Arguing that previous critiques of rational choice and deterrence theory are not convincing, Frank Harvey constructs a new set of empirical tests of rational deterrence theory to illuminate patterns of interaction between rival nuclear powers. He analyses the crisis management techniques used by the United States and the Soviet Union in twenty-eight post-war crises and isolates factors that promote or inhibit escalation of these crises. This "crises"-based data set serves as the basis for identifying patterns of response when one nuclear state is threatened by another. The Future's Back offers new directions for testing that emphasize a more unified approach to theory building and assesses the feasibility of alternative courses of action to prevent escalation of future disputes characterized by nuclear rivalry.
- ISBN10 0773516050
- ISBN13 9780773516052
- Publish Date 10 September 1994 (first published 1 January 1994)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country CA
- Imprint McGill-Queen's University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 208
- Language English