The Elusive Transformation: Science, Technology, and the Evolution of International Politics

(Paperback)

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From the global reach of television to the danger of global warming, from the green revolution to the massive deployment of nuclear weapons, advances in science and technology have become the most powerful and persistent forces leading to societal change. This is the first comprehensive attempt to show how changes in science and technology affect the world political system - and are affected by it. Eugene Skolnikoff, who has devoted his professional life as an academic and policymaker to this subject, examines the impact of science and technology across the entire range of relations among nations, including security and economic issues, environmental questions, international economic competitiveness, the spread of weapons technology, the demise of communism, the new content of dependency relations, and the demanding new problems of national and international governance. Skolnikoff shows how the structure and operation of scientific and technological enterprises have interacted with international affairs to produce the dramatic evolution of world politics witnessed in this century, particularly after World War II. He questions, however, whether the underlying principles of the nation-state system have been appreciably changed as a result, and concludes that, with few exceptions, the fundamental assumptions of international affairs have not been altered. The "elusive transformation" remains just that - the present international system is likely to continue without basic change for the foreseeable future.

Reviews

"Thought-provoking... Although the broad relationship that emerges between science and technology and international affairs is a dynamic one, Skolnikoff argues that the process of change is evolutionary rather than revolutionary. Skolnikoff is talented at weaving the argument between science and technology and international developments... Full of stimulating and informative ideas."--Margaret Sharp, Nature "A volume of sweeping ambition, covering both past and contemporary trends... This compact volume offers much to anyone interested in current global trends, not least to those in the scientific, engineering and medical communities... With almost 40 years of intense professional involvement in this subject ... Skolnikoff brings an extraordinary range of both scholarship and practical experience to this debate."--American Scientist "... without doubt the best general introduction available... will undoubtedly be the general 'reference of choice' in technology and international affairs for years to come."--IEEE Spectrum "This book offers a very well written and thoughtful overview of the likely impacts of science and technology on international politics."--George H. Quester, American Political Science Review "... a remarkably good review of the full range of the science and technology of international politics."--Allan Mazur, Contemporary Sociology "A volume of sweeping ambition, covering both past and contemporary trends... This compact volume offers much to anyone interested in current global trends, not least to those in the scientific, engineering and medical communities... With almost 40 years of intense professional involvement in this subject ... Skolnikoff brings an extraordinary range of both scholarship and practical experience to this debate."--Rodney W. Nichols, American Scientist

Author Bio

Eugene B. Skolnikoff is Professor of Political Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has been Director of the Center for International Studies at MIT, and has served on the staff of the White House Office of Science and Technology in several administrations.