Though others have studied the importance of 'time horizon' in foreign policy making, Tauss appears to be a pioneer in introducing this concept to the study of US-China relations. The extent of a decision-maker’s time horizon can have a significant impact on policy outcomes. Depending on how far a decision-maker’s horizon extends, the temporal space ranges from instantaneous (split-second ... Read moremoment) to chiliastic (exceptionally long term). Many individuals are likely to use a variety of time horizons in their decision making. As Tauss confesses, 'Since the very concept of ‘time horizon’ is often not predominant in the minds of the actors, its use in the decision-making process might have to be extracted through indirect analysis rather than direct observation.' To apply time horizon to US-China relations, he selected two cases: the 1995–1996 Taiwan Strait crisis and China’s entry into the WTO, which he painstakingly studied. In the end, he deplores that there are 'difficulties in isolating the horizons from the other elements in how decisions are made, but the fact remains that horizons play a vital role' in decision making. . . .Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections.
CHOICE
With this well written and fascinating book Tauss has taken on one of the more difficult and certainly understudied concepts in the study of international relations: time. It is difficult to overstate how important the concept of time is to international relations, and how detrimental its neglect has been. Usually the purview of formal modelers and rational choice theorists, Tauss has taken the concept into a new analytical realm through his discursive approach. To do so he identifies multiple temporal horizons that shape perceptions of policymakers and societies alike and then deploys this analytical framework in carefully researched case studies of relations between the United States and China. This is an outstanding book, and a must read for every scholar of foreign policy and international relations.
Jarrod Hayes, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, Georgia Institute of Technology This study breaks new ground in introducing the concept of time horizons to explain previously puzzling aspects of the likely most important interstate pairing of the new millennium—the U.S. and China. Tauss examines issues in military security, along with economics, to reveal how leadership variation in time horizons can account for observed behavior. The book is a ‘must read’ for those interested in Chinese and U.S. foreign policy, along with anyone who seeks a deeper understanding of national decision-making.
Patrick James, University of Southern California Show Less