Statecraft

In an era of instability and global competition, Statecraft offers a vital guide to understanding how states succeed, no matter their size.

From a leading defence and security analyst, Statecraft will unlock your understanding of how states collaborate, compete and fight in this era of global turmoil. Why did Russia struggle in the early months of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine? Why does Israel repeatedly ignore international pressure on Gaza? Why does the UK spend billions on aircraft carriers that it struggles to support at sea? How do smaller states shape world events when dwarfed by superpowers? The world today is gripped by conflict at a scale not seen since the Cold War. Whether in Ukraine, the Middle East or Taiwan, we are in a period of intense power competition. In Statecraft , Dr Jack Watling takes you behind the scenes to meet the world''s power brokers in their wood-panelled offices and the bunkers from which battles are coordinated, and explains the mechanics behind these struggles for supremacy. Informed by a career spent on the ground in conflict zones, and advising generals and political leaders, Watling examines the crucial dilemmas that states face to get ahead, no matter their size. From economic alliances and global trade to sea power and military technology, Statecraft provides a powerful new framework to understand an increasingly divided world.

Autorentext

Jack Watling is Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute in London. He works closely with the British, Ukrainian and American military, and advises governments on security and strategy.

He was formerly a Global Fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington DC and is the author of The Arms of the Future: Technology and Close Combat in the Twenty-First Century. Originally a journalist, he has contributed to Reuters, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy and The Guardian, among others.

Statecraft is his book about how states collaborate, compete and fight in an era of global turmoil.

Klappentext

'Gripping . . . packed with fascinating detail' - Financial Times
'Indispensable - brilliantly grounded in first-hand experience. Compelling' - Rory Stewart, author of Politics on the Edge

'Anyone interested in geopolitics should read it' - Anne Applebaum, author of Autocracy, Inc

How do states actually exercise power in an age of chaos?

From top defense analyst Dr Jack Watling, Statecraft reveals the hidden mechanics of global influence. While we watch the headlines, Watling takes us inside the bunkers and wood-panelled offices where the real decisions are made.

In this urgent analysis, you will discover:

• The Iran Paradox: How a sanctioned nation controls global energy prices despite US military might.
• The Russia-Ukraine Lesson: Why a superpower struggled against a smaller neighbor in the opening months of the invasion.
• The Aircraft Carrier Dilemma: Why the UK spends billions on hardware it can barely support at sea.
• The Future of Taiwan: What the shifting 'rules of power' mean for the next great flashpoint.
• Middle Powers: How do smaller countries build leverage and stay off the menu?

Whether it's economic alliances, sea power, or the latest military technology, Watling provides a powerful new lens to understand a world that feels increasingly out of control.