Peter J. Katzenstein is the Walter S. Carpenter, Jr. Professor of International Studies at Cornell University, USA. His research and teaching lie at the intersection of the fields of international relations and comparative politics. Katzenstein is widely published on questions of political economy, security and culture in world politics. Katzenstein is President of the American Political Science Association (2008-09).

A highly original and readily accessible examination of the cultural dimension of international politics, this book provides a sophisticated and nuanced account of the relevance of cultural categories for the analysis of world politics.

1. A World of Plural and Pluralist Civilizations: Multiple Actors, Traditions, and Practices Peter J. Katzenstein 2. The United States as a Civilizational Leader James Kurth 3. Europe as a Civilizational Community of Practice Emanuel Adler 4. Civilization and State Formation in the Shadow of China David C. Kang 5. The Samurai Ride to Huntington's Rescue: Japan Ponders Its Global and Regional Roles David Leheny 6. Four Variants of Indian Civilization Susanne Hoeber Rudolph 7. Islam in Afro-Eurasia - A Bridge Civilization Bruce B. Lawrence 8. How to Think about Civilizations Patrick Thaddeus Jackson