one. The aim of the book is, firstly, to understand why the concept of stability has been conceptualized in such diverse ways in international relations and, secondly, to propose an innovative understanding of international stability that may serve as a solid basis for future debate. The book tests this theory on two important issue areas of contemporary international governance - the United Nations Security Council and the International Monetary Fund. The findings have implications for both theory and practice in international relations.