The Global Philosophers examines the intellectual roots of much of the contemporary literature on international relations and discusses the historical context in which famous historical political theorists wrote. Authors Mark V. Kauppi and Paul R. Viotti focus on the classic Western political philosophers, surveying the work of theorists such as Thucydides, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Rousseau, Kant, and their intellectual influences. Because it features both a broad overview of the basic questions addressed by international relations and more detailed accounts of how various philosophers addressed these questions, this work is an ideal introduction to the field. An admirable analysis of how writers are influenced by their contemporaneous historical circumstances, The Global Philosophers is essential reading for anyone who wishes to truly understand and appreciate the intellectual predecessors to the modern theories of international relations.