David Chandler explores the concept of ‘global ideology’ and how it impacts on conflict, security and development policy-making, explaining why ‘the global’ is such a damaging construction and exposing the political vacuum at the heart of common perceptions of global politics.

He argues that the pre-eminence of the global, whether in terms of global governance, global security or global resistance, is predicated on a lack rather than a presence. It is the lack of clear sites and articulations of power, the lack of clear security threats and the lack of clear political programmes or movements of resistance that drives the concept of international relations in global terms.

This wide-ranging analysis is a perfect antidote for students frustrated with the abundant but vague literature on globalisation.