The article "Power in International Politics" by Michael Barnett and Raymond Duvall explores the concept of power in international relations, arguing that the discipline often privileges one form of power—compulsory power, where one actor controls another—to the exclusion of other forms. They propose a more nuanced understanding of power, which they categorize into four types: compulsory, institutional, structural, and productive. Each type is defined by the kind of social relations through which power operates (interaction or constitution) and the specificity of those relations (direct or diffuse). The authors critique the realist emphasis on compulsory power, suggesting that it limits the understanding of power's multifaceted nature. They argue that scholars should adopt a broader conceptual framework to better understand how power operates in international politics, emphasizing the importance of both "power over" and "power to." The article also discusses the implications of this expanded conceptualization for global governance and the debate over American empire, highlighting the need for a more integrated and sophisticated understanding of power's role in shaping international outcomes.The article "Power in International Politics" by Michael Barnett and Raymond Duvall explores the concept of power in international relations, arguing that the discipline often privileges one form of power—compulsory power, where one actor controls another—to the exclusion of other forms. They propose a more nuanced understanding of power, which they categorize into four types: compulsory, institutional, structural, and productive. Each type is defined by the kind of social relations through which power operates (interaction or constitution) and the specificity of those relations (direct or diffuse). The authors critique the realist emphasis on compulsory power, suggesting that it limits the understanding of power's multifaceted nature. They argue that scholars should adopt a broader conceptual framework to better understand how power operates in international politics, emphasizing the importance of both "power over" and "power to." The article also discusses the implications of this expanded conceptualization for global governance and the debate over American empire, highlighting the need for a more integrated and sophisticated understanding of power's role in shaping international outcomes.