Short Synopsis
Concise and accessible, based on real-world situations, on a lucid understanding of network science, and on a clear taxonomy of strategies, The Chessboard & the Web will be a go-to resource for anyone looking for a new way to think about strategy in politics or business.

Full Synopsis
In 1961, Thomas Schelling's The Strategy of Conflict used game theory to radically reenvision the U.S.-Soviet relationship and establish the basis of international relations for the rest of the Cold War. Now, Anne-Marie Slaughter—one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers from 2009 to 2012, and the first woman to serve as director of the State Department Office of Policy Planning—applies network theory to develop a new set of strategies for the post–Cold War world. While chessboard-style competitive relationships still exist—U.S.-Iranian relations, for example—many other situations demand that we look not at individual entities but at their links to one another. We must learn to understand, shape, and build on those connections.

Concise and accessible, based on real-world situations, on a lucid understanding of network science, and on a clear taxonomy of strategies, this will be a go-to resource for anyone looking for a new way to think about strategy in politics or business.

"A valuable study." ---New York Times

"An intriguing rethink of strategy in business and politics, this title will captivate listeners . . . Slaughter explains an esoteric subject in a way that feels not only relevant but pressing." ---AudioFile

"Networks are becoming more important and deserve more attention in both the theory and practice of foreign policy. Slaughter's exposition is masterful and succinct." ---Joseph S. Nye Jr., author of Soft Power