In 1961, Thomas Schelling’s The Strategy of Discord used game theory to radically reenvision the U.S.-Soviet relationship and establish the foundation of worldwide relations for the rest of the Cold War. Now, Anne-Marie Slaughter-one of Foreign Policy’s Best 100 Global Thinkers from 2009 to 2012, and the 1st woman to serve as director of the State Department Office of Plan Planning-applies network theory to build up a new group of approaches for the post-Cold War globe. While chessboard-style competitive associations still exist-U.S.-Iranian relations, for example-many various other situations demand that people look not at individual entities but at their links one to the other. We must figure out how to understand, form, and build on those connections.

Concise and accessible, based on real-world situations, on a lucid understanding of network research, and on an obvious taxonomy of strategies, this is a go-to resource for anyone buying new way to take into account strategy in politics or business.