Boredom, Colonialism and War: Dreams of Power and Agency, 1870-1930

Why is liberalism unable to account for the violence which persists in modern society? Boredom, Colonialism and War is a wide ranging IR study which looks at the role of cutural systems in warfare, the modern condition and the failure of globalization to halt war through international free trade. In an increasingly dissatisfied and bored modern society, the promise of violence acts as a powerful form of entertainment and restores a sense of agency. The dream of warfare provides empowerment; slowly, a cultural system is created that bypasses the effects of colonialism leading to globalization. Through use of historical case studies on globalization and colonialism, these polemical authors provide an incisive analysis of contemporary international politics, international relations, and modern society.