Maxwell's Demon and the Golden Apple

"This is the most original and thought-provoking forecast of future world politics to be published in recent years."

"... it is more than simply provocative, it demands attention"

"In his new book, Randy Schweller again pushes the boundaries of theorizing about international relations. Others are content to rework and tweak old ideas, both theirs and others' work. Instead, Schweller consistently announces broad new directions, both for himself and for the field. I applaud this bold, risk-taking approach. It is the heart of the academic enterprise."

"Schweller is one of the brightest international relations scholars of his generation, and his insights are genuinely controversial. Maxwell’s Demon and the Golden Apple is a must-read text."

"With his typical verve, Schweller explains why and how the concept of entropy illuminates current and coming world politics. This is not your grandfather's treatment of globalization and the information revolution, but a deeply original account, with stimulating ideas on every page."

"'Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.' But, according to Randall Schweller in this brilliant reflection on the present and future of international politics, we are not slouching towards a new major war or any other defining event. Rather, the future is disorder, ungovernability, dissolution, and dissipation. Maxwell’s Demon and the Golden Apple is a unique blend of established political science and creative, out-of-the box thinking. Even if Schweller fails to persuade you of his argument about entropy, he will get you thinking in new ways about one of the most important questions of our time."

"Randy Schweller is one of the most innovative IR theorists in the land, and his new book does not disappoint. He cleverly employs the concept of entropy to argue that big trouble lies ahead in world politics, and the United States is destined to lose influence and power. Let’s hope he is wrong."