Order within Anarchy

Reviews / Votes

'Inspired by game theory, Order within Anarchy persuasively argues that international law restrains violence on the battlefield by fostering mutual expectations. Cutting across lines of cleavage in international relations theory, and using a full panoply of research methods, Morrow shows in compelling fashion when and how law can be effective in regulating self-interested behavior, even under the most challenging conditions.' David A. Lake, Jerri-Ann and Gary E. Jacobs Professor of Social Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of California, San Diego 'James Morrow uses game theory to show that the laws of war enable states to align their expectations about the use of violence during war, and he tests his theory with an exhaustive data set. Order within Anarchy is the best theoretical and empirical analysis of a body of international law that I have read. It holds important lessons for what states can accomplish practically through international law.' Eric Posner, Kirkland and Ellis Distinguished Service Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School 'Morrow brings much needed rigor to the difficult topic of the laws of war. For all the time and effort that has been spent attempting to reduce the horrors of war, we understand very little about why, how, and when legal rules move us toward that goal. Order within Anarchy is just what the field needs. Its empirical results are built on a rock-solid theoretical foundation which not only offers answers the critical questions about the laws of war, but delivers the tools needed for future scholars to continue the inquiry. The book is a must-read for both political scientists and legal scholars interested in the laws of war.' Andrew Guzman, Jackson H. Ralston Professor of Law, University of California at Berkeley Law School